Owning a farm while practicing medicine

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bulldogmed

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Kind of a random question, but do any rural FPs also own a farm? I'm talking about having chickens, a few milk cows, and a garden. Nothing commercial, but enough to have fresh produce, meat, and dairy. I'll admit this is something of a dream of mine and probably not too realistic, but one can wonder, right?

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I believe it can be done - at least that's part of my vision for how I want to live.
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FM PGY-1
 
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I know two doctor/farmers. One is an IM guy that worked in the ED - this was back when I was an EMT and applying to med school. I called his residence, and his wife said "he's in the barn"; I don't know what kind of farming he does, though.

The other guy is a big name guy in EM (is now the associate dean of the med school) who told me about when he got his faculty appointment here. He was in the US south at the time, and he said he was pretty excited, but, also, down a bit, because he had just bought a new manure spreader.

It can be done; I just don't know specifics!
 
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I plan on buying a farm and hiring a farmer after I pay off these loans. Then I'll know what's going inside the food I'm putting in my body.
 
I have a farm that I've been running since I moved back to my home town. I have mostly beef cattle, but but I do produce some row crops (mostly for personal consumption). I have a pecan orchard as well but I'm probably ten years away from any real production. I'm exploring some more unusual things for this part of the world such as olives,crawfish, and alligators, but nothing in the works yet.

I grew up on a farm, and I knew what I was getting into. I do now make a profit, but I could make more money working a couple of ED shifts per year. When I worked as a locums in New Zealand, I lived with a family that owned a small hotel. They did hunt and fish a good bit, but 90% of of the food they ate was produced in a one acre garden about 2 blocks from the hotel.

You don't need a "farm" if you want to grow some of your own food. That can be done on a couple of acres.
 
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My best friend's dad is an anesthesiologist and has an entire farm at his home- livestock, crops, greenhouses, etc. I can imagine it's no easy job maintaining everything while working full time, but he seems really passionate about it and is by far one of the happiest people I've ever met. I wanna be just like him when I grow up, but also want to own my restaurant. :)
 
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There was a proposal to add farming to the PSLF program. (It's HR 2590--the Young Farmer Success Act.)

If it ever passed, you'd see an avalanche of MD farmers! At least, I know I'd get into it. I don't think it's likely to become law though.
 
I was thinking of doing a beet farm.

;)
 
In Central Illinois I know several MD/Farmers.
They have various degrees of involvement in the farm. Some own the land but do little work on the land. Some live on the land and are actively involved with the farm work. Most were born into farming and never left it.
 
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