As usual, we’ve stayed wildly busy on the farm. With new baby goats popping in weekly, we have plenty going on to prep for winter, keep up with the new kids and maintain the typical chores. Naturally, that means we’re asking “why not add one more thing?”
Since moving to the farm, we’ve explored creative ways to grow the operation and use the land. We’re creeping closer and closer to executing on some of those fun ideas – but doing so means we also have to be buttoned up in the way we’re handling the less fun things. Like finances, for example.
Farm finances, while similar to running a business, are still a bit of a special beast. Alongside tracking assets, expenses, tax write-offs and more – we also need to track our livestock, changes in use of the land, aging equipment and so much more. While it’s possible to jump in and sprint with this, it feels like jumping in the deep end.
Tired of the overwhelming nature of all this tracking – I’ve started another new online class via my alma mater K-State: Finances and the Farm. Not only does the class cover all the approaches for tracking every angle of the farm, but it will also give me FSA borrower credit. So, if we choose to pursue an FSA or USDA loan to grow the farm further, I will be able to check a few boxes in advance by having all of our reports set up in the proper way.
I’d by lying if I said this hasn’t gotten my entrepreneur brain sprinting at full speed. The software I’ve found for farm management is…painful. Everything seems to be based on generations and generations of spreadsheets. The UI and capabilities of the software out there leave a lot to be desired and, I think I might – weirdly – have found myself of being in the right place to understand both the possibilities of the technology and the needs of the farm. So. Much. Brainstorming.