Farming for profit

[adventure bob]

While not commercial or trying to make a living, I'm just looking to lower my wifes hay bills by having good pastureland.
I utilize ag techniques, vice equestrian one, because the cost per acre tends to be lower and the yields higher. The hobby farm, horse community tends to spend more money than really necessary (MHO) to get the same quality hay.

 

[kthompson]

While not commercial or trying to make a living, I'm just looking to lower my wifes hay bills by having good pastureland.
I utilize ag techniques, vice equestrian one, because the cost per acre tends to be lower and the yields higher. The hobby farm, horse community tends to spend more money than really necessary (MHO) to get the same quality hay.

Can you explain "ag techniques, vice equestrain one"?

Dadnatron: looked at some of those videos and studied two of the cow breeds you mentioned. Right interesting.

 

[adventure bob]

Perfect example would be turning over pastures and replanting every year vice effective management techniques to get great pastures. It seems that the equestrian community does not mind spending big money for things that cattle farmers would consider foolish. Also by going to commercial ag distributors you get many of the same products way cheaper than through equestrian marketing/ sales outlets.
My measure of merit is outcome per dollar per acre and I read everything I can to get there. MOst of that comes form commercial ag sites and farm literature.

 

[kthompson]

Perfect example would be turning over pastures and replanting every year vice effective management techniques to get great pastures. It seems that the equestrian community does not mind spending big money for things that cattle farmers would consider foolish. Also by going to commercial ag distributors you get many of the same products way cheaper than through equestrian marketing/ sales outlets.
My measure of merit is outcome per dollar per acre and I read everything I can to get there. MOst of that comes form commercial ag sites and farm literature.

Is that the reason I have been told to raise hay for horses and not cattles?

 

[MNBobcat]

If you don't have a lot of land but want to make a living farming you should consider growing grapes to sell to wineries. With the cold hard grapes available now you can grow grapes pretty much in any climate.

 

[adventure bob]

In CO hay for horses is about $12.50 a bale stacked.

 

[rgr33]

This might be too much info, but here is a picture of why I could cut it as a big time farmer.
When I bought my first small farm in 1972, I started out raising Holstein bull calves, which were practically free from local dairies. Eventually, I worked my way up to raising and selling angus and charolais. I considered it to be a good year if I didn't lose money, but I loved the life, and my kids learned good work ethics and other benefits by helping out on the weekends.

Eventually, I lost my free labor and now an empty nester, wanted to start traveling more. The two crops grown in my area, that give the best ROA, are blueberries and wine grapes. Blueberries pay better, and the demand is good, but need more water than I could supply. Grapes grown here, don't need extra water, and if done right, pay very well. The highest cost each year is labor, vines grow way too fast in spring and summer, and need constant pruning and vine training, and there are significant chemical costs each year.

My goal each year is to pocket 50% of the gross . That is enough for some great vacations, or a really good toy. Last years posted average price per ton in this growing area was about $2600/ton, before bonus for target yields and quality, which can add significantly to the bottom line.
I cannot make a living on this, due to the 10 acre size of my farm, but on the other hand, if disaster hit, it wouldn't cripple me either.
The bad:
Just to give an idea of near disasters I actually have had over the last few years that corrupted the profit margin
2016- long hot summer dried out the grapes, reducing tonnage by a quarter of estimated yield, and corresponding loss of profit
2012- while on vacation, deer broke through fence line and stripped 20 rows of nearly all vegetation.
2010- early bird migration brought enormous flocks down from Canada, ravenous birds ate estimated 20% of nearly ripe grapes, and damaged the entire crop. Never happened before or since.
2007- overcropped expecting good quality, rains came in early and never left, grapes didn't ripen. No bonus that year.