Parson, Kansas —
Have you checked your virtual farm yet today? Over 74 million users worldwide have made Farmville the most popular online game in the world. As a result of the popularity, online farmers now outnumber real farmers 60 to 1.
But specialists with University of Missouri Extension say the game underestimates the time and commitment that real farming demands.
“I like the fact that other players can help you with your crops in Farmville, this happens frequently in reality. I don’t like the fact that it speeds the food production process up and reaffirms the non-farmer misconception that food is produced fast and easy, which is not reality,” said Gordon Carriker, an agriculture business specialist with MU Extension in Christian County.
Farmville is a real-time farm simulation game available on the social networking website Facebook. Players begin with a plot of land and a simple goal: grow crops (including livestock), harvest them, and then sell them before the virtual crops die.
The game requires lots of regular attention but very little sweat while real farming requires more than just a mouse click. A typical day on a family farms starts early in the morning and often goes well into the evening.
MU Extension specialists say people interested in starting a farm need to remember that real life on the farm is a lifelong commitment, not a choice, or even a game.
Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with MU Extension, says it is important these days to have good outside employment, a good retirement or some inheritance before trying to live out farming dreams on a few acres.
"You can make a living on a few acres, but most people who are moving to a farm don't want to work that hard,” said Cole.
Tim Schankenberg, an agronomy specialist with MU Extension in Stone County, says people interested in starting a small farm should focus on what interests them most about small farm life.
"Farmers must enjoy the enterprise they are embarking on or they will get burned out. Their motivation must go beyond just taking on an enterprise because they've heard people have made money doing it," said Schankenberg.
Stopping to consider the amount of time that can be committed to a farm operation is the most important first step according to Carriker.
"Another consideration is record keeping. A producer on five or 500 acres can't determine if he's making a profit if he doesn't have adequate production and financial records to put together to make informed management decisions," said Carriker.
Putting together a business plan, a marketing plan, pro forma financial statements and a plan for exiting the business are also necessary to decide if the venture might be profitable.
While virtual farming is not nearly as hard or time consuming as running a real family farm, Farmville still has still become a way of life and distraction for millions of people.
Just remember, a click of the mouse in Farmville won’t put an ounce of food on the family dinner table.
For more information on starting a real farm, contact the nearest county MU Extension center.
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