A successful farm business requires lots of planning and investment in the right tools. Here are some essentials you will need if you are planning to make your living as a farmer.
1. Pickup truck —
According to Carol Ekarius of Hobby Farms, a good pickup truck is a sizeable investment, but it is one of the most versatile and useful tools you can own. It will be indispensable for hauling supplies, feed for livestock, firewood, and more. Add a topper for the bed for hauling items that need to be kept dry during transport.
Editor's Note: Weird Trick Adds Up to $1,000 to Your Social Security Checks
2. Reliable irrigation system — Optimal irrigation is essential for successful commercial crops.
Caitlyn Hall of Reroot Organic Farm tells FarmStart that there are some seasons she never needs to use her irrigation system, but other seasons, she can’t live without it.
3. Manure spreader — If you are planning to keep livestock on your farm, you will need a manure spreader, advises Carol Ekarius. Manure can quickly accumulate in large piles, and spreading it in thin layers over your land will improve soil fertility, reduce water runoff, and help control flies and other insects.
4. Tractor and plow — If your farm is small, you may only need a small walk-behind tractor with a
tiller, says Corbun Babel of Homestead Living. The attachments can be changed out to perform many types of chores from planting to baling hay.
5. Handcart — Carol Ekarius says that good handcarts are the first tools she would buy. They are priced at less than $500 and can carry heavy loads through snow and mud and across uneven terrain. They are designed to balance large loads in a way that is safe and will be easier on your back.
6. Walk-in cooler — Keeping harvests refrigerated is crucial for preserving optimum freshness before heading to market, says Caitlyn Hall. These large refrigerators improve the market value of fresh food.
See Story: Leading Heart Doctor Confirms Dead Come Back to Life
Brande Plotnick is an ambitious home cook, gardener, beekeeper, writer, and speaker who started her website, Tomato Envy, to inspire others to find their deliberately decadent life at home. Brande’s down-to-earth style and approachable manner have been winning over the readers who follow her blog. Her work has been featured in Urban Farm Magazine, Natural Awakenings, Mother Earth News, and the Whole Seed Catalog.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.