Diversify or Die

5) Get Started Immediately. The best time to diversify your farm income was 15 years ago; the next best time is now. The old exercise adage “No pain, no gain” is equally appropriate to many agricultural enterprises. Rarely will a farm manager take action until the agony of maintaining the status quo is greater than the fear of trying something different. Unfortunately for many rural families, that something different means selling off assets.

Within each problem are the seeds of the solution. This idea is probably best described by the axiom “That which does not kill us makes us stronger” When the family farm experiences financial, emotional or spiritual pain, it is just nature’s way of reminding those persons that change is necessary to restore balance, whether the problem is cash flow, work load or personal fulfillment. Regrettably for most people, the misery never passes the critical threshold required for quantifiable action to occur.