Large acreage question

[rgood]

Our 20 acre tree farm is less than $8.00 per acre annually for property taxes.

Most farmers I know that farm for a living, have at least $1,500 acres - So, in your example 1500 acres x $8 = $12,000

 

[MossRoad]

I then realized how a farmer could be "poor" yet still be able to write a check for a hundred and fifty grand for a new piece of equipment. My little mind just can't comprehend the expenses of farming on that scale.

I, too, am kinda shocked by the costs of farming.

Around here you can still get an 80 acre parcel for about $3000 per acre. So, 80 x $3000 = $240000. Over 30 years at 6% the payments will be $1438.00 per month. You will end up paying back over $500,000.00 over those 30 years.

Average corn yield per acre in Indiana is currently around 146 bushels per acre. So, your 80 acres will yield an average of 11680 bushels. Let's say 12000 for ease of math.

Let's say you can get $3.50 a bushel (good luck with that, by the way) and that comes to $42,000.00. Subtract your $17,000.00 mortgage payment and that leaves you about $25,000.00. Subtract $50 per acre for seed (good luck with that, too) = $4000 so you now have $21,000 left. Then start throwing in fertilizer, fuel, equipment costs, insurance, taxes on the land and your equipment and a temperamental mother nature and see what you are left with.... a gamble, at best.

I couldn't stomach it!

 

[MossRoad]

Most farmers I know that farm for a living, have at least $1,500 acres - So, in your example 1500 acres x $8 = $12,000

$12,000 on land that is worth $4,500,000.00 seems like a bargain to me.

 

[two_bit_score]

Yes it is and it was twice as long before the previous owners sold half of it. Property in French Louisiana that was divided in Arpents instead of acres is all very long narrow sections.

Looking at a Tobin ownership map of property in south La. is very interesting. Especially property along the river. Some very long, narrow tracts due to the desireability of river frontage.

 

[Cat_Driver]

See this is what I'm talkin about. This is like walking into an old tome dry goods store in the 1800's with a bunch of good ole boys shootin the breeze.

What a treasure trove of information. Man you guys that do hundreds of acres maze me and like others have said I can稚 get my head around that either.

Some of you that described your 電ay in the life makes me wonder how you have the time and energy left to even post here on the site. My hats off to you boys.

I imagine you work like a dog and then one day just say, that痴 it I知 too old and tired to do any more.

Ya that trespassing thing - 16 illegals sue Arizona rancher. Rancher ordered to pay illegals $77,000

Rancher ordered to pay illegals $77,000

You know my wish would be for all the farmers to get together and price fix like they do with oil wouldn稚 that be great to have the Saudies pay $1000.00 a bushel, for crops.

Seriously I think I would not mind paying $10.00 for a loaf of brad knowing the farmers were getting their cut. It痴 disgusting that the middle man is making the money off the backs of farmers. Same goes for fishermen. I watch that show Deadly catch and those guys are all nuts and they paid a pittance for their catch, while by the tome you sit down to eat the crab it痴 $75.00.

 

[vsteel]

The difference between a farmer and rancher as far as work is concerned is when it happens. Farmers tend to have times when they need to work around the clock (planting time and harvesting time) then slower times like winter. Ranchers are always messing with the cows, but they normally don't have around the clock (calving being the exception) so the work load is spread out a little more. As far as amount of work I think its about equal.

 

[riptides]

...Sounds like unless one inherits the family farm that several million would be required as an entrance fee and severl hundred thousand for working capital until one sees any return on investment or work.

I am an example of that, and I don't have dairy cows yet....

 

[dmccarty]

According to a paper at the NC Extension office the best thing a land owner can do to limit liability is to post your land and do not let anyone in. If the land is properly posted that makes the trespass a criminal act and it is very hard for a person to sue someone for stepping in a hole while committing a crime.

I keep my land posted. I chase out known trespassers. If some asks to use the land the answer is no. Its a shame that the politicians have allowed the law to go this way but it is reality.

One of my neighbors took down some trees and was allowing a man to come in and use the logs for firewood. The guy only had one hand. The other "hand" was a hook. Very impressed he could run a chainsaw. I saw this and said no way would I let someone on our land to collect firewood. Look at the liability.

When CowBoyDoc used to frequent TBN he had two stories about land owners be sued. One was when a couple of people on horse back trespassed a friends land. A horse stumbled in hole and threw the rider who got hurt and sued. I believe the land owner "won" the law suit.

The other was where a child/teenager went to a friends house to ride a horse. The brother of the child/teenager waited until his sister got on the horse and then spooked the horse. The sister got thrown and was severly injured. The family sued the land/horse owner and won. Even though the brother caused the injury.

Its horrible to have to be so defensive about your land but its reality.

Later,
Dan

 

[jayste]

It only takes 4 miles of fence to fence in 640 acres, so not really that big of deal.

Whew! 4 more strands to go! Just ribbin' ya Duffster!

Cat driver, keep in mind most folks who farm and ranch on a big scale are born into it. They don't have to buy their land in the beginning. Some operations will consist of both deeded and leased acres of land. Like before mentioned it's a way of life and in their blood. They are "born to the land". As far as the trespassing thing my neighbor to the East has 700 acres and he lives on te East side of it. Our agreement is that I can hunt it and ride my horses on it and I keep and eye out for suspicious "goings on". I've called him numerous times and have confronted folks myself. It seems to work out pretty nice.
As far as fences go it shouldn't be an issue. Good fences and good code and ethics make good neighbors. When I went to re-fence my north side I found out that the old fence was 30' out in one corner (kids built the last one from tree to tree). This meant that the "pie" shape was to my bad. I called my neighbor to the north and dicussed the survey and I knew all along that around here he could have said too bad due to the fence line being there for so long. We came to the conclusion that the survey was agreeable (a lot of dead and partial sections around here) and I put the fence in relation to the survey. That was an example of how it ought to be. I had another situation where and 1/8 mile needed to be replaced. The elderly couple called me and offered to buy the material if I would put it up. This was another situation where neighbors where being good neighbors.

A horse stumbled in hole and threw the rider who got hurt and sued. I believe the land owner "won" the law suit.

The other was where a child/teenager went to a friends house to ride a horse. The brother of the child/teenager waited until his sister got on the horse and then spooked the horse. The sister got thrown and was severly injured. The family sued the land/horse owner and won. Even though the brother caused the injury.

This kind of conduct makes me sick. I do a lot of riding and if my horse steps in someone elses hole it's my fault! It's not even my horses fault! People need to realize horses are an accident waiting to happen. Horse wrecks are going to happen. I understand that as a land owner you're taking a big risk nowadays letting folks on your land. I apprecitate any and all folks that let me in and work my horses on their land, I tell them so. It's another example of the classic few bad eggs spoils the whole dozen! "While I'm ridin' this skunk", nothing gets in my craw faster than a sorry, dirt diggin' lawyer. I'm not saying they're all bad (here another carton of the eggs) but the sorry ones should be hung up by the eyelids and thumped in the ba$$s until they blink!!

Whew, I guess I'll get off my soap box and let someone else have it!

Jay

 

[Duffster]

Whew! 4 more strands to go! Just ribbin' ya Duffster!