Farming Question

[whitie]

So I have access to about 500-800 acres of land in North Texas that I could farm or ranch ...My question is what could I farm and how much realistically could I earn. I have been seriously thinking about farming but I have no real experience in what works up here or if it is even monetarily worth it. I am open to all ideas and would happily buy a lunch or dinner to discuss with anyone that has this experience. This land would be leased. Thanks a ton in advance.

Brandon

[jimmy o]

Hay if you can irragate

[cosmiccowboy]

Do you have any equipment? Is the land dry land or irrigated?

[MexicobowHunter]

A man's gotta like what he's doing to do it well. Hard life, Farming.

[whitie]

I have minimal but I have money stashed away for purchase or lease of equipment. I have access to 3 ponds (6 acre, 2 acre and 1 acre). Other than no wells that I currently know of on the farm.

[Randy]

In todays time your better off leasing to a large operator in the area.. About the only way youll come out ahead.

[Bear82]

Is it cropland or rangeland?

I would love to find me a place that size to lease. If its cattle land, get ready to fork up some cash for cattle.

[whitie]

Love the feedback...heading into a meeting but please keep the comments coming.

[Roy D Mercer]

You have many things against you. You have no prior yeilds so you qualify for little to no insurance. Most crops you see are insured. The lack of equipment and know how are another factor. Cattle prices are at an all time high so you would have huge market risk whenever the cattle market breaks. Save your money.

[Osceola]

Have you been around farming?

[Hawkins]

In todays time your better off leasing to a large operator in the area.. About the only way youll come out ahead.

This is what I was going to say, especially if you don't have the equipment or experience. But don't let that stop you.

Or if you lease the land you could get with a farmer or rancher and either farm it on the halves or do a percentage of the cattle, but being that you are leasing it already the cattle would turn into sub leasing etc..

[trophy8]

If it has the ponds you would be better off selling duck and geese hunts. Panhandle is prime country and it would be a much smaller overhead. Or you could do both. Depends on what you pay for the lease. Farm equipment is not cheap though

[Low Fence]

Food for though:

We just figured our feed bill for the year..................$425,000.00
In todays farming beef/dairy/row crop there is an absolute ZERO room for error. With the cost of equipment and feed alone, one "oppps" on a learning experience can cost 10's of thousands.


Heck I can tear up $50K and never break a sweat








I've done it my whole life, and its about all I know. Its TOUGH out here, REAL TOUGH. IF you have a good year, my advise is save every cent because it will help balance the next 10 bad ones.

[500mag]

I would plant hay. If this next summer is anything like the last summer then hay will be worth a good amount. Even if it's the lowest quality hay.

[flywise]

PM idiancreek. He is a full time farmer and I'm sure he could give you some good advice