Farming

[TBItoy]

I'd keep my day job for sure. I average about 36 hrs a week and only commute 5 miles.

The land I have my eye on is just over 100 acres, connects to another 400 acre farm that runs cattle. It's half field that has been row cropped and half wooded. Listed at $2500/acre.

That's a big chunk of change in my eyes, plus build a house, plus fencing and farm stuffs. I have a old tractor and a few attachments, but no hay working stuff.
I do have 25 acres of good grass at work I could cut for hay.

If I could pull the trigger on it tomorrow and be able to make the payment I would. I could sell my place now to make the down payment, but I wouldn't have a place to live!

 

[halcat]

My first piece of land I bought I couldn't even afford a tractor to keep it cleaned up. Buying a farm is about 50% of what you need to be a "farmer". All cattle iv ever bought wanted CASH. No checks and no payment plans. There is your first issue. In a normal winter you need about three 5x6 rolls of hay per cow. I doctored my cows twice a year. Second issue. I had catch pens, head chute, sweep tub, about $15 grand worth. You can't work cattle by your self. Issue number three. I had several different people I could get to help along with two or three thousand dollars for medicine. I gave my cows five shots each. Issue number four FERTILIZER, when I was running cattle it was $200 a ton. I think Its about $500 now. Issue five. I had about $150 k in farm equipment. Final issue. The damn things can DIE! And die they will. Oh yea, don't forget the coyotes. Good luck

 

[HotwheelsYJ]

Re:

I just took 11 steers to the sale. Lost my ass on them but it was better than having to buy hay thought the winter & hope that prices would jump back up.
The drought killed me this year. Didn't even get a 2nd cutting on my hay fields & steers only put on about half the weight they normally do.
Normally we put a few in the freezer every December but all the local processors are booked up till March. Between the storms a few weeks ago ripping up my barn & losing $$ on the cattle. My farming wallet is hurting.

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[El Diablo]

Nick
What everyone's saying is true.
I have a small operation that I run after working 45 hours a week.
I only run about 20 head and they don't cover the cost of running the farm with the market the way it is now so your full time job will have to help pay till you get on your feet.
I am trying to buy all the equipment I need now so that when I can give up my day job I should have most of everything I will need.
If you don't love just working outside and dealing with the cows and all the work that is included I would have to tell you not to get into this business.
Like Hal said you can't do it all by yourself and when you work a full time job it hard to stay ahead of everything you need to do plus family time.
Wish you luck.

 

[Neal3000]

Get ahead of the curve, start a maryJ farm

 

[zukimaster]

Re:

Sounds like to me, you need to stay away from farming! Hell if your going to piss money away, stick with wheeling! At least that's fun.

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[El Diablo]

Re:

Sounds like to me, you need to stay away from farming! Hell if your going to piss money away, stick with wheeling! At least that's fun.

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Farming does take away time from wheeling.

 

[j-mox]

Maybe buy the land you are looking at and only invest in 2-4 cattle. It's enough for you and a friend or family for some beef but not a huge investment either. It's a way to stick your foot in the door to see if you really want to pursue it more or get out with not much invested. Then you still have the land for whatever you want. Or even rent it out for someone trying the same thing.

 

[AllGoNoShow]

Like was said, takes a lot to get started. I played poker professionally and made good money in 2009. Bought 100 bred heifers, tractor, ATV, used diesel pickup, etc To get started. Took a fsa loan and bank loan for land. I now will be calving 315 head of mama cows this spring, and feeding 110 replacement heifers. Fed 14 1300 lb bales today in -50 degree windchill and 8 inches of snow. Feel free to ask any questions. look into the fsa beginning farmer rancher progam.

 

[paradisepwoffrd]

Re:

Might look into leasing the land at first until you can get what u need to run your own farm?

 

[halcat]

I got a good idea Nick, help some cattle man in cookeville work about 100 cows and cut the nuts out of about 50 calves and you'll be so pissed off when your finished you won't want to ever see another cow again, unless it's cut up on the grill.

 

[jp fan]

Best way to fool with them ^^ ready for the GRILL drool

 

[ridefast]

To the OP:

If I were in your position, looking to get into the sport, I would buy land that you do not live on or have anything personal on.
Grow hemp, TN will have a ton of paperwork required and you basically give up any privacy, but whatever.
Get the process down, work the kinks out.
Figure out the business side of things.

Few years from now when weed is legal, you will be 98% set up ahead of the game to make a tiny change in seeds and BOOM.

 

[pholmann]

To the OP:

If I were in your position, looking to get into the sport, I would buy land that you do not live on or have anything personal on.
Grow hemp, TN will have a ton of paperwork required and you basically give up any privacy, but whatever.
Get the process down, work the kinks out.
Figure out the business side of things.

Few years from now when weed is legal, you will be 98% set up ahead of the game to make a tiny change in seeds and BOOM.

^^^^this!!

 

[onepieceatatime]

Re: Re: Farming

To the OP:

If I were in your position, looking to get into the sport, I would buy land that you do not live on or have anything personal on.
Grow hemp, TN will have a ton of paperwork required and you basically give up any privacy, but whatever.
Get the process down, work the kinks out.
Figure out the business side of things.

Few years from now when weed is legal, you will be 98% set up ahead of the game to make a tiny change in seeds and BOOM.

I've been wanting to look into doing the same thing on dad's farm!

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[TBItoy]

I got a good idea Nick, help some cattle man in cookeville work about 100 cows and cut the nuts out of about 50 calves and you'll be so pissed off when your finished you won't want to ever see another cow again, unless it's cut up on the grill.

You overestimate my ambition! I was thinking 30 head, maybe.

I'd think for every setup (land, equipment, etc) there is an approximate number of head you can run somewhat efficiently.

Sounds like a lot of people have had less than favorable experiences with cattle though.


Also, why cut vs band or clamp?

Last time I helped steer calves (about 15 years ago...) we did about 2 dozen calves, we banded them.

To the OP:

If I were in your position, looking to get into the sport, I would buy land that you do not live on or have anything personal on.
Grow hemp, TN will have a ton of paperwork required and you basically give up any privacy, but whatever.
Get the process down, work the kinks out.
Figure out the business side of things.

Few years from now when weed is legal, you will be 98% set up ahead of the game to make a tiny change in seeds and BOOM.

I'd be thinking green houses, controlled, environment etc etc. for consumer stuff, not outside dirt farming.

 

[money_pit_yj]

Also, why cut vs band or clamp?

Last time I helped steer calves (about 15 years ago...) we did about 2 dozen calves, we banded them.

I have always seen them cut when helping friends wiork cows. I am sure there is a good reason to both.

 

[crawler 129]

I have always seen them cut when helping friends wiork cows. I am sure there is a good reason to both.

We grow out 125-150 steers a year . I have always cut them the way I have been taught . With banding u can miss a nut when u cut u get them both . Plus they taste good.

 

[halcat]

I have seen young banded calves stand in the field all humped up for days trying to over come "banding". If you cut them when the "signs" are right, they won't even bleed, they will walk right out in the field and eat like nothing has happened. I'm not saying it don't hurt, but if you cut them right, they don't act like it hurts.

 

[AllGoNoShow]

I have seen young banded calves stand in the field all humped up for days trying to over come "banding". If you cut them when the "signs" are right, they won't even bleed, they will walk right out in the field and eat like nothing has happened. I'm not saying it don't hurt, but if you cut them right, they don't act like it hurts.

This is correct. Buyers prefer cut over banding. Bands can break too, really no upside to banding. Another note, you don't ranch to make money, you will go crazy. You have to love doing it.