OFI 1681: Proof That It Is Possible To Start A Farm From Scratch | Marcia & Mark Ruff | Ruff Farms

Mark & Marcia Ruff are production agriculture farmers in Ohio and the owners of at least three businesses that compliment their farm. Along with

Mark & Marcia in the FFA together in 1991.

their three children and all of their, year round employees, they are farming 4,000 acres of wheat, soybeans and corn. This all started back in 1997 when they knew they wanted to farm, and took a leap of faith with Mark leaving his full-time, city job to focus just on farming. Back then they were leasing approximately 300 acres.

Today, Mark and Marcia have proven themselves very capable both in the world of farming and in small business So much so, that opportunities literally come knocking on their door. They have a container loading facility on their property now and run this business for farmers in their community, and, as Mark describes in the interview, he didn’t know anything about container loading until some folks showed up as his door and proposed the idea.

In this day and age people will tell you that there is no way to get started farming without inheriting land or being independently wealthy when you begin. However, Mark and Marcia are living proof that this is not correct. Today’s interview with each of them will inspire you and leave you with no excuses if you truly want to farm.