Daily Post May 21 2025
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farmOS
This is a FOSS web-based application designed for farm management, planning, and record keeping. Built by a collaborative community of farmers, developers, and researchers, farmOS aims to provide a standardized, flexible platform for agricultural data collection and management.
farmOS is open-source software. All code is licensed under the GNU General Public License, meaning it is free to download, use, modify, and share. This ensures that farmers retain full control over their data and are not locked into proprietary systems that might restrict access or charge recurring fees for essential features. The project is developed and maintained by a global community, with contributions from individual volunteers, academic institutions, and organizations. This collaborative approach helpa innovation but also ensures that the software remains responsive to the real-world needs of farmers.
This also fosters transparency and trust. Farmers can inspect the code, understand how their data is handled, and even contribute improvements or request new features. This is particularly important now days where data privacy and ownership are not really thought about much.
Self-Hosting vs. Cloud Hosting: Cost Implications
Decisions for any farm considering farmOS is whether to self-host the software or use a managed cloud hosting service. Self-hosting means the farmer (or someone they hire) installs and maintains farmOS on their own server infrastructure—either on-premises or on a rented virtual private server. This option eliminates recurring hosting fees but does introduce other considerations, such as the need for technical expertise, time investment, and responsibility for security and backups.
For technically savvy farmers or those with access to affordable IT support, self-hosting can indeed save costs over time. There are no licensing fees, and the only expenses are related to hardware, electricity, internet connectivity, and occasional maintenance. However, for many, especially those unfamiliar with server administration, the learning curve can be steep. Mistakes in setup or maintenance can lead to downtime or data loss, which could be costly in terms of lost records or productivity.
Alternatively, cloud hosting services like Farmier or use here at mintarc, offer a hassle-free experience for a monthly or annual fee. These services handle all technical aspects—installation, updates, backups, and security—allowing the farmer to focus solely on using the platform. While this introduces an ongoing cost, it may be justified by the time and potential headaches saved. For small farms with limited IT resources, the convenience and reliability of cloud hosting can outweigh the additional expense.
Ultimately, whether self-hosting saves or increases costs depends on the individual farm’s circumstances—its size, technical capabilities, and willingness to manage IT infrastructure. For some, self-hosting is a path to lower long-term costs; for others, it may inadvertently increase costs if technical problems arise or if external help must be hired.
Perspectives of Older Farmers
The adoption of digital farm management tools like farmOS varies widely among older farmers. Many older farmers are accustomed to traditional record-keeping methods—paper logs, notebooks, and spreadsheets. The transition to a web-based platform can be daunting, particularly for those with limited experience using computers or smartphones.
Some older farmers are skeptical of digital tools, viewing them as unnecessarily complex or fearing data loss and privacy breaches. The open-source nature of farmOS, however, can help alleviate some concerns. Since farmers retain ownership and control of their data, they are not handing over sensitive information to a third-party corporation. This transparency can build trust, especially when compared to proprietary platforms that may monetize user data or restrict access.
There are also older farmers who embrace technology, recognizing the efficiency and organizational benefits it brings. The ability to access records from anywhere, integrate data from sensors, and generate reports for compliance or certification can be motivators. farmOS’s modular design allows users to start with basic features and gradually adopt more advanced tools as their comfort level grows.
The community-driven support structure of farmOS, including forums, documentation, and user guides, helps. Peer support is particularly valuable for older farmers, who may prefer learning from fellow practitioners rather than IT professionals. As more farmers—regardless of age—share their experiences and solutions, the platform becomes more accessible to all.
Technical Details and Requirements
farmOS is built on top of Drupal, a widely used content management system known for its modularity, scalability, and security. This foundation allows farmOS to be highly customizable, supporting a range of farm management activities such as crop and livestock tracking, resource management, and operational planning.
To use farmOS, a farmer needs access to a web browser and an internet connection. The platform is web-based, so it can be accessed from any device—desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The farmOS Field Kit app, available as a progressive web app (PWA) and as native Android/iOS applications, allows for offline data entry, which is needed for farms in areas with unreliable connectivity. Once connectivity is restored, data entered offline can be synchronized with the main database.
For self-hosting, technical requirements include a web server (such as Apache or Nginx), PHP, and a database (typically MySQL or MariaDB). The installation process is well-documented, with guides available on the farmOS website. Updates and backups must be managed by the user, which may require some familiarity with server administration. For those opting for cloud hosting, these technical details are handled by the service provider.
farmOS supports integration with other tools and hardware. For example, enterprising farmers can connect low-cost sensors—such as soil moisture probes or weather stations—using platforms like Raspberry Pi. Data from these devices can be fed into farmOS, enabling more precise and data-driven decision-making. The application programming interface (API) allows developers to build custom modules or integrate farmOS with other farm management tools, further extending its capabilities.
User roles and permissions are another key technical feature. farmOS allows different levels of access for managers, workers, and viewers. This is particularly useful for farms with multiple employees or for certification purposes, where auditors may need read-only access to records.
Data Ownership and Privacy
Data ownership is an important issue every where it is really sad to see so many businesses not understand that.
Many proprietary platforms retain ownership of user data or restrict how it can be exported or shared. farmOS takes a different approach: farmers own and control their data, deciding how and with whom it is shared. This not only protects privacy but also fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing among farmers, researchers, and advisors.
The ability to export and back up data at any time ensures that farmers are not locked into the platform. If a farm decides to switch to another system or develop its own tools, it can do so without losing years of valuable records. This flexibility is a major point, particularly for those wary of vendor lock-in.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite its many strengths, farmOS is not without challenges. The initial setup—especially for self-hosting—can be technically demanding. Ongoing maintenance, including updates and security patches, requires vigilance. While the community provides extensive documentation and support, some farmers may still find the learning curve steep, particularly if they lack prior experience with web applications or server administration.
Another limitation is the need for reliable internet access for full functionality, although the Field Kit app mitigates this by enabling offline data entry. Additionally, farmOS is customizable, farms with very specialized requirements may need to invest time or resources in developing custom modules or integrations.
I am not a farmer but in terms of a tool, the details and test that we have done to set this up, it is a solid tool that is worth looking at
https://farmos.org/