ROCK FARMING IN AMERICA

The current job market in America is at one of its lowest points driven by a faltering economy and a government that cannot seem to send a consistent and inspiring message.  At present, it is estimated that unemployment is nearing the 10% mark in the USA with more than 15 million citizens out of a job.  The government continues a process of tossing taxpayer money into various schemes thinking that it will stimulate the job market while at the same time literally turning its back on any efforts to reassure small business or the American consumer.  It is time for new and imaginative ideas.

 

Given the fact that the economy seems to be lingering in the doldrums with no apparent upturn in sight, it is highly likely that many of those who have lost jobs will not be returning to their old positions any time soon and very probable that they will have to change professions and industries in order to get back into the workforce.  Having given due consideration to this daunting task, I struck upon an idea that may be just the opportunity that some Americans can consider at this low point in our history.  Everyone move in closer and listen carefully.

 

 

 

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS!

 

I think the time has come for many of us to reconsider the concept of farming.  Now, I am not talking about traditional farming as in raising corn or cotton.  We have lots of those folks and they are quite knowledgeable at what they do.  No, the farming concept that I am thinking of is more of a “ground-floor” opportunity, if you will.  It will be aimed squarely at the marketplace of today not so much with the idea of providing consumables or textile type materials but more in the concept of supporting the infrastructure which is a really hot topic today with the Obama Administration.  What I am suggesting here is that we take up rock farming.  Whoa! Wait a second…don’t go running off half-cocked!  Hear me out on this so that you don’t throw away a great opportunity.

 

 

GETTING STARTED

 

Now as you have probably heard in the news, President Obama wants to launch a $50 billion dollar rebuilding of the American infrastructure to include roads, bridges, and airport runways throughout the national.  All these things require the use of rocks and gravel as an integral part of the concrete that will be poured over acres and acres of ground.  This will put an undue burden on the rock and gravel quarries scattered throughout America.  Some of them will collapse under the strain attempting to keep up with the demand for product.  That’s where we come in with our new fangled idea of raising rocks.

 

Now, we’ll need to get ourselves a bit of land but that should not be too difficult in this economy since so much of it has been repossessed by the banks and they are looking to unload it cheap.  We have to exercise some caution because we want land with good dirt which will qualify us for the status of “organic” once we go to market.  You might remember that Michelle Obama was unable to classify her vegetables raised in the White House garden as “organic” because the soil conditions were not up to the requirements.  This is faux paupe of monumental proportion which we must avoid at all costs in our rock farming.

 

The amount of land we will need will depend heavily on our vision for production.  I would estimate that even a small producer would want to consider a minimum of two acres of land for this project.  In that manner, one acre could be under production while the other is in the preparation stage.  By employing this methodology, we will be using good crop rotation practices and using our land efficiently in the production of rocks.

 

Of course, we will need implements to till the land and prepare the ground for the planting of the gravel.  Depending on the amount of land one is working, the tilling process can be accomplished with simple hand tools or by the use of powered equipment such as that made by companies like John Deere.  Your decision will hinge greatly on the amount of capital you wish to invest on the front end of this project.  Keep in mind, the more you invest upfront, the longer you will have to wait to recover your investment and see an equitable return.  The scale you elect may be of your own choosing but don’t get left out of this potential opportunity by thinking too small.

 

 

THE PLANTING:

 

Once you have your tract of land and have prepared the soil, the next step consists of planting the crop.  Now for this step I would suggest buying your seed rock in bulk. You get a nice 50lb bag of smooth river gravel at your local hardware or garden supply shop. This should be enough to plant approximately one acre of land and obtain an ample yield.

 

Once you have your field set up in rows, you can begin to plant.  Start at the end of the first row, dig down 3 to 4 inches into the soil. You then drop in up to six small gravel in the hole and add water.  You will then need to cover the small stones with dirt reforming the surface of the row.  Repeat this process until the field is planted.  Once you have a field planted, you will need to mark the perimeters of it with flags in order that you will know the location of your crop when harvest time comes.  You see, rock does not produce a plant or vine.  It grows under the surface and no one knows it is there so marking the field is essential especially if your field is contained within a larger piece of ground.  Otherwise, you will be running around searching your land for the rocks and this will delay your time to market.

 

 

 

HARVESTING YOUR CROP:

 

 

If you planted properly and watered the crop accordingly, you will see the product of your efforts as soon as you begin to dig.  A simple spade can be employed to harvest the mature rocks much in the same way a potato farmer might harvest a crop of potatoes.  I would suggest the use of a screening device into which you toss everything in your shovel.  The surrounding dirt will then fall through the screen leaving your beautiful crop yield right in front of your eyes.

 

If you are farming the rocks on a relatively large scale, you may want to consider some type of automated harvesting equipment.  The industry is lagging this opportunity thus you will probably have to be resourceful in your efforts.  I would suggest considering the use of an automated potato harvester.  Since the rocks will be buried at about the same depth as a mature potato, the machine should work quite well in this application.

 

At this point, you may be asking yourself ‘just what does a mature rock look like?’  Well, certainly that is a good question and essential to the process if one plans on being a successful rock producer.  The simple answer here is that you should expect a mature rock to weigh in about the size of a good baking potato. A well-watered and fertilized rock seed planted in the proper soil will produce a mature product of approximately this size and weight. Now, there will be variations and some wholesale buyers will expect you to sort and grade the rocks prior to bringing them to market.  While this may sound complex, it is a simple process of just visually comparing the size of the rocks and placing those of similar size and weight into the same hopper.

 

 

TO MARKET:

 

By now, you have waited six long months for your rock crop to mature.  By this time, the Obama Infrastructure Reform Program should be in full operation and the local quarries should be collapsing under the pressures of demand.  You, on the other hand, are perfectly position with a fresh crop of rocks which you are about to take to the market and sell.  In some circles of this new industry, this step is referred to as “getting your rocks off”, so just be aware that you may encounter that terminology in the selling process.

 

Certainly you will have plenty of help in your efforts to sell the rock.  By this point and time the President will no doubt have a “Rock Czar” appointed.  The Czar will set up a system of rock markets supervised by the Department of Agriculture.  Those markets will operate much like those in which pork bellies and heating oil are sold.  Initially, the demand will suck up the crop yield almost immediately upon arrival.  As time goes on and the markets mature somewhat, expect to see a downstream movement of supply and the offering of “futures”.  When that level reached in the market place, you will be able to lock in the revenue yield for your rock crop at least 90 days before the harvest is complete.  This will come in handy as you go down to the bank and borrow money for further expansion of your rock farm for use in making capital equipment purchases for the operation.  The banker will be delirious to see the down stream revenue forecasts in considering your loan applications.

 

 

HURRY!

 

So come on in and get your feet wet. You can begin turn your dream of owning your own business into a highly profitable rock plantation.  Get your share of that $50 billion dollars in taxpayer money that is about to be spent on roads, bridges, and runways. Opportunities of this magnitude do not come around every day so you must move quickly and take advantage of cheap land prices in this stalled real estate market.  Once you are established, the money will roll in as fast as you can stack it.  Soon the Obama Administration will be referring to your operation as “big business” and you too will be paying the taxes of a rich man.  Incidentally, rock farming has already taken off international as you will see from the video included below.  If the rest of the world is already benefiting from raising rocks, then why not America!   Our country needs you; will you answer the call and become a rock farmer?  America waits!

 

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