- Thread starter Hound
- Start date
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
If I where to start over. Anyplace other then New Jersey.
greenbeanman in Kansas
Well-known Member
I think it all depends upon the crops you wish to grow. Vegetables, small grains, corn, etc. which also often go hand in hand with livestock.
One should balance rainfall with cost of land, i.e. a lower rainfall area such as western Kansas has fairly cheap land, but you are limited as to yields, stocking rate of pastures, etc.
To me selecting an area would be based on weather, soils, and especially water availability. Neither real hot nor cold, and I would also look at past records to determine storms for an area. Doesn't do much good to grow a high yielding crop if it gets hailed out 3 or 5 years or ones buildings are apt to get damaged by strong winds or tornadoes.
One should balance rainfall with cost of land, i.e. a lower rainfall area such as western Kansas has fairly cheap land, but you are limited as to yields, stocking rate of pastures, etc.
To me selecting an area would be based on weather, soils, and especially water availability. Neither real hot nor cold, and I would also look at past records to determine storms for an area. Doesn't do much good to grow a high yielding crop if it gets hailed out 3 or 5 years or ones buildings are apt to get damaged by strong winds or tornadoes.
Tony in Mass.
Well-known Member
Replace your 3 question marks with 'water'. Cost per acre is wierd, nice land a hour from New York City can be cheaper than some western desert 'developement'.
The post about Carolinas is a good one. People on the coast sold expensive land to yankees, took the money to New Mexico, to 'invest'. Now there is just plain "no agua senior". Their money would have been better invested in sleepy parts of the Carolinas, a couple hours form where they were, it don't get to 15 below- and it rains there.
Temps can be endless 100's on the Canadian border, and endless zero nights on the Mexican border.
Let's say town water in Mass is peanuts, collect rain too? so no worries. Heating degree days into 8000? Sucks. But heating a couple houses here is cheaper than the water bill in the west, add to that the electric bill for AC needed there. Taxes come and go with the local or state politics, but water is what makes green stuff grow, keeps livestock alive, washes dishes, flushes toilets, etc etc...
The post about Carolinas is a good one. People on the coast sold expensive land to yankees, took the money to New Mexico, to 'invest'. Now there is just plain "no agua senior". Their money would have been better invested in sleepy parts of the Carolinas, a couple hours form where they were, it don't get to 15 below- and it rains there.
Temps can be endless 100's on the Canadian border, and endless zero nights on the Mexican border.
Let's say town water in Mass is peanuts, collect rain too? so no worries. Heating degree days into 8000? Sucks. But heating a couple houses here is cheaper than the water bill in the west, add to that the electric bill for AC needed there. Taxes come and go with the local or state politics, but water is what makes green stuff grow, keeps livestock alive, washes dishes, flushes toilets, etc etc...
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
As for cost of living and climate and taxes I would have to say Missouri but I also live in Missouri. I have lived in at least 7 other states also but have found Missouri the cheapest to live in but also the pay here is not as good as in other places
Personally I like where I am in central Kentucky. But, its what I know and am used to. To me the real considerations are what you like to do as far as farming and then water and land values. Do you want to rent or own your land? Then there's a host of lifestyle considerations.
You can go to southern and western Kentucky and get cheaper land. In fact I've got some land out there right now I'd love to sell you, reasonable. Culturally, its too conservative and too religious for me to want to live there and my business is really based on marketing a product, not production. I need to be closer to a higher density of people who have horses and money and not as many farmers.
If you are starting out I've always said unless youve got some money behind you you need to look at dairy. Thats really the only successful start ups I've seen that dont have significant financial backing from someone other than the bank for the last decade.
You can go to southern and western Kentucky and get cheaper land. In fact I've got some land out there right now I'd love to sell you, reasonable. Culturally, its too conservative and too religious for me to want to live there and my business is really based on marketing a product, not production. I need to be closer to a higher density of people who have horses and money and not as many farmers.
If you are starting out I've always said unless youve got some money behind you you need to look at dairy. Thats really the only successful start ups I've seen that dont have significant financial backing from someone other than the bank for the last decade.
I think you could do it with crops, as well, if you found about 500+ acres to rent, then get an IH 806 or equivalent for about 8 grand and plan to just live on that sucker for about 4 months of the year.
Lots of vacant dairy farms around available for lease. But that's the problem- there's many available because so many guys have gone broke on them. Been watching dairy for 40 years- its a varaiation on the old saying- Fish today, feathers tomorrow. . . and the day after, and so on. Still waiting for it to get permanently profitable- probably never happen.
Lots of vacant dairy farms around available for lease. But that's the problem- there's many available because so many guys have gone broke on them. Been watching dairy for 40 years- its a varaiation on the old saying- Fish today, feathers tomorrow. . . and the day after, and so on. Still waiting for it to get permanently profitable- probably never happen.
Are you ready to get 2-3% percent return on your investment???? Then you will need $500,000 to start with and that will not buy you much land. Maybe a home base. The valves of everything have gotten crazy. I would not recommend trying to start farming to raise a family on WITHOUT a good off farm job.
That being said. We don"t know what type of weather you like. My self I can"t stand the heat and cold does not bother me. So Iowa, MN, or WI are fine for me but many would not like the cold winters. You would need to figure out what you like to do first. Just saying farming is too broad a statement.
Row crop grain production is NOT a good place to start, capital costs are very high. A dairy like one stated is not a good way either now. They have only made money a few months in the last several years. IF you want to start and like livestock than you could leverage your labor up doing that. Start out raising bottle calves and selling them as feeder calves works if you are around dairies to get calves. Hogs are out as they are a high volume low profit per animal. Chickens can work if integrated with a produce around a major urban area. Problems there is that there already people doing it.
The real truth is that unless you are born on a farm and have help to get started then you are more than likely just going to be able to be a weekend warrior. I have had to work one or two side jobs to make my farm work. My sons can"t make a living by farming. So they work evening and weekend to feed thier farming bug.
That being said. We don"t know what type of weather you like. My self I can"t stand the heat and cold does not bother me. So Iowa, MN, or WI are fine for me but many would not like the cold winters. You would need to figure out what you like to do first. Just saying farming is too broad a statement.
Row crop grain production is NOT a good place to start, capital costs are very high. A dairy like one stated is not a good way either now. They have only made money a few months in the last several years. IF you want to start and like livestock than you could leverage your labor up doing that. Start out raising bottle calves and selling them as feeder calves works if you are around dairies to get calves. Hogs are out as they are a high volume low profit per animal. Chickens can work if integrated with a produce around a major urban area. Problems there is that there already people doing it.
The real truth is that unless you are born on a farm and have help to get started then you are more than likely just going to be able to be a weekend warrior. I have had to work one or two side jobs to make my farm work. My sons can"t make a living by farming. So they work evening and weekend to feed thier farming bug.
Some interesting points. A bit more info to start with. I do own a farm now. When I was younger, I raised just about every kind of livestock. As posted quite a bit below, realized that wasn't going to get me anywhere. So I went and got some schooling and work experience and have a decent job and could pretty much work anywhere to some degree.
So for livestock and hay sales and closeness to an urban center would rate high. Cost as well. And as posted below water access would be high as well.
What would roughly 200 acres with decent buildings on it cost in your guys areas?
Thanks
So for livestock and hay sales and closeness to an urban center would rate high. Cost as well. And as posted below water access would be high as well.
What would roughly 200 acres with decent buildings on it cost in your guys areas?
Thanks
The number of farmers won't be getting smaller due to lack of desire for sure. Even the farm financial experts concede that "up by the boot straps" is just about gone as an approach. Things are cyclical, however, so we may see in our lifetime (those age 50 and under) a period of adjustment in land prices that will allow newcomers in. What may prompt this? Multiple years of down consumption and/or exports. Federal Government may tax the wealth out of BTO's as part of coming to grips with the deficit. Before anybody jumps down my throat I am not advocating it but see it as a possibility. Future Federal policy may be to reduce the number of BTO's or eliminate them altogether.
I'd say that farming as a way to make a living is pretty much off limits unless you marry it or inherit it. If that was the case, you would not be asking that question here. As a lifestyle choice, it really depends on where you can make a living doing something else. And of course, where you want to live.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Over a million dollars.
The best way to learn to farm is from your grandfather, if your great-grandfather is not available. As to where, the two keys to successful farming is water and markets. Everything else can be modified or worked around.
If you already own a farm and are comfortable with it, just get going where you are. Making a living doing it will depend on a whole lot of factors. You will need to adjust your expectations. There are two things you can spend money on, things that make you money and things that don't. You will have to trim the second category to the bone and put every waking hour into the second category. Also, all the members of your family will have to be onboard. You will have to make a lot of sacrifices, and so will they. You need to be convinced that it is worth it.
As far as exact geographic location, I kind of like the Ozarks. True, lots of rocks, but a very well balanced climate and soil otherwise. Furthermore, we are rather a bit behind the rest of the nation on intrusive government regulations.
Christopher
If you already own a farm and are comfortable with it, just get going where you are. Making a living doing it will depend on a whole lot of factors. You will need to adjust your expectations. There are two things you can spend money on, things that make you money and things that don't. You will have to trim the second category to the bone and put every waking hour into the second category. Also, all the members of your family will have to be onboard. You will have to make a lot of sacrifices, and so will they. You need to be convinced that it is worth it.
As far as exact geographic location, I kind of like the Ozarks. True, lots of rocks, but a very well balanced climate and soil otherwise. Furthermore, we are rather a bit behind the rest of the nation on intrusive government regulations.
Christopher
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
here in central ky land is still fairly cheap and good acess to urban areas---plus a lot of older farmers want to retire and let some young person take over
Gary from Muleshoe
Well-known Member
Facebook
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
any where that water falls out of teh sky and you dont have to irrigate
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Australia,
and the winters can be a slightly rough.
showcrop
Well-known Member
There is an area in way upstate NY, in the St Lawrence river valley, where there is lots of water, few weather extremes except snow and cold in winter, the soil is excellent, and the best markets in the world are just a few hours away. The largest town in the area is Gouveneur. Ten years ago people were walking away from their property due to lack of jobs.
Similar threads
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.
Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy