May 31st, 2010 • 03:05
I Want To Start An Organic Farm And Greenhouse Business In Northern Michigan. Possibly To Succeed?
I want to start a greenhouse and organic farming business. Is it possible to be successful at this in northern michigan.
Have a career/make enough money to live?
What is the estimate profit someone could earn at this?
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May 31st 2010 • 04:05
by anissia
http://www.growingpower.org/
this guy here does it in Milwaukee so it should do well , he has even one a $500,000 genius grant because of it, hes doing quite well , some of his gardens are also grown in water with fish swimming in them for aeration. take a look.
yes it is possible for you to be very very successful in that business.
May 31st 2010 • 04:05
by SD
NO MICHIGAN SUCKS.
i hate michigan, (i live in michigan that in my opinion) and michigans weather here is so bipolar, so it will not help you, or the economy.
no michigan is the worst state to grow and start a company because its having the worst econmic time, and anyways it will take longer, and take more time from you, and a lot more money.
hope this answers you question!
May 31st 2010 • 05:05
by panurge
Unless you possess unlimited sources of power to heat and light the grow areas, you’re better off trying hay, and cattle. The grow season is very short there, move south,maybe Indiana.
May 31st 2010 • 06:05
by Buglady
I have worked in the greenhouse / nursery industry for 18 years now. Now would be the time to start a business like this. I would start an organic vegetable start company, selling to garden centers and also to agriculture. I work with organics and sustainability and this will be my best year ever.
May 31st 2010 • 06:05
by velouria
You can definitely make a career of organic farming in Michigan. Michigan State has one of the leading programs in the country developing more profitable and sustainable methods. There is no way to estimate what your profit could be because it depends on the type of growing you plan on doing, what you want to grow, and how you’re going to sell it.
You don’t have to get the organic farming certificate to be successful, but its helpful to know that the staff at MSU and the Student Organic Farm are always more than willing to help someone get started and keep going once they begin.
May 31st 2010 • 07:05
by edwardia
I want to start a greenhouse and organic farming business. Is it possible to be successful at this in northern michigan.
Have a career/make enough money to live?
What is the estimate profit someone could earn at this?
May 31st 2010 • 07:05
by Daniel W
$12
May 31st 2010 • 07:05
by opalesce
Being from Northern Michigan myself I would caution you that this might be a labor of lover rather than a money making venture.
While the organic produce market is increasing in popularity, it would most likely be a hard sell locally. I know around my area there is Pond Hill Farm, they do the organic meat and veggies/fruits. I’ve posted the link to their page to get an idea of their offerings.
I would think to really make a go of this you would need to align with either a grocery store, restaurant or be willing to frequent the farmer’s markets on the weekends to sell your goods.
If you live here you know that the winters here are harsh and that the growing season is usually threatened by a late spring freeze or an early fall freeze.
Good luck in your endeavor should you decide to make a go of it.
May 31st 2010 • 08:05
by ohhhdear
FIrst, hopefully you have enough capital to survive for 5+ years before you turn any profit. The credit markets are dried up, so getting loans for farm equipment, feed, land, buildings, etc will be very difficult.
Next, you’ll need to pull out all the stops to make this farm succeed. Renewable energy sources, wind, solar, solar water heating, careful selection of your land for the best chance of using green energy… all should play a big part in helping keep down your energy costs. Greenhouses are a good way to go. How will you manage pests inside the greenhouses? Northern Michigan is not as fertile as the southern and central part of our state. The short growing season will make your crop choices critical.
In order to be certified organic, you must comply with strict rules; no pesticides, inorganic fertilizers, growth hormones or antibiotics, etc for a certain number of years.
In short, do your research thoroughly. Look for grants and government help. Find niche markets and develop clientele. How will you sell your product? This will be a complete lifestyle for you and your family, so be prepared to devote 110% of your time to making it work. And even then, there’s no guarantees. Whatever “estimate” someone comes up with is completely inaccurate because you won’t make any profit for quite a few years. Farming is hard work.
Good luck!
May 31st 2010 • 08:05
by Gary Smith, Realtor®
I have two examples for you. The majority of tomatoes in Michigan come from southern Ontario. and there is a greenhouse growing roses in Traverse City. ( I believe it’s called the four season nursery)
I suggest looking here for more help. http://www.greenhousegrower.com/viewpoin…
You might also consider working with the Small Business Administration to develop a plan and obtain loans.http://www.sba.gov/index.html
Can you make a profit and a living? That would depend upon how smart your choices are. The business combining plants and fish sounds good, but I saw a program about a fish farmer in Colorado that imported alligators to eat their losses.
May 31st 2010 • 09:05
by Sonora
I don’t know about No. Michigan but a greenhouse and organic farm could definitely succeed. Food prices keep going up and you would have no problem selling your produce if it was cheaper than grocery store prices. All you would have to do is set up a stand to sell your goods and people would buy them. You just have to know what you’re doing, how to run a greenhouse, etc. Plus, a lot of people like organic food. And you would save on your own grocery bill.
Oct 26th 2010 • 19:10
by Elizebeth Blackman
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Mar 27th 2011 • 21:03
by Al
Of course! You can farm organically anywhere!
I live very north in Ontario where land is very rocky and growing season short, and I know a handful of organic farmers here.
Profits are slim in the first few years, but once land and equipment are paid for and you have figured out which crops are working for your land to maximize yield, I know a guy that makes enough money to hire five farm hands….
A greenhouse would be a must.