new,
I am not tring to discourage you in your pursuit to a small farming operation. But i would really recommend you getting with someone who has a working farm and get some hands on experience. Reading about things and doing them are two different things.
You said that you are going to be teaching and coaching. I would think that in itself would take allot of your time to do. And i am by no means a big farmer myself. I only have 10 head of cattle and a few horse's/mules. And you might not think it. But they require allot of time to take care of. Cattle and horse's are not like taking care of small pet's which i know you already know that. But what i mean by that is you might not have a real good understanding just how much work/cost goes into taking care of just one horse or cow.
I know you have already said money really is not what you are getting into it for. Which is good. Because with just 4 or 5 cows and a couple of horse's you are not going to make any money the way i see it. Actually it is going to be a big exspense. Which will be worth it if you enjoy it. My wife love's to barrel race and rodeo. She has 4 barrel horse's and loose's 10 times more money than she will ever win. But she enjoy's it. Now with that being said she rid's her horse's and takes very good care of them. So both her and the animal's are happy.
I see way to many people who think they want to own a horse to only wind up putting it in a pasture and soon negelecting it. Not worming it, keeping its hoofs trimmed etc...., same way with cattle. These are big animal's that need constant care. When you get ready to go out of town for a week or few day's. They are not like a dog or cat where you put out a little extra feed in their bowl. They are more like a kid. They have got to have constant care and by someone who know's how to look after them. Even if it is for just a little while.
So i would highly reccomend getting a little hands on experience for a year or so to just see if that is really what you want to do.
I am not tring to discourage you in your pursuit to a small farming operation. But i would really recommend you getting with someone who has a working farm and get some hands on experience. Reading about things and doing them are two different things.
You said that you are going to be teaching and coaching. I would think that in itself would take allot of your time to do. And i am by no means a big farmer myself. I only have 10 head of cattle and a few horse's/mules. And you might not think it. But they require allot of time to take care of. Cattle and horse's are not like taking care of small pet's which i know you already know that. But what i mean by that is you might not have a real good understanding just how much work/cost goes into taking care of just one horse or cow.
I know you have already said money really is not what you are getting into it for. Which is good. Because with just 4 or 5 cows and a couple of horse's you are not going to make any money the way i see it. Actually it is going to be a big exspense. Which will be worth it if you enjoy it. My wife love's to barrel race and rodeo. She has 4 barrel horse's and loose's 10 times more money than she will ever win. But she enjoy's it. Now with that being said she rid's her horse's and takes very good care of them. So both her and the animal's are happy.
I see way to many people who think they want to own a horse to only wind up putting it in a pasture and soon negelecting it. Not worming it, keeping its hoofs trimmed etc...., same way with cattle. These are big animal's that need constant care. When you get ready to go out of town for a week or few day's. They are not like a dog or cat where you put out a little extra feed in their bowl. They are more like a kid. They have got to have constant care and by someone who know's how to look after them. Even if it is for just a little while.
So i would highly reccomend getting a little hands on experience for a year or so to just see if that is really what you want to do.