I get a lot of emails asking, "How do I start a hydroponic farm?" I don't know much, but i know where I messed up and what we happened to get right. Here goes!
1. Pray About It
First and foremost, pray about your new journey. Starting a farm, especially a hydroponic one, is a big commitment. The more guidance you have, the easier it'll go.
2. Travel and Learn
The second thing is travel. This is where I messed up the worst. Go visit other growers, see their farms, and learn from their experience. If you rely on what companies or marketing materials tell you, you won’t learn the same way as you would by putting boots on the ground. When you visit other farms, you’ll see:
- What crops work best.
- Which systems suit your goals.
- What customers want in different regions.
- Creative ways to grow, package, and sell your crops.
It’s a goldmine of knowledge, and all you need to do is call up a farm and ask if you can visit! I follow a "10x rule" when I travel. If I spend $400 on a plane ticket to visit a farm, I expect to make at least $4,000 from what I learn in no more than a year. So, yes, it costs some money, but it’s totally worth it. You'll learn things that you can’t find in any book or YouTube video! In person hits different.
3. Figure Out Your Sales Channels
The third thing you need to think about is where you're going to sell your crops. What you grow depends on who you’ll sell to. Here’s a quick breakdown of sales channels we’ve found success with:
- Mid-sized, locally-owned grocery stores: These are our favorite. They usually pay more for fresh, local produce.
- Schools and restaurants: You can sell in bulk, but the profit margins are often lower.
- Farmer’s markets: We don’t do these. They can be a lot of work for not much payoff, but your experience may vary.
When you know who you’re selling to, that will guide other decisions like what crops to grow and how to set up your farm.
Design and Layout: Think Ahead
Finally, as you start planning your farm, think carefully about your layout and design. In the beginning, your farm is like a small stream—you can make changes easily, adjust your plans, and move things around. But as your farm grows, it’s like a river. Once things are set up, it’s hard to make changes. So, take your time and get the design right from the start.
Profit Per Square Foot Per Week
One more thing to keep in mind: profit per square foot per week. It's super simple to calculate. Let’s take basil, for example. If I sell a pound of basil for $15. How many square feet of growing space did I need for that pound? How many weeks did it take to grow? What did it cost me to package and harvest it? Once you know these numbers, you can figure out your profit and compare it to other crops.
Maybe lettuce is easy to grow, but it doesn’t bring in as much money as basil. So, you’ll want to factor this in when deciding what to grow.
Ready to Start?
That’s it! Pray, travel and learn, and figure out your sales channels. These steps will set you up for success in your hydroponic farm. If you need more help or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! I’m here to share what I’ve learned along the way.
Good luck, and thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out with any questions and please visit our YouTube channel.