TIPS FROM AN INTEGRATED FARMER

TIPS FROM THE INTEGRATED FARMER

1. Spread the risks of your farm projects. Do not rely on just one crop;
   
   
2. Design your crops and projects so that you will have daily, weekly and periodic income sources;
   
   
3. Study your farm well, from features to the soil types. Based on your findings, develop your farm plan so that all crops and projects fit into each area that you plan and that inter-relationships are established;

4. Use only the best seeds and materials coming from reliable sources. You will regret the mistakes in particular varieties and breeds you choose. For example in buying seeds of the F1 Red Lady, buy from direct producers or distributors and from legitimate retailers. True Red Lady F1 are hardy, highly productive and will pay for itself in just a few harvests;
   
   
5. Once you choose a project to develop, stick to it and study as you go along so that you can perfect your system. Allan chose to raise fatteners/finishers instead of raising sows and producing the piglets by himself because of the labor and time needed to nurse the sows and which would eat up on other highly productive activities such as harvesting papaya, eggplants, etc.;
   
   
6. Choose projects that have inter-relationships like having fattening pigs so that fruits and vegetable that cannot be sold can be fed to the pigs and thus hasten their growth at the finishing stage, and, their manure serve as soil conditioner;
   
   
7. Minimize costs by investing in appropriate tools and equipment. Use rice hull stoves where rice hull is easily available so that you can have fuel to cook for the household and feed for the finishers and have carbonized rice hulls at the same time. Carbonized rice hulls are excellent low cost soil conditioners for all crops. It can also serve as deodorizer for the pig pens; 
   
   
8. As you farm, study your crops and other projects so that you can continue to improve the system, productivity and income. Also study the markets by regularly visiting the city and other market centers so that you will know what sells well and at a high price;