One of the hardest but most important and rewarding jobs, farming is a combination of hard work, ingenuity, and careful planning. Whether you have a farm that spreads out over hundreds of acres or instead have one that is much smaller, it is still vital to do various upkeeps along the way to maintain your business. As to which upkeeps are most important, here are four considered to be essential to any successful farm.
Protect Your Planting Area
During the off-season, you should make it a priority to protect your planting area. To do so, you can plant a cover crop, often called “green manure,” that will enrich the soil, keep the area weed-free, discourage pests from taking up residence, and prevent various plant diseases from taking hold. When considering cover crops, look to clover, alfalfa, and soybeans.
Get Regular Tractor Service
Since your tractor is so important to keeping your farm running smoothly, make sure you get regular maintenance tractor service on it and other pieces of equipment. To do so, you should consider establishing a regular maintenance schedule for your farm equipment, where you can check belts, hoses, chains, and other parts. If anything needs replacing, do so immediately or have it serviced by a qualified technician.
Mend Fences
Remember that when you own a farm, good fences make for good neighbors. After all, you sure don’t want your cows, pigs, or horses to go wandering onto someone else’s property. To prevent this, always mend your fences and check on them regularly to see if any repairs need to be made. Along with keeping your neighbors happy, this will also be an important component to keeping your farm safe and secure. By having strong, sturdy fencing around your property, it will be much harder for others to trespass.
Maintain Barns and Other Buildings
Since you use your barn and other buildings to house equipment, livestock, supplies, and other things crucial to your farming business, keep these structures in excellent condition year-round. When doing so, you should also look around for any nearby trees that look as if they may be in danger of falling on your buildings. Should you spot any, trim them or cut them down before you have damaged buildings, broken equipment, and animals that may be injured or killed.
Once you put these tips into practice, you will find you not only have a farm that runs much smoother than before, but one that also gives you far more peace of mind.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.
