Let us all be proud farmers one day... :)

[manee]

My dear Brothers & Sisters,
I think most of us are in the same mind-set at least for the past few years and not bold enough to take the tough decision (which we will not regret!). Maybe the right time has not arrived or we are not mentally/financially ready to make up our mind. I have been in the same state, for the past few years and now it has reached the peak, where I am not able to put my thoughts in words. Hence, there might be parts below which is not acceptable, does not make sense, confusing etc. My apologies if it is so.

Few thoughts that comes up often...

1. We fall upon a report/website/mail forward/any discussion around how our mother earth is exploited or the new dimensions of organic farming or the great works been carried out by our respected Nammaalwar Aiyaa and Palekar-ji. We start looking for additional details, get fascinated from what we read. We happen to realize that there are many people with the same mindset, waiting to get into farming and get more fascinated. We keep reading, discuss with people around (mostly people who ridicule our thought and decision to get into farming).
   
2. Most of the people (mostly IT) thinking of getting into farming and to live in a village might have grown up from a middle/lower-middle class background (I am one myself). We have some acquaintance to the villages in some form or the other. One might have been brought up there, or even a visit to a distant relative in the village etc.
   
3. In contrast, the lifestyle we currently lead... An upper-middle class life with money to spend on anything that we wish, but still feel we feel we miss something. There are weekends, but you do not know how it passes away. Especially Monday mornings when you are on the road in a traffic (it applies to Metros mostly) you feel like what is this life about and getting back to the roots. Sometimes we are not sure where we are headed with all those sleepless nights chasing targets and still people around to question. We strike a contrast by thinking of the peaceful life, friendly people, etc. in the villages and think of settling down in the village and get into farming.

Some reality points...

1. Our SB account will not get credited with 5 digit salaries, on 1st of every month.
2. There is no company Group Insurance that would cover our medical expenses and our families, for any emergencies
3. Most of us have not thought about getting an insurance cover for ourselves (I am one) thinking that there is the company coverage
4. Eating-out/Boozing every week or alternate shelling out thousands might not be possible (either because we do not have a place to hang-out in the village or the luxury to spend...)
5. Shopping every other weekend with family, movies in exotic cinema halls etc. are distant dreams (which is good anyways)
6. Nowadays, we look for nice residential community for our children to grow up – We might not get something that we wish, close to most of the villages. So what?? we did not grow up like that and the international boarding schools are there always! 
7. We are the leaders and we plan our work and we have our own targets
8. We give back something to the society. As someone in the thread pointed out… Visit schools help school children on their education... Speak with youngsters; guide them on their career… Speak with old people, try to get their wisdom on life and agriculture… visit any marriage/function in the village... live a villager... live to our soul’s content..

Some open questions that I have to myself, which is certainly delaying my decision to quit my current job… *** This purely depends on individuals ***

1. Do I have enough money to get a piece of land for myself? Not to worry if we have an ancestral property.
2. How much should I save or my bank balance before I call it a day at current work?
3. How much money is good? To meet my monthly expenses…
4. How do I meet my family medical expenses – appropriate insurance coverage for every year?
5. Education for the kids. How do I make sure my kid gets all the exposure and is not denied anything that he would get in the city? We have our own time to spend with the kids and family, which we are not able to do so today.
6. How do I get trained in farming, before I jump into it. The transition overlap period, while holding to current job and doing the groundwork.
7. What would be my plan to cover the expenses during crop failures or any other unexpected hardships?

Let us all be proud farmers one day...

 

[sahridhayan]

Good Manee, my views.
1. Hope you from a decent while colar job now. like IT...
2. I choose to reply since i am one like you for many years, also the tag you mentioned for the post.
3. Also compiling similar stuff like you for many years due to inspiration or some innerself.
4. some humble views (also these are responses i told to my self) about your points...i see 3 sections and my responses.

section1
1- 1st of all the awareness of environment is there long hundreds of years in a country India, which is forgetten due to british rule
2,3- person moving from IT to farming (or kind..) if due to stress or emptyness. then it is totally collapsible some where down the line. because if in IT one or two boss to chase. in reality there might be too many to bossy around you in farming. since u r outsider
so think again in this aspect.

section 2
1,2,3 this not about agri or iT, in general we should cover outself in many aspects of life
should not depend on company. other than salary, if it comes good. but take mediclaim outside all this stuff. and cover u, family. other than life insurance...etc
4,5 it is still in your (our) hands how we want to lead our lifestyle.
6, see once you decided to change your climate, every thing will change. you have to give time for others to change or eventually they might change,
only manthra we need is patience
7, ok, it depends
8, this is something donot think unless u gained your ground in reality. park it later part of life. example. see a new graduate come to any job, he should be patient enough to stand his self alone. am i right?. the same for us. moving to agri from any thing else. so focus is what we need.
section3 (planning only after solid understanding buyin from your family)
1. depends how what and where,when you want to do. put a dot and build around it. so cost will fell down.
2,3,4. might need to consult a financial planning consultant..?
5. in your hands.
6,7 associate your self with likelihood neighbours/community like us which is the best.

I am the one of them for you

to start with or you might have started reading ground books like

1. Nammazhvar's books. (kalai edu. etc)
2. oorodi verakumar
3. and lot of blogs.
4. pasumai vikatan.
5. and lot of networking communities.

also read this all articles around it....
Nitya Farm - Home

and you missed one stuff.
what are the phases from which you want to perform.
1. two phase means. (you will have half time job, half time ground)
2. single phase means. (piloting)
3. direct means with full/sustainable back up, embrace in to real life.

Hope what i / we shares helpful to like minded communities.

 

[srishar]

My dear Brothers & Sisters,
I think most of us are in the same mind-set at least for the past few years and not bold enough to take the tough decision (which we will not regret!). Maybe the right time has not arrived or we are not mentally/financially ready to make up our mind. I have been in the same state, for the past few years and now it has reached the peak, where I am not able to put my thoughts in words. Hence, there might be parts below which is not acceptable, does not make sense, confusing etc. My apologies if it is so.

Few thoughts that comes up often...

1. We fall upon a report/website/mail forward/any discussion around how our mother earth is exploited or the new dimensions of organic farming or the great works been carried out by our respected Nammaalwar Aiyaa and Palekar-ji. We start looking for additional details, get fascinated from what we read. We happen to realize that there are many people with the same mindset, waiting to get into farming and get more fascinated. We keep reading, discuss with people around (mostly people who ridicule our thought and decision to get into farming).
   
2. Most of the people (mostly IT) thinking of getting into farming and to live in a village might have grown up from a middle/lower-middle class background (I am one myself). We have some acquaintance to the villages in some form or the other. One might have been brought up there, or even a visit to a distant relative in the village etc.
   
3. In contrast, the lifestyle we currently lead... An upper-middle class life with money to spend on anything that we wish, but still feel we feel we miss something. There are weekends, but you do not know how it passes away. Especially Monday mornings when you are on the road in a traffic (it applies to Metros mostly) you feel like what is this life about and getting back to the roots. Sometimes we are not sure where we are headed with all those sleepless nights chasing targets and still people around to question. We strike a contrast by thinking of the peaceful life, friendly people, etc. in the villages and think of settling down in the village and get into farming.

Some reality points...

1. Our SB account will not get credited with 5 digit salaries, on 1st of every month.
2. There is no company Group Insurance that would cover our medical expenses and our families, for any emergencies
3. Most of us have not thought about getting an insurance cover for ourselves (I am one) thinking that there is the company coverage
4. Eating-out/Boozing every week or alternate shelling out thousands might not be possible (either because we do not have a place to hang-out in the village or the luxury to spend...)
5. Shopping every other weekend with family, movies in exotic cinema halls etc. are distant dreams (which is good anyways)
6. Nowadays, we look for nice residential community for our children to grow up – We might not get something that we wish, close to most of the villages. So what?? we did not grow up like that and the international boarding schools are there always! 
7. We are the leaders and we plan our work and we have our own targets
8. We give back something to the society. As someone in the thread pointed out… Visit schools help school children on their education... Speak with youngsters; guide them on their career… Speak with old people, try to get their wisdom on life and agriculture… visit any marriage/function in the village... live a villager... live to our soul’s content..

Some open questions that I have to myself, which is certainly delaying my decision to quit my current job… *** This purely depends on individuals ***

1. Do I have enough money to get a piece of land for myself? Not to worry if we have an ancestral property.
2. How much should I save or my bank balance before I call it a day at current work?
3. How much money is good? To meet my monthly expenses…
4. How do I meet my family medical expenses – appropriate insurance coverage for every year?
5. Education for the kids. How do I make sure my kid gets all the exposure and is not denied anything that he would get in the city? We have our own time to spend with the kids and family, which we are not able to do so today.
6. How do I get trained in farming, before I jump into it. The transition overlap period, while holding to current job and doing the groundwork.
7. What would be my plan to cover the expenses during crop failures or any other unexpected hardships?

Let us all be proud farmers one day...

Hi Manee,

I agree with you on most of the points you mentioned. I'm from the IT background but trying to get my hand dirty in farming. I'm still debating when is the right time to jump into it. With all the reading I understoond that, one needs to get into farming only because they are passionate about it. Its a lot of hardwork and not as easy as sitting in AC room and having all the comforts of an IT office.

I would like to connect with people like you who are passionate like me to get into farming. Lets share some ideas. You can reach me

Thanks,
Srishar.

 

[manee]

Thanks

Thanks sahridhayan and Srishar for sharing your thoughts.

Srishar, I will get in touch with you and we can try that volunteering you mentioned, to begin with.

Just do not know if we could join a company where you get to work from home. The mornings and evenings are all ours... the weekends as well.. atleast you need not commute to your farmlands hopefully.. really tiring indeed...

Waiting to breathe the all-fresh air which would not last long.. remember seeing in a movie or TV talk show, kaliyugathula we are buying water for years now.. shortly oxygen cylinders? enga villages are getting polluted as well... started seeing polythene waste/gutka wrapper etc all over lands now..

Still a confused 'to-be farmer'