How to get started with agtech and farming investments?

Well, I'm finally back... I've been out in rural Pennsylvania for a while dealing with various projects, so I haven't had a spare moment to check the forums. My apologies. Thank you all so much for your responses; they have been incredibly helpful!
Do you want to know how my garden is doing? 😁 It’s absolutely thriving!!! I couldn't be happier about it...
I've noticed the soil here is a bit tough to dig through, though it does hold moisture exceptionally well. It means I don't necessarily need to water every single day—though I do it anyway. (Well, not now that we're getting some rain, at least.)
In just a few days, my beans, onions, beets, and peas have already sprouted, and I can even see tiny little parsley shoots popping up...
Since I decided this would just be an experimental patch (if it behaves itself, I might get serious about it this fall), I didn't use any fertilizer. I was curious to see just how fertile the soil was on its own. I planted everything I love just based on how it looked to me, and it turns out I didn't make a single mistake. 😍 Consider me a newly obsessed gardener. 😍

It’s honestly great to read about this kind of satisfaction. Wishing you nothing but the best 👍
There is simply no better feeling than watching something actually take root and grow 😍

I’m not entirely sure if this is the right sub for this, but I’ll throw it out there anyway. Does anyone happen to know what kind of federal subsidy we can expect per acre for corn crops?

Does anyone have any leads on workshops or training programs for aspiring fruit growers, vegetable farmers, or beekeepers?
I’ve been scouring various USDA websites and government agency pages, but I haven't come across any actual announcements.
As a complete novice looking to launch my own small family farm, wouldn't it be helpful to hear from actual experts, meet fellow beginners, or even tour some established orchards? How does one even begin to organize all of that?

Hey, shoot me a DM. I’m happy to chat, answer your questions, and share whatever insights I can. You just have to make the trip out to my place. That's it.

I’m looking to hear about anyone else's experience with side hustles like the one mentioned in the title—or anything similar. I’m mostly interested in what actually makes sense financially (doesn't have to be a massive payday, just worth the effort). It's tough to find real info out there since everyone seems to be gatekeeping their own little setups... I don't own any acreage, but I do have a small outbuilding that would work great for a piglet setup (maybe 2-3 pigs) plus some yard space around it. I also have another smaller spot where I could set up a couple of coops or even a little chicken run

The space you mentioned is just enough for what you need.

I hope I’m asking these in the right spot? I don’t have a massive list here, but I’d really appreciate some insight if anyone actually knows the deal...
1-How big of a commercial structure can I actually put up on agricultural land—specifically an olive grove—and am I even allowed to build something permanent?
2-What’s the minimum acreage required to justify having a building like that?
3-Where is all this regulated—is there a specific federal or state statute, or does every local county zoning board just make up their own rules as they go?
4-If I want to start an olive grove, what’s the minimum amount of land needed and how many trees am I legally obligated to plant to qualify?
....... thanks in advance for any help

Does anyone here have firsthand experience with herb cultivation—specifically from the perspective of an owner?
I'm looking into both the growing process and the logistics of selling the harvest.
Are there any particular books or resources you’d recommend?
I would truly appreciate any advice or information you might be willing to share.

Susan Rodriguez72 said:Does anyone have any leads on workshops or training programs for aspiring fruit growers, vegetable farmers, or beekeepers?
I’ve been scouring various USDA websites and government agency pages, but I haven't come across any actual announcements.
As a complete novice looking to launch my own small family farm, wouldn't it be helpful to hear from actual experts, meet fellow beginners, or even tour some established orchards? How does one even begin to organize all of that?

All my friends who actually went pro with fruit or vegetable production... they all checked out address and got super detailed, comprehensive info on everything. I also noticed that over in Washington, D.C., the Open University occasionally hosts lectures... kind of like education for future orchardists and beekeepers.

gentlecanyon65 said:..... so I've been doing some deep thinking and scrolling through a ton of stuff lately ....

The price for farmland out here is actually pretty reasonable, so since I’ve got some decent cash sitting around and I’m definitely not the type to just sit on my ass all day, I started wondering why the hell I wouldn't just dive into agriculture
..... My big idea is to set up some permanent walnut orchards.... once they're established, they don't require an insane amount of daily grind, which means this doesn't even have to be my main hustle, yet it could still pull in some serious profit after a few years.... so my plan is to snag maybe 12 to 25 acres of land and plant a massive WALNUT grove ....

Now look .... I'm no professional farmer, but I know how to handle a shovel, and with a bit of reading and some solid advice, I think I could make it work .... but honestly, I just can't get the math to make sense in my head ....

I heard that USDA subsidies for walnut orchards can go up to about $13333 per acre ....

Come on, let me hear what you guys think about this!!! ☕ 🙄

My thoughts are heading in that direction more often lately too—thinking about how I could use my land, since it's just sitting there empty and unused right now. Sadly, I can't really afford to buy any more land because even if it's "cheap," it's still expensive to me. And it’s not just about the land when it comes to walnuts—real, high-quality walnuts with big fruit and thin shells—those saplings cost a fortuneeeeeeee. It's definitely a move for people who can sink serious money and time into it for future payoff.

So far, the idea I like best is finding a way to make money on a small plot of land with some initial investment. I figure if retirement funds go belly up, I'll want to be living out in nature anyway... so I'm leaning toward what everyone's talking about online, which is snail farming. Snails love organic, eco-friendly land—which is what everyone should be aiming for anyway, keeping things healthy and natural! You put the money in at the start, and after that, it's all profit... 😕

It seems like there are way too many people complaining about the snails, acting like it’s impossible for them to just stop. But let’s be real—nothing is truly impossible. Even a wood-burning stove isn't going to work if you don't light the fire.

Dealing with snails is a lot harder than people realize. A buddy of mine has been struggling with them on his patio for a year now; they’ve completely taken over, and he can't seem to get rid of them without resorting to heavy chemicals. He doesn't even want to deal with the hassle of sourcing a sprayer 🤷

xman11 said:I’d love to hear everyone's thoughts so we can dig a little deeper into this topic...
Best regards,

The latest word I've picked up is that trunk thickness matters way more than height. They're looking for at least a 24-inch diameter to make a tree worth anything. If you hit that mark, you can actually command a decent price...

That $325 per cubic meter plus some change for the branches seems low to me. I'm really curious—what was the actual diameter on that specific tree?

Susan Rodriguez72 said:Does anyone have any leads on workshops or training programs for aspiring fruit growers, vegetable farmers, or beekeepers?
I’ve been scouring various USDA websites and government agency pages, but I haven't come across any actual announcements.
As a complete novice looking to launch my own small family farm, wouldn't it be helpful to hear from actual experts, meet fellow beginners, or even tour some established orchards? How does one even begin to organize all of that?

It’s just bees and wasps buzzing around—nothing real here. 👍

I’ve been mulling over what to actually do with this weirdly shaped patch of farmland—it's about 40ft by 360ft—and I’m honestly drawing a blank. Right now, it’s just overgrown grass that the neighbor mows down to feed his pigs and cattle. It used to be a vineyard, but it’s basically playing pretend as a meadow now, sitting on a slight slope.

I need some ideas on how to make this profitable, both in the short term and long term. What would you guys build there, or what would you plant to actually see a return on investment?

Equipment-wise, I’ve got a solid little vintage tractor—a 1987 Kubota—complete with plowing and tilling attachments. 😁... I have some downtime to work with, and my parents are freshly retired, so I figured this could give them something productive to do during the day instead of just hovering around the house.

thanks

gentlecanyon65 said:..... so I've been doing some deep thinking and scrolling through a ton of stuff lately ....

The price for farmland out here is actually pretty reasonable, so since I’ve got some decent cash sitting around and I’m definitely not the type to just sit on my ass all day, I started wondering why the hell I wouldn't just dive into agriculture
..... My big idea is to set up some permanent walnut orchards.... once they're established, they don't require an insane amount of daily grind, which means this doesn't even have to be my main hustle, yet it could still pull in some serious profit after a few years.... so my plan is to snag maybe 12 to 25 acres of land and plant a massive WALNUT grove ....

Now look .... I'm no professional farmer, but I know how to handle a shovel, and with a bit of reading and some solid advice, I think I could make it work .... but honestly, I just can't get the math to make sense in my head ....

I heard that USDA subsidies for walnut orchards can go up to about $13333 per acre ....

Come on, let me hear what you guys think about this!!! ☕ 🙄

That sounds like an excellent proposal to me.

That area is way too small for any serious operation. Maybe you could grow something like medicinal herbs—something like chamomile, which requires a ton of manual labor during harvest, though I hear finding buyers isn't an issue. Do a little more digging on 🙂

A small, narrow plot 🤔... I’d start by getting the seniors involved with some vegetable gardening. It keeps them occupied and happy, and you get your own homegrown produce out of it. The most important thing is making sure that land doesn't just sit there going to waste.

Raising snails—say, followed by strawberry cultivation (you might want to check if there's still an open line of credit available through the Federal Reserve; you could secure enough to cover all your greenhouse materials)—isn't particularly demanding, I suppose. Or, one could simply plant vegetables for personal use.