I meet an average of five CEOs or business owners a day. And lately, they all start their conversations the same way:
“Boss, I’m rushing to the farm…”
Now, let me confess I almost started thinking every CEO in Zimbabwe was secretly preparing to be the next Joseph from the Bible with granaries full of maize. But after visiting some of these farms, I realized something: yes, the cows are mooing, the chickens are clucking, the boreholes are pumping, BUT… the bookkeeping? Missing in action.
The Silent Killer: No Records
Most farms I’ve seen don’t keep even the simplest records. No sales book, no expense record, no profit and loss. Just vibes and prayers. The farmer says, “Ah, we are okay, we sold 50 goats last month!” but when you ask, “Did you make profit or loss?” they look at you like you’ve just asked them to recite the periodic table.
Here’s the truth:
- A farm without records is like a kombi without brakes. It looks like it’s moving, until you realize it’s rushing downhill into bankruptcy.
- Many of these farms are quietly draining the main companies that fund them. You’ll only discover the truth when the main company is flat broke, and suddenly the farm becomes a full-time patient in ICU.
Farming is Not a Side Hustle It’s a Full Hustle
There’s nothing wrong with owning a farm. In fact, agriculture is the backbone of our economy. But here’s the deal: if you treat your farm like a hobby, it will treat your bank account like a thief. Farming is a business, and like any business, it needs:
- Attention: Crops don’t grow by motivational quotes. They need management.
- Accountability: If you can’t tell how much profit your 100 chickens brought you, then my friend, you are just running an expensive poultry orphanage.
- Systems: Even simple ones. A notebook, Excel sheet, or better yet, accounting software. Track your feed costs, fertilizer, labor, and sales.
- Some farms are actually operating like “rural entertainment centers.” The cows are fat, but the owner’s wallet is thin.
- Some CEOs use farms as a “weekend gym.” They lift hoes, chase goats, and come back to town with muscles… and losses.
- Some are running what I call “CEO resorts” the farm is just a getaway, with zero commercial results.
Dear CEO, stop lying to yourself. Your farm is not “just making losses for now.” It’s been five years of losses at this point, it’s a permanent employee on your payroll.
If you want your farm to work:
- Do your bookkeeping.
- Check profit and loss.
- Separate personal groceries from farm expenses. (Buying tomatoes from your farm at zero dollars is theft, not strategy.)
- Hire people who know agriculture, not just your cousin who needed a job.
A farm is beautiful. A farm is powerful. But only if it’s run as a business. Otherwise, it will eat your money like a fat goat at Christmas.
So next time I meet you, and you say, “I’m rushing to the farm…” please, let it mean you’re going to check your accounts, not just to chase chickens.
By The Chartered Vendor
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