Amazed !

[kenmac]

You have to hit your ideal window or suffer huge percentage losses off your yield.

That seems to be a problem in Arkansas right now. When we were there, most of those large farming fields were flooded because of heavy rains they have had.
The farmers were saying it was going to take some time before they can get into the fields to start plowing up ground soon

 

[kenmac]

Kubota seems to be going after the dairy market. They sell hay equipment, and tillage stuff now.

well, I think the're a little late to the game. Most of the dairy farms are now big corporations .
There use to be 7 independent dairy farms within 10 miles of me. They all took a tax payer buy out back in the late 70' early 80's.
I don't know of any independent dairy farmers in my county, or any neighboring county

 

[TheMadOne]

well, I think the're a little late to the game. Most of the dairy farms are now big corporations .
There use to be 7 independent dairy farms within 10 miles of me. They all took a tax payer buy out back in the late 70' early 80's.
I don't know of any independent dairy farmers in my county, or any neighboring county

It's not that dire here yet. Most dairy operations around here average 300-500 acres, with Amish farms somehow staying afloat at 40-100. Kubota makes equipment big enough for the majority of those operations.

It's just that:

A: Most of these guys have run Massey/Case/Deere since their grandparents farmed and they're brand loyal to the point of pure fandom.

B: While an M7 could do the work, a lot of the farms have the budget for Magnums or what have you. Which can do the work faster.

Kubota has made a huge investment in Land Pride/Great Plains and Kverneland. They seem to be betting on being able to break into the market through the implement side and by selling tractor implement combos. Though I've noticed a distinct lack of Kubota only dealerships in my area. I imagine it's hard to sell someone on a M7 when they can see a T8 out the window.

I also think Kubota is somewhat betting on guys who have their compact tractors finally getting their hands on land and start farming. I imagine, with the sheer volume of compact units they sell, this scenario plays out a few times a year. I know that if I won the lotto tonight I'd have a farm within a year, and I wouldn't be adverse to stocking it with orange equipment.

Maybe Messicks can provide some insight there, since they're the only dealership I can think of that even stocks the larger Kubota units.

 

[rScotty]

I know that if I won the lotto tonight I'd have a farm within a year, and I wouldn't be adverse to stocking it with orange equipment.

Maybe Messicks can provide some insight there, since they're the only dealership I can think of that even stocks the larger Kubota units.

Yes, that's exactly why we buy the occassional lottery ticket. We've done well enough to own our wonderful little place in the mountains, but it isn't a farm - just sand, pine trees, hill sides, and a rocky creek. Paradise, but would love to have a small high mountain hay farm with real dirt. - even 10 or 20 acres. But that type of land is mega, mega-expensive. It would take a winning lottery to get into that much hay-growing land.
rScotty
rScotty

 

[kenmac]

It's not that dire here yet. Most dairy operations around here average 300-500 acres, with Amish farms somehow staying afloat at 40-100.
.

I sure remember when dairy farms dotted the landscape here in Alabama. Use to stop and buy milk. That was before the government /taxpayers decided there were too many dairy farms around .
I don't know of one that refused the government money and stayed in business.

I'm sure with the Amish would possibly be a different story, but there aren't any here.

Guess that farming is like cattle, Unless you have BIG numbers of cattle, so you can sell volume, You are just going to spin your wheels

 

[TerryR]

In the 1950's we farmed around a thousand acres, mostly leased, of row crops and hay in the Sacramento Valley in California. We used three McCormick Deering TD-40's, 50 hp track engines, for tillage. We used track engines to avoid compacting the clay soil, and my Dad used the already obsolete TD-40's because we could haul them to our fields in three counties on a 1-1/2 ton flat bed truck (even though they did weigh 6 tons).

We used four McCormick Farmall H's and M's for cultivating and the like. We thought their four-row rigs was a good deal in those days. <g>