Farming Smarter, Not Harder: Keep What You Earn

Farming is a demanding profession; it requires relentless dedication and countless hours in the field. In fact, the average farmer in America spends over 3,500 hours annually working within their operation. Want to hear an uncomfortable truth? While thousands of hours are spent earning money, most farmers won’t spend even 100 hours figuring out how to keep it.

This often proves to be the downfall of many American farm operations. Spending time organizing finances, making sound financial decisions, and creating a strategy for the upcoming year—whether it’s 2025 or beyond—is crucial. Yet, these steps are often overlooked or avoided. Farmers have been conditioned to believe that working harder in the field will lead to more financial success.

Think about it, though: thousands of hours are spent working in the operation, while critical financial planning and organization are neglected. This imbalance can erode the rewards of all that hard work. Without a clear understanding of your numbers at a detailed level, the effort you pour into your operation may not translate into the financial outcomes you’re hoping for.

At Legacy Farmer, we’ve seen this pattern time and time again. Farmers come to us because they are overwhelmed and frustrated. Despite pouring thousands of hours into their farms each year, they’re losing hundreds of thousands of dollars due to a lack of financial structure and organization. This is the harsh reality many farmers face.

When you don’t have your numbers organized, you risk making careless or emotional financial decisions. Money slips through the cracks, leaving you with little to show for your tireless work.

If you’re spending thousands of hours annually on your farm, commit to dedicating at least 100 of those hours to organizing your finances. Dive deep into your numbers, ensure every decision is strategic, and stop letting money disappear due to inattention or poor planning.

Hard work is essential, but without a solid financial foundation, it’s not enough. Take control of your finances today to secure the rewards you’ve earned and ensure the long-term success of your operation.