Money in Farming?

dennisjp · #41 10/27/06, 11:10 AM

There was alot of good answers here, but as someone that is trying to put together something simular, I might add something I have learned talikng to people.
Before you buy your land, find out what crops are doing well in that area, and how long a growing season there is where you are looking.
Is there water for the plants during a dry spell?
A small creek with an earth dam can water alot of plants, but that cost money for the pump and fuel for it.
I think starting small is what I want to do, but I think you should buy a tract large enough that you could start off with 1/2 and acre and build it up to 5 or so acres as your abilities grow.
You don't want to build something you will out grow and need to start all over again, where the land is available, and you don't want to have your property devided by miles of traveling to take care of business.
That is JMHO
God Bless
Dennis

ET1 SS · #42 10/27/06, 05:19 PM

30,000 mink.

800 tonnes of manure per year.

I am impressed.

Is that all supporting the fur industry? I have thought that PETA had largely convinced much of the affluent to avoid mink.

papaw · #43 10/27/06, 06:07 PM

So, anyother ideas of what a person can do on five to ten acres to make a few extra bucks?
Say the land,house and all equipment is paid for .... $15,000 or so a year ... after taxes ??????

fin29 · #44 10/27/06, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papaw

So, anyother ideas of what a person can do on five to ten acres to make a few extra bucks?
Say the land,house and all equipment is paid for .... $15,000 or so a year ... after taxes ??????

Asparagus.

jnap31 · #45 10/28/06, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fin29

Asparagus.

Dont think that would grow to well in AL

fin29 · #46 10/28/06, 06:12 AM

LOL-no doubt!

palani · #47 10/28/06, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrglock27

If you just planted 2 cannibas plants and average 1/2 a pound per plant that would make you a couple thousand.

Not a good plan. They just nabbed a guy who set out 300 plants for later harvest. The cops said each plant would yield 1 lb of 'product' so they charged the guy with possession of 300# of pot.

It really is a good thing he wasn't planning on harvesting the seeds. He might have been charged with marketing enough volume to supply California.

Reptyle · #48 10/29/06, 01:26 AM

Interesting thread...A question I guess I had but never thought to ask...To those of you who have provided information...Much thanks!

ponyboy123 · #49 10/29/06, 05:19 AM

ET1, it is a lagre misconception that the fur industry is gone. Actually the prices we are receiving now are some of the highest in history. My small province of Nova Scotia produce about 1.6 million pelts per year to go to market, and we have had mainly 100% sales for some time now. PETA has learned that the mink industry is one of the most humane and sustainable industries involved in agriculture and have moved on to torture some other group of people.

chris30523 · #50 10/29/06, 06:36 AM

I have a question for those who grow the grass fed meats.Isn't it expensive to get set up to USDA guidlines to sell ??Or do you sell and let the buyer have the animal butchered??

ET1 SS · #51 10/29/06, 07:52 AM

Sale 'on the hoof' and have a pre-arrangement with a butcher.

Last night a lady was talking to us about buying some of our turkeys. she would buy one live, we would take it to a butcher/meat-locker, and she can pick it up from the meat locker when it is done.

The price she would pay us would include the butcher's fee, which we would pay the butcher when we drop off the animals.

fin29 · #52 10/29/06, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET1 SS

Sale 'on the hoof' and have a pre-arrangement with a butcher.

Last night a lady was talking to us about buying some of our turkeys. she would buy one live, we would take it to a butcher/meat-locker, and she can pick it up from the meat locker when it is done.

The price she would pay us would include the butcher's fee, which we would pay the butcher when we drop off the animals.

That's the secret to getting around inspection regs. as well...or so I'm told... :

:

ET1 SS · #53 10/29/06, 05:42 PM

I am still trying to picture what 30,000 mink would look like.

Does all that meat get sold to a dog food company?

mrglock27 · #54 10/29/06, 07:14 PM

ponyboy, How much do you make a year off of the mink? How much was your initial investment? Where can a person buy live mink wholesale?

ponyboy123 · #55 10/29/06, 11:32 PM

We started a large scale op here but can be started up much smaller. Our initial investment was high, around 1 million CD but on a smaller scale it could be quite affordable. Out cages cost approx $60 each, that includes building, cages and automatic watering system. If a building is available and you used watering cups the price would be greatly reduced, say 20 to 25 per cage. We use gas powered feed carts here, new one cost $25,000 and we picked up a used one for around $10,000 for a back-up. Once again you can feed by hand with smaller numbers so that cost could be posponed until numbers call for automatic feed carts. I purchased a gas powered manure cart new at a cost of $50,000 but this can be done with a rake, shovel, and wheel barrow with smaller numbers. We average here $78 USD per pelt at market and our cost is around $35 USD per pelt which includeds feed, bedding some additional labour, melatonin implants, vacination shot and assorted medications. My own labour and my wifes aren't included in that and it is quite substantial. During busy times; breeding, whelping, implanting, vacinations, and killing, we put in upwards of 10 to 12 hour days 7 days a week. But there are slow times where we can have our small staff take care of most of the operation and have some time to ourselves. It is much the same as most farming operations, if you paid your own time, profits would be much smaller. With an operation this size, it leaves me very little time to explore other farming operations, crops or other livestock.

ponyboy123 · #56 10/29/06, 11:36 PM

Oh ya, as for purchsing live mink, if you are located in Washington State, I could get you some names of British Columbia mink ranches that could help with that. Prices are similar to pelt prices for females depending on how a particular farms averages go.

mrglock27 · #57 10/30/06, 01:07 AM

ponyboy, that would be great if you could list a couple ranches, and maybe a couple websites. Thank You.

ponyboy123 · #58 10/30/06, 04:09 AM

Not many websites available on mink ranching but I'll dig up a few, same goes for the ranch names, I'll post back soon

ponyboy123 · #59 10/30/06, 04:40 AM

Try www.furcommission.com for the US fur commision.
also www.nafa.com for North Americian Fur Auctions
also the 2nd largest fur auction house in north america is located in your home state, the Seatle fur exchange. You could google that and get some info. I think it best if you get your ranch names from these sources instead of me plastering names and ranches on here, some ranches enjoy being anonamous and others really are not intrested in selling their "bloodline" just their pelts. Anything else I can help you with, just ask

Ponyboy

ET1 SS · #60 10/30/06, 06:01 PM

cool