The 7 different types of farms include arable and livestock farms. They include dairy and mixed farms too. The list rounds out with poultry, fish, and specialty farms. Each one has its own land use plan and labor needs. Knowing the basic types of farms helps you pick the right path for your land.
When I first toured a 2,000-acre Illinois corn-soybean operation, I saw the arable model in full swing. The fields were huge. The labor was light. The grain went out by the truckload to the local elevator. A week later I walked a 200-cow Wisconsin dairy in Dane County. Cows came in twice a day. Milk shipped out by tanker truck. Then I toured a 40-acre Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard. Tiny acres but huge value per acre with full-time crews working the vines year-round.
The seven farm categories break down by what you grow or raise. Arable farms focus on crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Livestock farms raise animals like cattle, sheep, and hogs for meat. Dairy farms specialize in milk from cows or goats. Mixed farms combine crops and animals on the same land. Poultry, fish, and specialty round out the seven.
Arable and Livestock
- Arable farms: Focus on grain and oilseed crops. Need flat land and big machines for scale efficiency.
- Livestock farms: Raise beef cattle, sheep, or hogs on pasture or in feedlots for meat markets.
- Mixed farms: Run crops and animals together to recycle nutrients and spread market risk wider.
Dairy and Poultry
- Dairy farms: Milk cows or goats twice or three times daily. High labor and high capital costs apply.
- Poultry farms: Raise broilers, layers, or turkeys in barns. Fast turn cycles of 6 to 10 weeks for broilers.
- Both types: Demand steady daily attention that you cannot skip even for one day off.
Fish and Specialty
- Fish farms: Grow catfish, tilapia, or trout in ponds or tanks. Need clean water and aeration kit.
- Specialty farms: Cover wine grapes, herbs, flowers, fruit, vegetables, and high-value niche crops.
- Market focus: Specialty farms often sell direct through CSAs, farmers markets, or contract buyers.
In my experience, cover crops fit into multiple farm types on this list. Arable corn-soybean rotations use cereal rye and oats to hold soil over winter. Mixed livestock systems graze cover crops as forage in fall and spring. Even specialty vegetable farms drop oats or buckwheat between cash crops to keep beds covered. The practice crosses all the farming systems out there today.
When I tested cover crops on a small mixed farm in southern Iowa, the cover crop became double-duty forage. The cows grazed cereal rye in April. The same field grew soybeans in May after the cows came off. That kind of stacking only works on mixed farm types but it pays off big on the operations where it fits.
Each farm type has its own cost profile. Arable farms have high land cost and moderate labor. Dairy farms have high capital and high labor every day. Specialty farms have moderate land but very high labor per acre. Knowing your own tolerance for labor versus capital is the first sorting step in picking a farm type.
For new growers picking a farm type, match your land first. Flat ground with good soil suits arable or mixed farms best. Hilly or rocky ground often fits livestock or specialty better. Then check your climate. Then check your market access. Then check your own goals around lifestyle and income. The right farm type lines up with all four of these checks.
Do not try to copy a farm type that does not match your land just because it looks profitable elsewhere. A Napa vineyard model will not work in central Iowa. An Iowa corn farm will not work on Vermont hillsides. Match the type to the place. Once you nail that first match, the rest of your farm plan will fall into place over the first three years.
Read the full article: Cover Crops: Cut Fertilizer Costs, Boost Yields
