Wall Street Journal on Suburban Farmers

One of the trends we've been tracking for some time is the growth small farms and local food production.  The front page of the Wall Street Journal discusses this in their article "Green Acres II: When Neighbors Become Farmers" (registration required). 

The article covers the growth of hobbyist farmers turning their front and back yards into mini-farms.  From the article:

".... has uprooted his backyard and the front or back yards of eight of his Boulder neighbors, turning them into minifarms growing tomatoes, bok choy, garlic and beets. Between May and September, he gives weekly bagfuls of fresh-picked vegetables and herbs to people here who have bought "shares" of his farming operation. Neighbors who lend their yards to the effort are paid in free produce and yard work."

The article points out that demand is coming from restaurants looking for fresh, locally grown foods such as arugula and kohlrabi as well as consumers.  Since it is a Wall Street Journal article, they cover the financials associated with these mini-farms:

"Start-up costs for a one-eighth-acre farm run about $5,500, says Ms. Christensen of Spin-Farming. That includes a walk-in cooler to wash and store fresh produce, a rotary tiller and a farm-stand display. Annual operating expenses, including seeds and farmers-market stall fees, can add about $2,000. Such a farm can generate $10,000 to $20,000 in annual sales, she says. That's "an entry point into farming to see if they have a talent for it," Ms. Christensen says. "Those that do will eventually be able to expand and increase that income level quite substantially."

The trends towards local food production are quite strong.  The emerging consumer buy local coalition, coupled with increasing food costs and more focus on environment is making small farms increasingly viable.