The Urban Farmer Podcast - Profitable Small Scale Urban Farming

Part two of our series on Small Scale Farming on the Cheap – What’s the least you could spend to start a farm?

Last week in Episode 22 we covered the base principles costs and equipment associated with farm startup.

We established the point that tools are simply one leg on the stool of success.

The tools should never hold you back. It’s never going to be just the tools that make you successful. Yet, good tools can make job easier.

That show focused on the concepts and the ideas behind the why.

Today’s show focuses on the what. What do you actually need and how much does it costs.

This episode is the first of a few digging into that question…

The Tools in Part 1:

Walk in cooler – $1000
- Size at 144ft3 for 1/4 acre.
- You can likely find a shell of a used cooler for around $1000.
  - If the compressor doesn’t work, then you can go with a CoolBot and an AC unit.
    - Both of which are easy to repair by replacement, so you can just keep spares on hand.
    - It’s easier to change out an AC unit than it is to repair a compressor.
- Build cool room $1000-$1500
  - Build to custom size and fit custom to the space that you have to work with.

Washing station – $200
- A basic station can be build with easy to find hardware store materials and totes.
- Curtis’s new bubbler cost about $500

Drying/Spinning Machine – $100
- A basic washing machine that spins will work

Drying table – $100
- A screened table with some box fans.
- A basic station can be build with easy to find hardware store materials.

Office – $500
- Computer – $1000
- Accounting Software – $500
- Printer – $200
- Storage – $50

Tools:
- You don’t need a BCS right away, but it does help to have one and can be handy especially if some of the extra implements fit your context and can be useful on your farm.
- Renting is more cost feasible option for some people.