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Yes, row crops (corn/beans alternating years). No irrigation - we get good rainfall here. Cropped in 2023. Yes, we are going to hire out the seed drilling and fertilizing of all 150 acres. It is definitely an absence/lack of skill at the moment - but I will learn as we go. Our business plan...

Great advice here. We have a full 5 year business plan. First year of profit is 2025, but that profit doesn't factor in the mortgage payment. Should be in the green and cover about 75% of the mortgage payment by year 2. Break even on the mortgage payment is year 4. But we were also conservative...

I haven't been able to find someone who was even remotely affordable. Closest quote was $30k for the entrance, 1/2 mile driveway, and leveling/grading the barn site. Included installation of 2 culverts. Didn't include cost of gravel or culverts - that was on me. (For reference, the second quote...

Was planning on two culverts and some small ditches along the edge of the drive for water management. This is going to be a learning experience. We are going to have a lot of construction traffic getting the barn built, so I will likely have to repair some stuff on the drive as this happens or...

Going to partner with a friend for the first season (or two). He is going to teach me the ropes. He sells bales "as they sit" in the field the first day or two - and the remainder are picked by hand (day laborers). Again, referring to an expert to get this done for the first year or two.

I may have a lot of strikes against me. I'll post a road - or a lack thereof - in a few weeks as a follow up! Going to be using a dozer for the road based on the advice here. Rent it - and if I can't figure it out, I'll hire an operator.

1. Yep - we are going to seed 100 acres (hiring this out) and get the hay production started this fall. I'm installing paddocks on the other 50 acres this fall as well. Those are the major income producing parts of the operation. 2. Great condition. About 149 usable acres right now as it sits...

Great advice. 1. I have, but very limited use. I am very much a beginner. 2. All I need to get done right away is to cut an access through the wooded area. 50 ft - and I have access. The rest of the road can come in more than 2 weeks time. 3. Yep - we have that set up and ready to go (have...

Thank you for the suggestions. I think I have been convinced (by you and all of the others) that a tractor is the right choice. Cabbed is out of my budget, but I am shooting for 70 hp+ with a self leveling loader. Lower hours, good maintenance, newer, and no dpf if possible.

All wooded - literally only access is through the neighbor's front yard. Hard to even walk through the wooded road frontage because of the briars, etc. Good suggestion on the self leveling loader. Yes, horses. Our clients hate electric fencing. We have a friend who has it - she struggles to...

Midwest. Soil on the farm is very high quality - mostly Maury and McAfee silt. The plan is to skim off the top 4-6'' and grade it so that the driveway will be predominately flat (side to side). Will put down driveway fabric before the gravel goes down. I talked with a neighbor who installed...

Agreed. While I would love to hire these things out - they would get done faster and likely better - I just can't do that for everything. Was quoted $30k to do the entrance, drive, and level the barn site. And that is $30k was dirt work, plus $20k for the gravel. I can't fit that into the...

This is a side-hustle. Kind of a dream that we are trying to make reality. I work a full time job, so will do this as my other full time job. I can work 120 hours a week, right? :D We are going to put paddocks on 50 acres (this will take a loooong time to complete) and hay on the other 100. I...

Yep. Priced the barn build out. Building it into our loan to make sure we have enough cash on hand to do everything else. Driveway gravel is going to be just shy of $20k (quoted from local quarry - includes tailgating the gravel). The two culverts I need are $1k each (already sourced). And...

A 2010 model year. Not the model 2010 JD. It is a 2010 year JD 5080 with a loader priced at $31k.

Buying a tractor and just renting a dozer was another option I had considered. How many hours do you think it would take to clear the entrance (50 wooded ft), grade a drive (1/2 mile), and grade a barn site (about a 60x120 pad - 3' high on one corner, 2' high on another corner - so not a...

Great advice - thank you. We only need 2 permits. 1 for the main electric hookup - and 1 for the septic. This county made all ag buildings permit exempt to promote farm growth. We are about 10 minutes from a major metro - so this land will be worth an obscene amount of money 30 years from now...

The last year crops were grown on it was 2 years ago. It was mowed in Jan/Feb sometime and is currently leftover soybeans and weeds. The owner passed - and he was the one who farmed it - and the estate is selling it. No equipment available (apparently already sold - I asked). Current access...

We are going to be growing specialty hay on about 100 acres and migrate our boarding business to the other 50 acres on this farm. We have established clients - we just need to get the barn built and the paddocks fenced before we can move the business.

Not looking to argue whether we can afford it or not. We are building a barn with an apartment - and the bank was willing to finance us for more than double what we are financing. The "can't afford it" is in terms of liquid cash on hand. The bank will finance equipment and structures, but not...

Thank you! And yes, I am asking what "you" would do - this is exactly what I was looking for, so seriously - thank you!

Absolutely. This was what I was kind of thinking I should do.

While I would love to hire out the first 3 jobs, we are stretching our budget to make this farm purchase possible. All of these jobs are going to need to be done with cash on hand - the barn build will be financed. And with the down payment for the farm and expected expenses, I simply can't...

I need help figuring out what to buy! Please tell me what YOU would do! And how YOU would approach this project. We just bought a 150 acre farm (all crop land). All of it is rolling hills - nothing terribly steep, but not flat either. In the next year or so, I need to: 1. Cut and grade an...