The Simple Difference Between A Farm And A Garden

Gardening has always been a part of American family life in millions of homes across the country. Of course, the pandemic got an extra boost during the lockdown, and many people are looking for a small backyard, rooftop or community garden. And with the rising cost of food, many people are thinking about unused open spaces on their land and dreaming of inexpensive vegetables.

If you've grown a large garden as a simple hobby, you might be surprised when someone crosses the line between "gardener" and "farmer." If you feed yourself, are you a farmer? Do you need an acre of land or a perfect rooftop terrace? Do all farms have livestock and heavy machinery such as tractors?

The answer is not straightforward - there are many misunderstandings about the difference between a farm and a garden. But not surprisingly, in a capitalist society, the answer lies in money.

Put it on the table

Complicating the definition of "farm" and "garden" is the growth of urban agriculture, in part because restaurants and hotels grow their own produce on-site (or very close by), which allows them to serve vegetables and other ingredients directly. If you think of a garden as a sprawling plot of land where retirees or housewives leisurely pick weeds, and a farm is a sprawling plot of land where laborers sweat to feed the earth, then what do these acts of cultivation mean?

Container yards used by such businesses may qualify as farms, according to the federal government. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not define a farm by acres, what it grows, or how many people it employs. Definition of income: “A farm is a place where agricultural products valued at $1,000 or more are grown and sold or customarily sold. So even if you have a bad year, you are a farmer if you usually make at least $1,000 from your produce. Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines your business as a farm if you "grow, operate, or manage property for profit," meaning you make money by selling what you grow or raise. However, the IRS maintains that if the farm is not your primary income, it is a "hobby farm" and therefore not legally a farm for tax purposes.

Food for sale

The common link here is to produce some food for sale. These definitions explain a few things: It doesn't matter if you have a yard or a roof, and it doesn't matter how much you grow or develop, all that matters is the amount of income you bring in . Interestingly, as a farm, you don't have to make a profit to be considered. If you sell your produce at a "profit" (that's the goal, not the result) and make at least $1,000, in the eyes of the government you're running a farm, even if you lose money on operations.

It's how you use the food you cook, whether it's primarily for personal use, ie. to feed yourself and your family, or as a hobby, be it a large garden. If you sell a large amount of your products for cash, you are running a small business.