Cultivating Success: Mentoring New Farmers for the Future

You see them at the local farmers markets: young farmers and ranchers, proudly displaying and selling what they grew or raised through hard labor and determination. They know breaking into the profession is no small feat.

Many challenges await those who choose farming or ranching as a career. They include access to land, capital and knowledge. According to the USDA, the average age of farmers and ranchers in the United States is approaching 60 years old. Because of this, local communities everywhere need new, younger farmers to replace those who will retire.

David Mitchell is an aspiring farmer. He grew up in Melba and absorbed how a friend’s family ran their farm. He noticed how they fed their chickens, irrigated their crops and managed their business. He also saw that they weren’t too wealthy, but what they did have was freedom and the time to spend with their family.

That stuck with Mitchell. After bouncing around in different careers including music, a small beef co-op and banking, Mitchell made the leap from Wells Fargo to work at Ohana No-Till Farm in Meridian.

Almost three years later, Mitchell left Ohana to focus on his own ventures: Pigs in Space and moringa tree farming. Pigs in Space is a pasture-raised pig farm in Homedale. The land comes from business partner Jim West. Its operations are based on the holistic and sustainable model popularized by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms. A key element is using portable electric fences to rotate grazing livestock.

With limited finances, land and labor, Mitchell and West plan to keep the scale manageable, working no more than 50 pigs at a time. Starting this spring, they hope to sell directly to customers by offering memberships/shares for their pork.

If all goes well with Pigs in Space, Mitchell and his wife, Jill, plan to start a moringa tree farm. Moringas are high in protein. Although grown in tropical regions, they hope to adapt the trees to Idaho’s climate. They’ll start by growing them in greenhouses to see if, over time, these trees can thrive.

Mitchell has a pragmatic view of what it takes to be a successful farmer. “You are either born into it or you go into debt,” he said.

Mitchell is keeping debt at bay by maintaining a full-time job. His wife also works part time. They plan to keep these jobs while farming to ensure a stable income.

The Mitchells have the land and capital to sustain their fledgling operation. For knowledge and mentors, new farmers and ranchers can turn to the University of Idaho Extension. In coordination with Rural Roots, a nonprofit food and farming organization based in Moscow, the Extension recently offered sustainable small farm education courses across Idaho as part of a program called Cultivating Success. These courses help with farm planning and assessment, which enables aspiring farmers to evaluate and ensure they are going forward in a smart way.