What's the probability of me being successful in an Agricultural career?

Question

I have been a city girl my entire life, and I have no agricultural background at all. I have wanted to do something in agriculture since grade one, and have spent many hours reading about farming. I participated in my province's Envirothon competition as the soils topic expert and learned a fair bit, and I am planning to enter the University next year and pursue a degree in either Agriculture, Agroecology, or Genetics depending on how my first year goes. Am I just wasting my time and money only to discover in a few years when I graduate that I hate agriculture? I was hoping I could spend my summer before university working on a farm, but that isn't possible since I have no transportation. How many people do you guys know in your little agricultural community who have come from the city?

Answer 1

i'm an agricultural student myself...see...although we live in totally diff countries..i would advice u that...believe it or not.....agriculture is ur passion...being frm a city hardly matters...coz you dont have to go in the fields n actually put manure n stuff in there!!!

n if it helps ...i'm also frm a big city..(new delhi)...but this didnt matter any how....

when u pass out frm a univ u dont have the farmer's job...rather u have  bigger responsibilities..either research in labs...or if u go for industry u handle the production there..

good luck dear!!!

Answer 2

There are a lot of people in the agricultural field of work who did not come from the farm. Especially if you get a university degree, the field is wide open to you. There are much fewer without a farming background that are actually farming, but that is not a requirement. I know a lot of people who came to the farm after leaving the city. I've know a lot that tried it and gave up and went back to the city as well. It just depends on how dedicated to it you are and how much you want it.

Answer 3

Are you a strong, determined person?  If you make up your mind to do something and stick to it, you will succeed!  Success is all in your attitude!  Agriculture is a big carreer field and not everyone has to get dirty or have manure on their shoes to be in agricultural field!  If your heart is in the country, then let the country steal your heart!!

Answer 4

personally, i don't believe that you have to come from a certain related background to love agriculture. if there was an obstacle that can be related to you being a city girl it would have been that you wouldn't want to work on a farm etc... but since it's not, then i don't think there is anything that can stop you from having a successful agricultural carreer. regarding your fear to discover that you hate agriculture, that can be sensed in the years during your study and after you've taken some related courses and since you've already read about it and you've got an idea of what's it about... you've liked it so far... any further courses will just guid you to what you like more.... good luck! =)

Answer 5

Let me answer this from a former farmers point of view.  With a degree, you may very well get on with a large co-op and have hours similar to any other business person.  I would imagine this is the route you are looking for but I will tell you the jobs are few and far between and practical experience means ten times more than a degree.  Otherwise, you might just get put on as a " hand" at a large farm which is really where you need to start for  practical experience.  The question would remain, "What kind of farm are you interested in?"  You could move into a warm climate and work crops like cotton, soy beans, tobacco, corn, etc...   If you do this, it becomes a lifestyle not a career.  Plan to get up before dawn every morning and work throughout the day until dark.  Regardless of how many employees may work under you, plan to occasionally have to sit in a tractor or combine seat all day and by all means, never plan to enjoy your evening meal because you will simply be too tired.  As for manure, you will have it in your hands, hair, and shoes.  You will be sunburnt as no amount of  SPF is going to help.  And, you will be frustrated often due to drought or too much rain or crop diseases and blights.  Farming is an extremely tough way of life but I will tell you the rewards far outweigh the hardships.  The key is to never say never about manure, heat, money, or anything else.  You just keep on going as if farming was all you could ever imagine.  As a retired farmer, I wish you luck, perseverance, and a backbone that doesn't even know how to bend. Your level of determination will determine your success. As for me personally, I have seen many come and go and I have never seen anyone stick to it that wasn't born to it.  Again, good luck.

Answer 6

As long as you have the desire, passion, and brains, you'll go far.  It doesn't matter where you come from.

Answer 7

Oh, there are SOME out here from the city.  Most of them live in the country and work in what we call a city.  Agriculture has become so specialized that with proper selection of field and good education, it shouldn't be a problem for you to find productive work that you like and at which you excel.  Have you ever had manure on your shoes?  :)