starting farming soybeans?

olliekid · Apr 25, 2011

hey my neighbor has too much hay and is fed up with his one five acre field and he also has another 15 acre field that has set vacant for about five years. I live on a hay farm and we do some wheat as well but we basically only do hay.

heres where my questions start. could i spray it this spring than plow and disk it up and drill soybeans. I have my own tractor and can use my dads plow, disk, and drill. I have a buddy that could combine it for me pretty cheap. How many pounds of beans to the acre? and with buying spray, soybeans, diesel fuel, paying for it to be combined, am i going to make a profit?

I would really like to get some more experience although i worked on a 2000 acre farm a couple summers ago so if it is profitable i would like to do it.

-thanks ahead of time for the responses

JMS/.MN · Apr 25, 2011

Normal rate for beans using a corn planter is about a bushel per acre. With a grain drill, figure up to 1 1/2 times that. Pull a harrow, like a coil tine harrow behind to get better cover- grain drills do not have the depth control that a corn planter does. Plant shallow, ok to see occasional beans on the surface- harrow should cover. Get a soil test ASAP to see what fert you need. Profit should be good at currently expected prices.

sdc eastern ia. · Apr 25, 2011

Burn it down with a glysophate then drill into the stubble. Will need about 64 oz of 4 pound and I'd use 48 to 50 of 5 pound. If you really neeed to use a 24D use a low vol ester not amine and wait 10 days to drill.

Super Steve · Apr 25, 2011

this is exactly what i did last year with 10acres, except i sprayed and plowed in the fall. i made more money then i expected to make, but i didnt get rich either.

BUT!!!!!,,, if you start figuring in land rent if hes going to charge you for it, that will very quickly eat into your profit

gregger · Apr 25, 2011

around here in IL we bale it then plant RR beans let it green up then spary it with roundup and you should be good to go -- if some weeds do grow back might have to hit it with roundup again -- alot cheaper then doing tillage cus u still need to spray it

Anonymous-0 · Apr 25, 2011

If far enough south consider the previous advice to make the hay, then spray and no-till. Could also plow/till/plant after haying but might be late enough that you can't afford to lose the moisture. Many new beans are being sold like corn with a set number of seeds per "bushel". The stuff I bought is 140,000/bushel. About 140,000/acre from what I've read seems to be a reasonable "sweet spot". However considerably fewer viable plants/acre are needed to get 100% yield. Around 100,000 is generally quoted. The higher seeding rate is insurance and if you feel lucky lower it. If usually very unlucky raise it.

olliekid · Apr 25, 2011

he didnt cut the hay last year so doing the hay this year isnt an option. if it was id gladly do that. and i was thinking id plow it, disk it, then use the spring tooth and culleypacker. then drill it. i would rather not plow but i dont have a chisel plow.

olliekid · Apr 25, 2011

im going to ask the guy who combines for us what he usually drills to the acre. i am in NE Ohio. once i find out how much the beans will cost to drill i will add up all my costs and see if ill make a profit.

Leroy · Apr 26, 2011

Why did he not cut? was the field ran over too much destroying the hay or did they make big ruts? If grass is good type and field not too rough just bush hog it off and should go down enough by haying time will not be a problem, if too much for that rake and burn. The burn spots will not be a problem and those spots will come back nicer than before the burn.

olliekid · Apr 26, 2011

he already had a barn full of hay and i guess he just didnt want to do it. idk if it were me i wouldve made the hay last year. i do most of his hay anyway. he said hes only doing hay a couple more years anyways. so maybe ill have a couple more fields. =)

starting farming soybeans?

olliekid

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JMS/.MN

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sdc eastern ia.

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Super Steve

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gregger

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Anonymous-0

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olliekid

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olliekid

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Leroy

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olliekid

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