Beginning Farming advice

[BuckeyeBoy11]

I am 25 years old and my family owns a farm that my dad rents out, around 500 acres of tillable plus 100 acres of pasture in southern OH. I really want to start farming next year and want to go about it the right way. We own an old tractor, some barns and some bins. Everything else I would have to buy used or be paying for some custom work. I have been doing tractor work on the farm for the last 6 years but have no experience farming. I enjoy working in the dirt in the garden and raising my free range chickens.

I know it wouldn't be hard on getting a loan or grant for beginning farming. I have a full-time job making over 24,000 but I just want to know if I could really make a living on 500 acres 10 years down the road. I was only going to start out on 150 acres and work my way up but don't know if that is smart to start out on just the 150 acres.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, even if it doesn't answer any of the above questions

 

[rockinmywaypa]

Would you consider raising livestock such as sheep. There is a business in Ohio run by Stan Portratz that specialises in helping shepherds raise sheep profitably, he may be real close to you so check him out at premier sheep supplies.

 

[dkhntr04]

I am starting out farming on my own as well, I am 27 and picked up the first 70 acres of my own land. I have worked on production farms since I was 11 and currently work on a 4000 acre operation. I am college educated and have another full-time professional occupation. I am not the expert, but my advise is as follows:

Farming is a lot more/different than moving dirt around with a tractor. It is a complex and risky business requiring skill and experience. Get yourself a job working on a production operation and gain some experience to decide if you even want to farm for a living. Ideally, work for someone who is willing to teach and mentor you.

Start up costs are impressive, even with old and used equipment. what you need will far exceed the cost of what you though you'd need. Inputs are expensive. You are going to need a banker unless you have deep cash reserves.

I won't go any further than that. Get some experience before deciding if it is something you want to do and if it is worth the risk.

 

[dave1949]

Many years ago, OSU, or the Ohio Ag folks that run those research stations, did a study on the optimal number of acres per working farmer. You may be able to find an update or new study on that. It would be highly dependent on the size of the equipment, which is always growing it seems.

In any case, there is a "sweet spot" for acres and equipment done by one person. You can make use of this by adjusting your acreage under tillage to your equipment budget or vice versa such that you are at an optimal level of return on your labor. It may be that 500 acres plus 100 acres hay is too much for one person unless you spend a lot on newer, large equipment, for example. I know it would have been using the methods of 40 years ago.

You may be more profitable by farming less yourself with lower capital investment and renting or share cropping the remainder. You can always tackle more yourself as time goes along.

Another consideration is how good are the acres? What average yields could you expect to achieve in your area on that ground at what input costs, and figuring backwards from that, what can you afford to invest?

Besides the technical know-how of farming, you need a realistic business plan and a tax accountant who understands farm tax issues.

You might consider keeping your day job and setting a goal of farming 40-80 acres of two or three crops using the equipment you have, to get your feet wet and work out the kinks without risking a lot upfront.

Have at it!

 

[tcreeley]

Consider specialty markets- organic vegetables, sheep, organic beef etc. Who is your competition. Find the niche they don't occupy and fill that. - Whole lot easier than going against the full size production farms- until you are ready. And then you are competing against South America. Find a specialty market.

 

[smstonypoint]

Consider specialty markets- organic vegetables, sheep, organic beef etc. Who is your competition. Find the niche they don't occupy and fill that. - Whole lot easier than going against the full size production farms- until you are ready. And then you are competing against South America. Find a specialty market.

I agree that you are going to have a tough row to hoe if you plan on producing conventional commodities (e.g., corn, soybeans, wheat, etc. ) on a small scale. Large-scale farms achieve efficiencies that you can't match. You may be able to breakeven on a small scale, but it would require off-farm employment to support family-living expenses.

Specialty crops may offer profitable alternatives but are labor- and management intensive, require access to suitable markets, and savvy marketing.

The Farm Service Agency of the USDA offers loan programs for beginning farmers -- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans.

Good luck!

Steve

 

[wolftree]

I agree with most others here, keep your day job, look for a niche specialty and build towards it slowly. Work with your land, not against it, if it is all hills, forget corn. Your niche crop or animal must be one you enjoy working with, so it does not become just another job.

Also look into sideline products or tasks that go with your chosen specialty(seed, fertilizer, artificial insemination), this will help financially plus advertise your product specialty.

Best Wishes

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

better have some (lot) money in the bank before you even think about farming

 

[wolftree]

BuckeyeBoy11,

Let your family and friends all know that you are serious about this and that you need equipment, good equipment that is cheap or free. Let them become a thousand set of eyes and ears all watching for plows, disks and wagons that their uncle no longer uses or their neighbor will sell cheaply just to get it moved. It will surprise you how willing someone will give or sell cheaply a piece of equipment to a you if they know you intend to use it and not just junk it for scrap metal.

You have driven by the farm with the John Deere 3-14 plows setting in the field, the Ford sickle bar mower is clearly visible setting in the shed and has not moved in ten years. Stop and ask about them. Even if they say no, leave your written name and telephone number on a piece of paper or business card so that a week later when they decide to say yes, they have a way to contact you. Getting business cards with your name, phone number and address may seem bold, but that is exactly what you need to be to make your dream become a reality.

Attend many farm auctions, if the International Harvester 234 mounted 2 row corn picker is selling at scrap metal price, grab it. If the spike tooth harrow gets no bids, make it yours for $5.

 

[flusher]

I was only going to start out on 150 acres and work my way up but don't know if that is smart to start out on just the 150 acres.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, even if it doesn't answer any of the above questions

My neighbor works a full time job in town and farms about 200 acres of hay (oats, beardless wheat) on non-irrigated land, which means one cutting per year in this climate (18 inches per year average rainfall). Plant in Oct, bale in May. He uses pre-owned equipment including a Stieger Super Wildcat that he uses to pull a 15-ft wide tandem disc with attached spike harrow. He also uses a 70 hp Kubota and an 80 hp Farmall for seeding and baling. Seeding is done with a large Landpride drill. He mows with a Hesston swather with a 12-ft sicklebar head. He clears the hayfield with a self-propelled NH bale stacker.

It's himself and a buddy doing the work twice a year planting and harvesting. I've never asked him about the economics. All I know is that once the bales are stacked they don't stay for long on his field, leading me to believe that he has pre-sold the harvest. This will give you an idea of the type of equipment one guy uses for an enterprise like you're considering.

Good luck.