Making money with land

   / Making money with land #181  
THATS WHAT I USED TOO --A COFFEE CAN WITH NAIL HOLES IN IT DUCTAPED TO A LIGHT ALUMINUM POLE ABOUT A FOOT OFF THE GROUND. YOU PUT THE LID ON THE COFFEE CAN AFTER PUTTING THE SEVEN DUST OR SULPHER IN IT HALFWAY. IT WAS GOOD FOR THE SMALL PLANTS--JUST TAP IT OVER A TOMATO PLANT OR SHORT ROW OF OKRA KEPT THE FLEA BEETLES OFF. YOU CAN SHAKE IT AS YOU WALK AND GET ER DONE IN A HURRY.
YET THE EPA HAS MESSED US UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN . YOU GOT TO HAVE THE 3- "P"'S--PATIENCE--PERSISTANCE--AND PRAYER IN MAKING IT IN FARMING.
 
   / Making money with land #182  
I HAVE LEARNED THAT ONE OF EASIEST WAYS IN THE LONG RUN IS TO PLANT COTTON WOOD TREES ON THIS LAND. THE WOOD FROM THESE TREES IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BOARD FEET-ABOUT$22.00/FT. THIS WOOD IS TOUGH AS NAILS, WON'T BURN, AND MATURES TO TIMBER CUT SIZE IN JUST 6 YEARS. YOU PLANT THE SEEDLINGS 12' APART IN ROWS AND THE SAME 12' FROM ROW TO ROW LIKE A GRID PATTERN. AS THE COTTONWOOD TREES GROW YOU PRUNE SOME OF THE SIDE LIMBS AND BIG LEAVES AND THAT IS USED IN CATTLE FEED, SO THAT IS ALSO INCOME YEARLY TO HELP WITH MANTAINENCE COSTS.
THESE TREES CAN BE ROTATED FROM STARTOFF YEARLY SO YOU HAVE A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF HARVESTED TIMBER FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIKE. THE REAL GOOD NEWS IS AFTER THE SIXTH YEAR AND THE TREE IS CUT DOWN, IT WILL GROW BACK OUT AGAIN SOMETIMES WITH TWO TREES AND THE COST FOR SEEDLINGS AGAIN IS NOT NEEDED. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE TREE PLANTINGS YOU CAN DO AND VERY LIKELY BE A MILLIONARE IN SHORT ORDER.

THE BIGGEST THING IS STARTUP COSTS WITH IRRIGATION IF NEEDED AND FERTILIZATION, BUT THIS IN A LONG TERM VERY GOOD INVESTMENT BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR THIS WOOD FOR KITCHEN FURNITURE IS AMAZING. THE PRUNINGS FROM THESE TREES FOR ANIMAL FEED WILL GIVE YOU YEARLY INCOME TO OFFSET ANY UPKEEP .. FOR THE TIME AND A FEW ACRES OF LAND THIS WILL KEEP THE FARM GOING FOR YEARS ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLANT PART OF IT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THIS HIGH PRICED AND PRIZED WOOD ESPECIALLY IN THE ASIAN MARKET YOU'LL BE LAYING BACK AND COUNTING THE MONEY..
 
   / Making money with land #183  
roundbaby, to me capitals is not shouting, how can somebody shout in writing? how about trying lower case - just the same for you, and easier for us to read.
 
   / Making money with land #184  
I have approx 4 acres of farm land that I am looking for some unique (profitable) ideas of what to grow to supplement my income with. A quick google search and I see herbs, bamboo, garlic, gourmet mushrooms, lavender, etc. anyone have any experience with any of these or any other ideas? Located in lower Michigan. Good well drained soil.

You aren't far from me actually.

I'm a custom harvester of forage products and I have a big garden too. I sell my produce to a local outlet. I grow for myself and him. I grow whats popular with my palate andwhats popular with the locals. I do well with zuchini, green peppers, corn and potatoes, lots of potatoes, plus Brussels Sprouts.. I've spent the last 10 years perfecting my own variety and they are real popular sellers. I only fo organic farming, no addition of fertilizer other than manure and lots of people like that. Organically grown vegetables are a big hit.

I also have a couple acres adjacent to the house that I grow alfalfa hay on and sell that at a premium price, why not, I have all the harvesting equipment at hand, all the time. I share crop on hay and sell hay throughout the winter months and make quite a bit. The trick, if you will, is being able to store the hay until the snow flies and then market it. I have a old hip roof barn that has a loft capable of handling 2000 bales as well as a Clearspan truss arch building that I keep ag equipment in that also serves as hay storage as well.

Get yoursel an inexpensive greenhouse. I bought a Harbor Freight one for under 300 bucks and it's aluminum framed. I built it on 3 sheets of 3/4" treated CDX with beams underneath and a pull ring so I can move it around to take advantage of the best winter location. I grow herbs like chives and basil in the greenhouse plus I start my garden plants in it for spring planting. A small propane heater (and a 100 pound cylinder heats it in the winter).

Chives are stupid expensive here in Michigan in the winter. So is basil, radishes and leaf lettuce, all easily grown in a hot house and all really marketable in the winter. What you need to do is devel,op a relationship with a local retail outlet, in my case, I developed a relationship with a local outlet and he takes all the wintertime and summer vegetables I can give him. People want locally grown, pesticide/herbicide free vegetables.

I typically sell fresh cut chives and dehydrated chives for a couple bucks a pound and they propogate thermselces. I use the wife's dehydrator to dry them.

I dig my spuds (soon) and store them in mesh laundry bags hung in the basement, usually 10-15 bags (at least 1000 pounds or more) full and sell them in the winter. I also ferment cabbage for sauerkraut for us and can it for later. Home grown, not irradiated potatoes are a big hit. My little ones, I put in sealed cardboard boxes in the cellar, thats my starter spuds for the next year. Potatoes like well drained sandy loam and there is nothing better than harvesting the tubers from the ground. I enjoy it every year.

You can do real well with vegetables so long as you develop an outlet. Forget attempting to sell them direct. Roadside stands are neat but lots of work. Better to market through an established business.

Local resturants also like fresh grown produce so thats and avenue worth exploring if you have trouble finding an outlet but as a rule a resutrant will want them cheaper than a market.

I never got into mushrooms (other than harvesting Morrels) because it room and labor intensive and you have to have a controlled atmosphere (hot house) and it takes lots of room and finally, there are good ones to eat and ones that will kill you. I own property up north so I go there and pick morrels, they grown in the woods, wild. We eat them. Maybe I'm too cautious but I have issues with selling 'shrooms.

Considering our Michigan winters, a greenhouse is a worthwhile investment, just stay away from the fancy (and pricey ones). You can get the basic, polycarbonate paned hothouse for way less than 500 bucks. 500 bucks total with supplementary heat and portability so long as you are hanfy builfing things. You don't need a big one, just utilize the space inside efficiently. I use the moulded plastic shelves that Menards sells, with discarded plastic growing trays and recyclable peat pots. You can find discarded plastic growing trays by doing some 'dumpster diving' at your local big box stores. It's amazing what they toss.

As an example, I got a nice Troy-Bilt tiller in a dumpster that was tossed becaue the engine was junk. Went to HF, bought a cheapie Predator engine and got a perfectly good rear tine tiller for the cost of the engine (125 bucks). I sold it this spring for 500 to a guy who wanted a rear time tiller.

Along those lines, you don't need to invest thousands in a garden tiller to grow produce. Lots of people do custom tilling and once the sod is broken up, it's a simple matter to till with a cheap front time tiller. I just happen to own a rear time (not a Troybilt like I sold) but I use it rarely. I prefer my Sears front tine actually and it was 200 bucks new, 10 years ago.

Thje ground will stay loose if, in the fall, you mulch with fallen leaves plus the leaves make good compost. Avoid grass clippings in the garden. Grass clippings rob the soil of Nitrogen as they decompose plus they stink and you get weeds.

Thats what I do. It may work for you, it may not. Key is developing the outlet and then proceeding to grow what you can sell and keep some for yourself roo. No point in growing items that won't sell because then you are stuck with them.

You must be a good business person and like the Field of Dreams movie, build it (grow it) and they will come. Don't happen overnight either. relationships and trust take time. It's taken me 10 years to develop a reliable outlet.

Good luck....:)

I was real hesitant about a greenhouse but after some shopping and finding the HF one, my fears abated.

You can do extremely well with hay if you have the equipment of course and storage room, both of which I already have.
 
   / Making money with land
  • Thread Starter
#185  
You aren't far from me actually. I'm a custom harvester of forage products and I have a big garden too. I sell my produce to a local outlet. I grow for myself and him. I grow whats popular with my palate andwhats popular with the locals. I do well with zuchini, green peppers, corn and potatoes, lots of potatoes, plus Brussels Sprouts.. I've spent the last 10 years perfecting my own variety and they are real popular sellers. I only fo organic farming, no addition of fertilizer other than manure and lots of people like that. Organically grown vegetables are a big hit. I also have a couple acres adjacent to the house that I grow alfalfa hay on and sell that at a premium price, why not, I have all the harvesting equipment at hand, all the time. I share crop on hay and sell hay throughout the winter months and make quite a bit. The trick, if you will, is being able to store the hay until the snow flies and then market it. I have a old hip roof barn that has a loft capable of handling 2000 bales as well as a Clearspan truss arch building that I keep ag equipment in that also serves as hay storage as well. Get yoursel an inexpensive greenhouse. I bought a Harbor Freight one for under 300 bucks and it's aluminum framed. I built it on 3 sheets of 3/4" treated CDX with beams underneath and a pull ring so I can move it around to take advantage of the best winter location. I grow herbs like chives and basil in the greenhouse plus I start my garden plants in it for spring planting. A small propane heater (and a 100 pound cylinder heats it in the winter). Chives are stupid expensive here in Michigan in the winter. So is basil, radishes and leaf lettuce, all easily grown in a hot house and all really marketable in the winter. What you need to do is devel,op a relationship with a local retail outlet, in my case, I developed a relationship with a local outlet and he takes all the wintertime and summer vegetables I can give him. People want locally grown, pesticide/herbicide free vegetables. I typically sell fresh cut chives and dehydrated chives for a couple bucks a pound and they propogate thermselces. I use the wife's dehydrator to dry them. I dig my spuds (soon) and store them in mesh laundry bags hung in the basement, usually 10-15 bags (at least 1000 pounds or more) full and sell them in the winter. I also ferment cabbage for sauerkraut for us and can it for later. Home grown, not irradiated potatoes are a big hit. My little ones, I put in sealed cardboard boxes in the cellar, thats my starter spuds for the next year. Potatoes like well drained sandy loam and there is nothing better than harvesting the tubers from the ground. I enjoy it every year. You can do real well with vegetables so long as you develop an outlet. Forget attempting to sell them direct. Roadside stands are neat but lots of work. Better to market through an established business. Local resturants also like fresh grown produce so thats and avenue worth exploring if you have trouble finding an outlet but as a rule a resutrant will want them cheaper than a market. I never got into mushrooms (other than harvesting Morrels) because it room and labor intensive and you have to have a controlled atmosphere (hot house) and it takes lots of room and finally, there are good ones to eat and ones that will kill you. I own property up north so I go there and pick morrels, they grown in the woods, wild. We eat them. Maybe I'm too cautious but I have issues with selling 'shrooms. Considering our Michigan winters, a greenhouse is a worthwhile investment, just stay away from the fancy (and pricey ones). You can get the basic, polycarbonate paned hothouse for way less than 500 bucks. 500 bucks total with supplementary heat and portability so long as you are hanfy builfing things. You don't need a big one, just utilize the space inside efficiently. I use the moulded plastic shelves that Menards sells, with discarded plastic growing trays and recyclable peat pots. You can find discarded plastic growing trays by doing some 'dumpster diving' at your local big box stores. It's amazing what they toss. As an example, I got a nice Troy-Bilt tiller in a dumpster that was tossed becaue the engine was junk. Went to HF, bought a cheapie Predator engine and got a perfectly good rear tine tiller for the cost of the engine (125 bucks). I sold it this spring for 500 to a guy who wanted a rear time tiller. Along those lines, you don't need to invest thousands in a garden tiller to grow produce. Lots of people do custom tilling and once the sod is broken up, it's a simple matter to till with a cheap front time tiller. I just happen to own a rear time (not a Troybilt like I sold) but I use it rarely. I prefer my Sears front tine actually and it was 200 bucks new, 10 years ago. Thje ground will stay loose if, in the fall, you mulch with fallen leaves plus the leaves make good compost. Avoid grass clippings in the garden. Grass clippings rob the soil of Nitrogen as they decompose plus they stink and you get weeds. Thats what I do. It may work for you, it may not. Key is developing the outlet and then proceeding to grow what you can sell and keep some for yourself roo. No point in growing items that won't sell because then you are stuck with them. You must be a good business person and like the Field of Dreams movie, build it (grow it) and they will come. Don't happen overnight either. relationships and trust take time. It's taken me 10 years to develop a reliable outlet. Good luck....:) I was real hesitant about a greenhouse but after some shopping and finding the HF one, my fears abated. You can do extremely well with hay if you have the equipment of course and storage room, both of which I already have.

Thanks neighbor. Good info!
 
   / Making money with land #186  
I highly recommend you take a look at growing small fruit crops. For example, strawberries, red raspberries, or blackberries. About twenty years ago I grew strawberries and ran a pick-your-own operation. It was small but profitable. Expect $2,000-4,000 per acre.

I'm now semi-retired and thinking about doing blackberries...PYO. I'm running a small test plot right now and growing the new hybrids: Prime Jim, Prime Jan, and Prime Ark. All are primocan varieties which means they produce fruit the first and every year. Don't need to mess with pruning out floricanes.

Your local County Extension Service can help you with advice and books/manuals.
 
   / Making money with land #187  
JUST THE WAY I'VE BEEN LEARNING THESE COMPUTER'S OLD SCHOOL LAYING ON MY SIDE IN THE BED TO TYPE. NAMES OF PEOPLE LOOKS BAD IN SMALL CAPS SO WITH ONE HAND IT'S EASIER TO TYPE--NO COMPLAINTS EXCEPT HERE. TO EACH ITS OWN--DEBATE IS GOOD EXCEPT SOME REFER TO CRITIQUE THE DEBATER.
HOW'S IT EASIER TO READ IF YOU'RE EYES ARE GETTING TIRED AND WEAK? UH OH HARD TO USE THE SHIFT KEY WITH ONE ARM????
 
   / Making money with land #188  
JUST THE WAY I'VE BEEN LEARNING THESE COMPUTER'S OLD SCHOOL LAYING ON MY SIDE IN THE BED TO TYPE. NAMES OF PEOPLE LOOKS BAD IN SMALL CAPS SO WITH ONE HAND IT'S EASIER TO TYPE--NO COMPLAINTS EXCEPT HERE. TO EACH ITS OWN--DEBATE IS GOOD EXCEPT SOME REFER TO CRITIQUE THE DEBATER.
HOW'S IT EASIER TO READ IF YOU'RE EYES ARE GETTING TIRED AND WEAK? UH OH HARD TO USE THE SHIFT KEY WITH ONE ARM????
 
   / Making money with land #189  
JUST THE WAY I'VE BEEN LEARNING THESE COMPUTER'S OLD SCHOOL LAYING ON MY SIDE IN THE BED TO TYPE. NAMES OF PEOPLE LOOKS BAD IN SMALL CAPS SO WITH ONE HAND IT'S EASIER TO TYPE--NO COMPLAINTS EXCEPT HERE. TO EACH ITS OWN--DEBATE IS GOOD EXCEPT SOME REFER TO CRITIQUE THE DEBATER. HOW'S IT EASIER TO READ IF YOU'RE EYES ARE GETTING TIRED AND WEAK? UH OH HARD TO USE THE SHIFT KEY WITH ONE ARM????

Even after numerous people asking for you to use proper case, you persist in all capitals. This is not making friends. It is considerably harder to read when it is not correct sentence case.

Weedpharma
 
   / Making money with land #190  
Roundbaby, I was trying to be nice to you. The problem for you is that we all know you are using the shift key and simply refuse to write sensibly. You even used it to incorrectly insert an apostrophe for the plural of computer. How do we know you are using the shift key? You tell us!
 

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