What's the most profitable way make cash, farming

[EddieWalker]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

Grapes seem to be the big money making crop from what I'ver heard. Another option is to grow fresh veggies and sell them at a farmers market on the weekends.

The whole farming, or ranching business seems like allot of work for minimum return for me. Have you considered an alternative market for your land?

Eco tourism is a booming industry. Bird watchers are the biggest spenders of all tourists. Do you have a good supply of birds? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There's no money in elk ranching, but I've thought having about having an elk ranch with cabins would work. Fence it in, buy some elk, build some rustic cabins and create some hiking trails. People go crazy for wildlife, and if you provide a clean, fun environment, it will work.

If your set on farming, I agree with the others, rent it out to somebody else, get paid UP FRONT and let them struggle to make a buck on it. If you don't know what your doing, it will cost you twice as much to do the same thing in twice the time.

Eddie

 

[sassafraspete]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

mary jane ?

 

[19977]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

sassafraspete /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif one good crop and you could retire for life on your own island

Mike

 

[roho]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

Or, But, IF YOU get caught, I hear the givernment(is this MS or not) has a real good retirement community you can stay in also!

 

[EastTexFrank]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

You've seen all the answers and it boils down to 2 things ... rent it out or sell it to a developer. On a 120 acres some people can make money, fewer will make a profit and practically none will make a living.

I can only recite our experience. We've raised beef cattle on a 170 acres family farm since Methusila was a boy. Do we make money? ... yes we do. Do we make a profit? ... some years we do, but only because all the labor (myself, my wife and S-I-L) is free and none of us could make a living or keep on doing it without outside sources of income. That sadly is a fact.

You may be able to find a specialty product in a niche market that can make money but be prepared to spend a lot of time on the road marketing, selling and delivering it. It's not easy. Over the years we've experimented with many things, specialty vegetables, organically grown herbs and we've researched even more but we've never found a large, ready, consistent market for any of them. Beware of grape growing. One grower gave me the advice that, "If you want to end up with a small fortune growing grapes, start with a large one". Eco-tiourism is one thing that I haven't researched that may be profitable but the location would have to be very, very good.

Nope, enjoy your 120 acres for what it is, a wonderful place to spend your time working and tending the land but don't expect to retire rich from it.

 

[ed3357]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

Since this is currently enrolled in CRP, you have a real opportunity to produce organically without any waiting period. From what I've heard, organic soybeans fetch $16 per bushel, vs $5.50 or so for the current gmo soybeans. Get your organic certificate, then rent the ground out for some real return on investment.
Eric

 

[Ryno1]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

Sell the farm, take the money to Vegas, bet it all on one roll of the dice. Win or lose. Saves you alot of work and money.

Honestly on 120 acres, probably the best thing is to either rent it out or put it back in CPR. You can raise cattle and make (maybe) a few bucks but nows not the time to be buying cattle (to high). The one thing you can do - is ENJOY the country living. I make absolutly ZERO off of our 40 acres, probably lose several thousand a year in upkeep but it is well worth the cost.

 

[dknarnd]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

If you are in the correct location, have deep top soil and have the time to wait for any return then the nursery business may be something to look at.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Indy, you could not have said it better. I am a past farmer, now returned to the farm at age 53. I decided to operate a vegetable farm and attempt to make a go of it. I have contracts with several restuarants and felt I had most bases covered. we started the spring with cold weather and then May 11 a hard frost. We have now been since then without rain. I am now looking for a full time job to pay the bills and operate the farm nights. I still believe in the future, but will enjoy the comfort of a job to pay the mortgage. All this to say there is no easy way to make good money on the farm. It requires hard work, faith and determination to face nature. I still would not trade the life for anything!! )</font>

I'm the 6th generation of farmers in my family (on MY side.... Wife is 5th generation on her side.) I have the luxury of previous relatives hard work, dedication, and investment behind my efforts. My (now 27 year old) son came to me 3 years ago with his "plan" to continue the tradition. Part of me was so proud, I thought my chest would explode. Another part of me was scared to death of what he would face in upcoming years.

His choice did add to my ambition to make this lifestyle work. I want my GRANDCHILDREN to have the same choice I had 31 years ago.....and my son had 3 years back.

What did I tell Jason about his future????? Think outside of the box. Don't fall into the rut "This is what we did last year, so let's do it the same way THIS year"...... Don't despare when you have 2 or 3 (or 10) bad years in a row. This is like playing the stock market.....What goes down MIGHT come back up.....someday.

All in all, I agree with you..... I wouldn't trade my life for ANYTHING!

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Re: What\'s the most profitable way make cash, farming

I've been sitting out of this thread because I am not a farmer, never have been, no family involved (unless you count the great grand parents in Slovakia). But I've often considred doing some mini or micro farming. I live on 10 acres but have 32 acres adjacent to me that is current leased to a 'real' farmer.

I've investigated farming as a business opportunity.

From what I can see there are some niche opportunities in farming that can make for a profitable venture. (but not a get rich scheme)
-- organic vegetables
-- organic chicken, turkey and duck
-- venision
-- specialty beef cattle, natural or organic
-- buffalo

In the above cases, striving for ultra-premium quality, working with supermarkets, restaurants, high end farmer's markets, specialty food shops, catalog/mail order sellers and specialty distributors seems to be the best opportunities.


It also seems there are many offbeat opportunities such as llama, ostrich, emu, etc. I discount those because the markets for such seems to be less mature, and often look like a pyramid scheme where you set yourself up as a breeder to sell to other people who will buy to breed, etc.


If anyone does find the best answer to this question, I'd love to know the answer!