Skip to content

Level 3: Small Farms

A mining farm is a dedicated operation to produce and harvest hashrate -- transforming raw electricity into computational power that secures Bitcoin's network. With a mining farm, you convert energy into hashrate, enforcing Bitcoin's rules, and claiming a stake in the zero-sum game of proof-of-work hashing.

Getting Started

Build a small farm with 5-20 large ASIC miners -- this could be shed or industrial garage -- targeting more than 50kW of power. Focus on high-efficiency models for a setup in a dedicated space with affordable power.

Potential models (as of July 2025)

These units require industrial-grade infrastructure; prioritize ventilation, noise mitigation, and stable power.

Software for Farm Management

Managing a small farm of ASICs demands custom software for monitoring and control -- avoid proprietary tools in favor of open-source scripts. Strictly avoid cloud-hosted solutions. Without custom scripts, handling multiple rigs becomes chaotic. Comsider the following features:

  • miner config -- automatically set the stratum URL and user on each miner; set network information if needed.
  • health checks -- track miner health, hashrate, and logs (via each miner's API).
  • curtailment -- control the power mode. All miners can be put to sleep, and many support a low power mode for added efficiency.

Power and Site Requirements

Small farms move beyond toys -- large ASICs consume lots of power and produce extreme heat and noise, rendering offices and desktops unsuitable. Secure a dedicated space in a warehouse or a shed with commercial power and cooling.

Key requirements:

  • Power: Lock in low-cost electricity (under $0.05/kWh; seek regions like Texas or Iceland). Use high-efficiency PSUs and PDUs; monitor consumption to prevent overloads or skyrocketing bills.
  • Cooling: Implement AC, exhaust systems, or immersion to maintain <40°C; heat buildup kills efficiency and hardware.
  • Site: Wire for 220V+ circuits, surge protection, and rack space. Noise (70-90 dB) needs isolation; comply with local regulations.
  • Maintenance: Equip with dust filters, and safety measures like fire suppression; farms run hot, so plan for regular upkeep.

Affordable power is the farm's lifeblood -- source it wisely to turn electricity into sustainable hashrate.

Why Small Farms?

Small farms are the keys to your sovereignty -- scaled hashrate decentralizes Bitcoin. You're on a path to control block templates, prioritize transactions, and bolster resilience against attacks.

Commit to your farm: it protects your assets through work (with neasurable hashrate as proof), and defies the fiat mindset (of debt slavery and control). A small mining farm is truly your path to sovereignty.

Advance to Level 4 with your own atratum server (your own private pool).