Does anyone make any money off their property

[FallbrookFarmer]

Around here the state has been pushing "Agri-tourism" for folks with farms. One fellow out west of us plants his corn strictly for a "corn maze" (sp?). He goes in and creates the maze and charges an entry fee. I guess this, as well, can come to a screaching halt if someones little Johnny or Suzie trips and breaks a leg. I'm not sure of all of the legalities. Some here, as well as other places, are taking their products a few steps farther and making cheeses, soaps, etc. I think these are from goat milk. Of course, when you start that then there is always the governmental licenses and fees and inspections. Seems like the mentality that's common nowadays is "get big or get out"! I've been considering buying some basic hay equipement to cut and bale 20 of our 40 acres. I could use about 300 (small square) bales of it and then sell the rest. Around here horse folk like it that way. I like the story of that cowboy who got enough money to start up his own herd of cows so he could loose all of his money on his own instead of helping others do it by working for them!:thumbsup:

Agri-Tourism is big in Europe, But the Agri part is usually
just a very small part. It would seem to me, that in most cases, They are just glorified B&Bs that happen to be on a farm. So I think you get into a whole different thing, basically becoming an inn keeper, which has another whole set of problems. I'm sure that some can make money at it, so for some it may be a good thing.

 

[warhammer]

My wife and I have a 38 acre farm.
There is a row crop field that is about 24 acres in size. The field is currently leased yearly to a farmer.
Almost 9 acres is terraced vacant land that adjoins another 3-4 acre row crop field. I have fenced in the vacant land and field and cleared the decades of growth off to make a pasture. I had the field sprigged in Coastal last year and am working on establishing Common Bermuda on the vacant acres now.
Other than the farm and the tractor, which are financed, anything we put into the farm is out of pocket which slows the process somewhat.
The plan is to farm the 24 acre field after the pasture is established and a small herd is in place. Take all the proceeds each year from the calfs and crops to pay down the mortgage on the farm/tractor until they are paid off. I am optimistically working towards this taking 8-9 more years. After that we would be "making money off the land".

I got into a long conversation with a good "city" friend. We were discussing farming, its virtues and the chances of making any coin off a small piece of land.

So for a bit of personal edification, does anyone try to make money off their land, and what are the general results. I am especially interested in results for people who do not have farmland specifically (100 acres flat field).

Thanks in advance for humoring me in this conversation

Carl

 

[jbooth]

My farm is only 120 acres. 77 acres is in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) which brings in about $3200 in payments per year. Quite a few tedious rules for CRP, but overall it is worth it. Have around 7 acres that is still farmed by a local farmer that did well this year.(about $500) For the most part the 7 acres is not enough to interest most farmers, but he has land in the area and just does mine when he does his. Probably the larger benefit is the freedom to do what i want on my own land without someone telling me I can't or shouldn't be there. Plan to put out some food plots this year for wildlife as we recieve contributions from hunters using the land also. I'm sure not getting wealthy but that is not why we bought the land to start with.

 

[petes]

This thread was well timed! I've been trying to figure out how to make a living farming, and trying to figure out how to buy land to get started (I've only got an acre now) I've come to a couple conclusions about potential success - First and foremost is to not be paying huge interest on loans! That's a killer here in the Pacific Northwest since land, if it can be found anywhere near civilization and not a swamp, goes for ~$20k-$30k/acre.... then we still need a place to live, a barn for equipment, etc. $350-400k minimum for 5ac and a house and barn... no way to pay that interest by farming unless you're growing something illegal.

If I owned the land - Growing specialty herbs and high-end veggies, selling direct to restaurants, and having a market garden (i.e. produce stand) seems do-able, particularly if growing off-season in greenhouses. There's no point trying to sell corn or tomatoes when everyone can grow corn and tomatoes in their backyard garden, but if you have good local tomatoes (basil, cilantro, salad greens, etc.) in the late fall and early spring, there are definitely folks willing to pay a premium. Pushing the "locally grown" aspect is key.

I've been growing hydroponic habanero peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers in my 8'x20' greenhouse with good success - it's paying for the hobby (supplies, electricity, etc.). The last couple years I've produced 50-60 lbs /yr of habaneros and hundreds of pounds of tomatoes. I trade the peppers for lunch a couple times a week at a local Mexican restaurant 9 months out of the year (approx. equivalent of $6/lb), and we eat and give away the tomatoes and cukes, but I could sell them too. Although the habaneros are worth $6-$8/lb and are easy to grow, they are labor intensive to pick, (plus there are only so many that can be sold into a community), so going large scale isn't really economically feasible. Tomatoes are probably worth around $1/lb here mid summer to early fall, and $2-3/lb in the off season. Tomatoes are reasonably easy to grow in a greenhouse and it only takes seconds to pick a pound, so if your time counts for anything, they're more $/labor hour. Unfortunately, the cost for heating and lighting will suck up the extra $/lb in the off season - oh if only I could find land with a hotspring on it! (I've even considered trying to sidle up to an industrial plant/refinery/etc. that has waste heat. Too bad there isn't 2 acres available next to the municipal ice rink!). Salad greens grow well will less light and little heat, so maybe converting crops is the key.

Being able to do something with unsold surplus is a bonus - tomato sauce or habanero jelly, for example. Not so easy with lettuce - it pretty much becomes compost (or a donation to the local food bank)

I've got some friends who made a good living growing greenhouse tomatoes (~20,000sq ft of greenhouse) in Calgary, and toured a lettuce operation where a single woman made a decent living with 5,000sqft of greenhouse on an island near Vancouver, so it is possible. Keep expenses and mortgages low and thinking outside the box...

One method of traditional (dirt) farming-for-a-living that does seem to be working is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms, where folks buy a "share" of the farms production each year, then they come pick up a box of mixed whatever-is-in-season once or twice a week. Some folks trade labor for part of their share, so you get some help and they get to learn. It's another piece in the know-where-your-food-comes-from movement.

 

[ToadHill]

Not yet but the plan is to timber the 60 acre hardwood forest in about 5 years. Each year for the last fre I've planted between 100 and 150 Blueberry bushes. Only doing 80 this year but also putting in 100 rasberry plants.

The plan is a pick your own operation so the kids can keep the farm and pay the taxes when we are gone. Being in the tax capital of the world they probably won;t make enough to pay the whole bill but they will be able to put a big dent in it.

 

[forgeblast]

We are enrolled in the crp program, just 1.3 acr of our 20. I have begun the planting of oaks, butternut, hickory, black walnut, sugar maple. i choose these since they can give us a crop eventually (the shrubs will be more immediate of cranberry, blueberry, hazelnut, and elderberry). With the cost share and guarenteed money for 15 years it helped us control erosion, in a swampy area.

controlling costs, the fruit trees, paw paw, apple, peach, nectarine, almonds, pears, cherrys, will help with our grocery bill, plus if i get enough i can press the juice.

we have a garden, helps with our summer grocery bill.

chicken coop is almost done,

gensing--takes 6 years but a crop i am thinking about--biggest problem, voles, deer, turkey. the deer and voles are the worse.

we cut our own firewood saving us heating money, plus it lets us renovate stuck or over crowded timberstands.

while not making a profit, we are saving money in different ways.

A lot of the planting was done when the wife and i came up with a five year plan. One thing we were worried about was that if there was a banking crash/collapse would we be able to barter for what we wanted/need. The garden was first, fruit trees with a 7' fence was next--always barter food. then the timber/firewood. I guess we went with whats a basic need food/heat/shelter and worked from there.
If i wanted to i could probably pallet field stone and sell that, but i like making stone walls, and still need to finish my little fieldstone garden shed, and put the fieldstone on my basement walls.
I could probably rent out archery stands, for hunters to harvest over my crp planting, the deer were there the night i finished planting.
I guess with rural money makers, its thinking differently, do you want the people to come to you (then worried about more insurance and farm security) or do you take the product to them (gas prices, vehicle wear and tear) or do you lower your bills by doing what you can do.

 

[mikefromnh]

I don't sell much off of my land. But I figure every dollar I save by producing my own food, firewood etc. is $1.50 earned.

When you figure in the taxes on income and the travel expenses in order to get to work it makes sense for us.

 

[bp fick]

Sometimes folks kinda get it backwards. They buy a hobby piece of land and THEN give thought to what in the world they might do with it. Knowing and having the knowledge, experience and marketing skills to be a vineyard keeper, orchard keeper, organic gardener or truck farmer, hot house operator, nursery stock grower, etc, etc, should come first. There are thousands and thousands of successful and profitable small time operators, who work hard, know their craft and run successful agri-business from small acreage operations.

You cannot just snap your fingers and make stuff like this happen, imho. It takes years of being tutored and schooled. It takes a sharp plan and dedication as does any business.

My folks come from immigrant 80 acre farmer stock. My dad's place, where I grew up, included two 30' hot houses, nursery stock and 5-6 acres of vegetables that we marketed at the roadside and in town at the farmer's market. We worked the old Massey that's in my avatar. We cleared 3-5K a year in the 50's and 60's (must adjust the dollars) which certainly helped pay the bills for raising 6 kids. Of course, having us kids also provided a labor source.

I have close friends who make upwards of 6 figures, full time operating off of very, very small acreage, one does wine, the other Whole Foods gardens. What they know would fill a couple of books, in fact, they have written a few.

 

[brin]

I have a friend that buys baby bull calves and castrates them and then raises the steers for grass and grain fed beef..he then sells the beef on the hoof at $4.80 lb live weight last time I checked with him to city folks who gladly pay the price. He hauls the steer they pick to the local processor where the cutomer takes over and tells the processor how they want thier beef cut..He does quiet well.

 

[SpeedBump2]

Sister and Brother in Law do well off of 7 acres- Plus they get to live in Hawaii.
Poamoho Organic Produce