All About Micro-Farming

Imagine farming on your home’s urban lot. It’s actually a doable dream nowadays. Micro-farming is quickly becoming commonplace. Many homeowners are opting to plant sustainable gardens for their own personal use and also to earn a living. A micro-farm is a small farm that is less than five acres. It is typically located in urban or suburban locations. 

The Innovative and Lucrative Practices of Micro-Farming

Farmers on such tiny plots are becoming very innovative in the way that they farm and the seasonal crops that they choose to cultivate on the small plots of land. Most are focusing on seasonal crops that meet the needs of niche markets which has become a remarkably successful financial enterprise.

For years, many people have mistakenly believed that they needed hundreds or thousands of acres to make a living farming. However, this is a misnomer. A single acre of corn or soybeans will command about $400 to $600 but a micro-farm can easily make six figures in a single year. The demand for non-GMO, naturally grown crops is staggering. Micro farmers are growing specialty crops like microgreens, heirloom tomatoes, or baby greens on tiny plots of land. Short season crops are the rage but in some instances, they are also growing cabbage and broccoli. Other high-dollar corps include herbs, garlic, and mushrooms.

Marketing Produce from Micro-Farms

Micro-farms are not filling huge silos or selling their products overseas, Instead, they are focusing on small mom and pop markets like restaurants that want to serve locally produced food items or farmer’s markets. The need for micro-farm produce is truly staggering. 

Micro-Farming: A Return to the Basics 

One of the main appeals of micro-farming is the low initial cost. The small plot of land is far thriftier than hundreds of acres. You can even use your current house and yard if the zoning allows you to farm the land. There is no need to invest a sizable amount of money in farming equipment. In fact, some micro-farmers still opt to till the soil the old-fashioned way- by hand. Remember, one of the main things about micro-farming is that it is a return to the basics. It’s a way of embracing the farming practices of a century ago and saying ‘no’ to high tech/high dollar farming equipment. 

Current Micro-Farming Practices

Nowadays, micro-farming is unique. Everyone does it differently. What works for one might not work for another. However, there are a few farming practices being embraced such as the following:

• Aquaponics: Combine fish with plants to reap the benefits. Aquaponics is a form of hydroponics but the fish in the water provide nitrogen-rich waste that feeds the plants. In return, the plants filter the fish water to create a perfect eco-system. This form of farming embraces Mother Nature and everything natural. 
• Vertical Farming: With micro-farming, space is always an issue. Vertical growing is ideal with hydroponics and aquaponics. You can grow with extraordinarily little space by using stackable shelves. 

Micro-farming is the wave of the future and Humboldts Secret Supplies will meet all of your plant’s nutrient needs. Please contact us to learn more.