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For aspiring homesteaders and direct-to-consumer farming entrepreneurs, the practicalities of establishing and running an operation can be so all-consuming they forget why they began the journey into farming life in the first place.

Montgomery County Farm Bureau member Michael Kilpatrick, owner and operator of The Farm on Central in Carlisle, Ohio, speaks frequently on the topic of farmer burnout.

“While today’s consumers increasingly crave the transparency and connection that food sourced from local farmers provide, many producers remain overwhelmed by thin margins, long hours and the demands of running the business,” he said. “Over time, that complexity starts running the farm instead of the farmer running the farm.”

He advises those specifically preparing for and operating small, direct-to-consumer farms to follow 10 rules and review them frequently:

• Rule 1: Know what you actually want – Define the life you want so the farm doesn’t define it for you. Ensure the farm matches your personality, capacity and desired lifestyle.
• Rule 2: Start smaller than you think – Avoid building the “finished farm” on day one. Start with small tests and expand only after a concept proves itself.
• Rule 3: Ask the hard questions – Be willing to admit when a crop, system or idea isn’t working.
• Rule 4: Know your numbers – Treat the farm as a business, not a hobby. Understand your costs (packaging, labor, overhead) to ensure profitability.
• Rule 5: Build a team – Recognize that no one person can do everything; a team makes the business sustainable.
• Rule 6: Systems create freedom – If a task happens more than three times, it should become a system to reduce stress and mistakes.
• Rule 7: Know your customer – Focus on solving a customer’s problem and growing what they actually want to buy.
• Rule 8: Educate your customers – Build trust and loyalty by teaching customers how to use your products and why your farm is unique.
• Rule 9: Try new things – Stay resilient by experimenting with new crops, products and marketing ideas on a small scale.
• Rule 10: Smell the roses – Don’t forget why you started farming. Enjoy the life you’re building, and recognize the fulfillment in your progress.

“The farm should serve your life, not consume it,” Kilpatrick said. “The goal isn’t just productivity. The goal is to build a farm that gives you your life back.”