Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Farm Manager
What farm managers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a farm manager?
Check livestock and the weather forecast. From there, the day usually includes plan crop and livestock production, manage planting, harvesting and animal care, and hire and supervise workers. Hours are long and seasonal, especially during planting and harvest.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a farm manager working full time.
- Check livestock and the weather forecast.
- Assign crews to planting and irrigation.
- Review soil test results with an agronomist.
- Call the grain elevator about prices.
- Repair a planter with the mechanic.
- Review the budget and loan payments.
- Check fields and update records.
Where farm managers work
Farm managers work outdoors in fields and barns and in farm offices, in all weather.
Hours and schedule
Hours are long and seasonal, especially during planting and harvest.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Plan crop and livestock production
- Manage planting, harvesting and animal care
- Hire and supervise workers
- Maintain equipment and facilities
- Manage budgets, loans and insurance
- Market and sell products
- Follow regulations and conservation practices
Tools you’ll use every day
- Tractors and combines
- GPS and precision ag software
- Farm management software
- Irrigation systems
- Livestock equipment
- Spreadsheets
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Independence
- Work outdoors with land and animals
- Feed the world
- Build a family business
What’s hard
- Weather and market risk
- Long seasonal hours
- High capital costs
- Physical demands
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love land and animals
- I want to run my own business
- I can handle risk
- I don’t mind long seasonal hours
- I like making decisions
- I enjoy outdoor work
Not sure? Take the free Farm Manager fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow tractor and equipment safety
- Use PPE with pesticides
- Handle livestock carefully
- Prevent heat illness