OT Make a living on 33 acres???

Jim in iowa · Jun 21, 2009

Hi, this may sound crazy to some but is it possible to really make a living farming such a small bit of ground? I have 20 acres in alfalfa which i seeded this spring. All my equip. is antiquated but paid for. Farming is what i have always wanted to do but all of my buddies who are farmers have 800 plus acres of ground, and think that it cant be done. Any ideas on what could be done? What would you do in my shoes? Anyone out there doing it?

Jim@concordfarms. · Jun 21, 2009

I think that if you wanted to go into what everyone else ISN'T growing, you'd have a chance. Vegetables, free range meat and eggs, fruit, etc. Lots of potential for profit, but a lot of work. The old niche market theory. And the chances for success will only improve in the coming years with the increasing backlash against factory farming. Jim.

thurlow · Jun 21, 2009

Retail fruits/vegetables, especially if you're near a population center with enough folks interested in organic or pick-your-own.

greenbeanman in Kansas · Jun 21, 2009

What kind of living, i.e. income do you need to live on? What kind of lifestyle, a very very frugal one or a more affluent one?

Take that figure and divide it by the number of acres to see how much each acre has to return per year.

I think a frugal lifestyle could be maintained if one were to work a very labor intensive operation. Since you live in Iowa and have a relatively long growing season a market garden operation with some hoop houses for season extension should do well for you. Might not even be a frugal income depending upon how good of a manager you are and how your weather is and market availability.

Metro Kansas City has some buyers there for vegetables but I'm not sure if they buy just organically grown ones or not. Live close enough to tap into that market a few times per week or month?

Walterdavies · Jun 21, 2009

My aunt and Uncle Walter and Wanda Vincent make a very good living on 5, 10 and 20 acres parcels. What they grew they sold at retail prices at the Farmers market.

You must be versital and grow enough different things to sell all summer and some in the winter.

I have 37 acres and I do pretty good just playing around on it. Now my Friend Victor is adding Xmas trees and Blue berries and a small garden plus the cattle we have.
Start out small and work doing your farming on the weekends and after work build up as you go.
Walt

Anonymous-0 · Jun 21, 2009

If you live close to a population center 33 acres is plenty of land for a farmers market or a stand. But growing field crops ie. corn, hay , beans wont get you far on small acreage

Anonymous-0 · Jun 21, 2009

There is a book about making lots of money on an acre. Its been around since the 1970s. Basically it prescribes truck farming (vegetables) with subscribed customers.

Gerald J.

IndianaRed · Jun 21, 2009

Grapes would do it. Many new vineyards and wineries all through the Midwest, including Iowa. One of the highest value per acre crops there is, but very labor intensive and sensitive to weather extremes. I've read averages of $3,000/acre are common, with some as high as $6,000 in a perfect year. Takes years to estabish, and quite a bit of an initial investment.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 21, 2009

You might do it with vegetables and fruit.I did radio and tv work plus wood working.Just barely got by though.You will have to sell all you produce at retail.

kyplowboy · Jun 21, 2009

There are alot of folks around here that make a great live'n off 10 acres. 12 years ago that is how much ground Hudson said you had to have to put up 8 broiler houses. If you had 10 acres free and clear you could get a loan for $1,200,000 to put up 8 houses. Make a little money the first 10 years while you are make'n payments. They paid off the 1.2 with intrest in 10 years, that works out to some good money when they are paid off. (Plus, now they can sell their litter for around $15 in the house if they don't need it them selves!)

Dave

Paul Janke · Jun 21, 2009

Probably the highest return would be on illegal crops. Probably the poorest choice, too.

Pair-a-dice farms · Jun 21, 2009

That will work but 8 houses will cost closer to 2 million plus the cost of driveways and wells. I had a bid for 2 more houses last year for $250000 each (50x500). I backed out. Building materials have come down a little since then so it may be a little lower.

kyplowboy · Jun 21, 2009

I agree. While the houses here are not quiet that big, new constuction houses here have a hard time cash flow'n right now. The only new construction is some of the minonites. 6 houses, huge home, several buildings, big lake, transport tank, and 30 acres sold about 2 miles from my house about 6 weeks ago for 1.15. These won't bring near that because the house ain't near as nice and there's only 4 houses.

Dave
only way to get in chicken buisness now

Anonymous-0 · Jun 21, 2009

I have a cousin in Montana who has made a decent living for about 20 years growing hydroponic tomatoes in greenhouses. I doubt that he has 5 acres total, but his greenhouses do not cover nearly all of that.

He works hard at it though, doing most of the labor himself. His tomatoes are very popular, as they are vine ripened and higher quality than any that are hauled in from down South, and he sells all he can grow.

The operation has grown from one small greenhouse to enough to make a good living. But super quality is what has made the business--most customers my cousin has have bought from him for years.

Finding a niche market for something is the key. If you try to grow something that lots of other people are growing, it is a lot harder to find customers. If you are the only one growing that crop, it might be possible to do well, or even fairly easy. Good luck!

GeneMO · Jun 22, 2009

I would guess you will need a good off farm job for at least 5 years while you are get something established.

Then have the wife with a good off farm job that provides health ins. Course she has to go along with this whole lifestyle.

Then you could probably make something work.

John B. · Jun 22, 2009

Use your acreage to grow vegetables and be a truck patch farmer. Grow vegetables that you will get multiple crops off of like, black berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans, okra and so on. Sweetcorn and potatoes you only get one crop off of and it ties up your ground long enough that when it's harvested you can't plant any thing else in its place.

Just talking from experience. Good Luck and enjoy what you love.

greygoat · Jun 22, 2009

My Amish friend does fine on 40 acres. Has
certified organic gardens,and greenhouses, sells
to the local hippie food co-op. Raises many acres
of organic squash, that goe's to a wholesaler in
Minneapolis. Has 2 work horses, a buggy horse,
a milk cow, a beef cow, and chickens. He has
running water in his house, from a gravity tank
upstairs, and flush toilet. The house is spotless
and their 7 kids are beautiful and smart. His wife
makes the best Jam and bakes the best bread in the
State of Wisconsin. A 7 year old Daughter can
bake bread, and sew clothing, and help quilting.
I ENVEY HIM AND HIS FAMILY. And NO couch potato
TV, or Cell phone, or boom boxes, or video games.
The Kids READ BOOKS, lots of them, and the Mom
and Dad read to them, and bow their heads in
prayer before meals, and go to church. I feel
that much has been lost, in our fast paced society

Goose · Jun 22, 2009

I heard of a guy getting a contract for onions from a local McDonalds and making a decent living off of several acres of onions.

It's pretty labor intensive, though.

OT Make a living on 33 acres???

Jim in iowa

New User

Jim@concordfarms.

Member

thurlow

Well-known Member

greenbeanman in Kansas

Well-known Member

Walterdavies

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

IndianaRed

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

kyplowboy

Well-known Member

Paul Janke

Member

Pair-a-dice farms

Member

kyplowboy

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

GeneMO

Well-known Member

John B.

Well-known Member

greygoat

Well-known Member

Goose

Well-known Member

Similar threads