When starting a farm...

[FarmersDigest]

Well, you ask for help around here, and you get a deluge!

lol yes indeed, and man am I forever grateful for it!

 

[FarmersDigest]

I just did a quick search and their is a fair amount of information available on the Oregon Department of Agricultural website, with a lot of information broken down by county. Also, along the lines of what someone else said, weather and soil will dictate your options. The state website also has agricultural maps that give some of that type of information too.

Isn't eastern Oregon fairly dry? I was looking at some of those maps and areas there are listed as "arid" and "semi arid". You would need to know that for sure and if irrigation is required and available water source.

All of this information would also dictate the fair price for the land.

We looked there too and it gave some info. that helped us. The people that live there now are doing alfalfa now, so I know we can do that. He also has all the water rights in that area including a part of the river that is across the road

 

[BrownSheep]

Ok, I was just about to mention water rights. Glad to know they come with the place.

 

[FarmersDigest]

Ok, I was just about to mention water rights. Glad to know they come with the place.

Yes, that was one of the first thing's he told us, just when DH thought about asking.

 

[greybeard]

What, comes "with" the farm?
The angus?
Horses?
Hay fields and equipment to do something with the alfalfa?

If you are going to get into 400 acres for cattle, you do realize, that the buy in for a producing herd right now is going to be very expensive--right?
Just using a generic 2.5 acres per cow/calf pair, 400 acres could (managed correctly) conceivably carry 150 pairs. At today's prices, just off the top of my head, that's about $1500/pair X 150 pairs=$250,000. Add to that, the cost of AI and or a bull--at least 2 good bulls if you aren't going to AI--a good bull will run somewhere north of $3500.
Now, you hypothetically have a herd--you also have to feed it and take care of it--and produce offspring from it to sell. Feed grain, medicine, vet bills, transportation, tractor to move hay, trailers to transport livestock, fence upkeep, cattle handling facility..it all costs $$$$$$$$.

But, you need to figure your hay own needs as well, in addition to how much hay you want to produce as a salable product, and how much of the acreage you want to use for pasture and how much for your own winter needs. Is there a market there for your hay--or is the market saturated already? You need to talk to a lot of people--in that area, that are already operating a farm of this size.

 

[FarmersDigest]

3 horses, but only 1 that is ride able. Yup, all the angus. DH thinks there was about 100 or so head of cattle. Yup all the hay equipment as well! He told us that the place is turn key operation. The one thing that we HAVE to build, is the processing plant, and then get it usda inspected. We have it planned, that the alfalfa he has now would feed the cattle, and that we would need to add another 100 acres of alfalfa for selling. He already has the pastures split of for the cattle. The horses have their own corral. Oh and we would have to build a shelter for the alfalfa. He already has a barn, but with us wanting to do more than what he does now, we would need a place for all we want to sell. He sells to the auction that's near by. He also sells to his neighbors. He has 4 bulls as of right now. DH has already been thinking about he can make it more efficient. I have been thinking what all I can do to help with income. Pretty sure I'll have to work off the farm for a year or too. But I'm willing to do it for our dream! We know what we are looking at isn't going to be cheap, but DH, the farmer, and I really think with my DH's skills, we can make it! The closest butcher is 1-1 1/2 away.

 

[Bossroo]

You are giving information regarding the 400 acres in bits and pieces, so the information / advice may or may not be of much value. My 19.5 acre ranch in central Cal.high desert has a carrying capacity of 2.5 acres / cow since my well produces 152 gals. from a depth of 29 ft. , while just 2 miles away one is lucky to get 5 gals. from 200- 300 ft. down and IF the water doesn't have salt in it. Carrying capacity could be as low as 1 cow per 50 acres with drinking water hauled in. All this from a geologic sheer of the soils strata. Our neighbor 1 mile in the opposite direction has several water wells for drinking water for the cows only . He owns 5,000 acres of hilly dry pasture that produces green grass from Dec to April of the rainy season and dry the rest of the year so he has to bring in 15 truck + trailer loads of alfalfa to carry his herd of 175 cows + calves.You mentioned that water rights go with the property. How much water to irrigate how many usable crop acres and what is the tonnage yield from how many cuttings of the alfalfa ( any facilities for it's storage ?) , and how much land is dry high desert range land will determine the carrying capacity of cattle and / or sheep.

 

[FarmersDigest]

Yeah, and I'm sorry for that. Like I said this month on the 17th we have a meeting with the husband/wife team to talk more details! Then we will get to see what will and will not happen! He has a gravity fed watering system for the cows. It is fed from a pond. We will be hopefully getting to find out all that valuable info on the 17th. Yes, he has a barn that he stores it in now, but like I said earlier, we will have to build another storage barn for how much we want to sell. Thank you for your time, and so sorry I don't have all the info just yet!

 

[norseofcourse]

Just some random thoughts - a turnkey operation sounds great, but a place that big is a lot of work. Countless details. Can you or your DH do the equipment maintenance and repair yourselves or hire it out - to someone who will come to you, or will you have to find a way to get the equipment to them? Fixing fence, keeping the water supply lines and troughs in good order and cleaned, barn maintenance - stuff always breaks around a farm.

Doctoring the animals - everything from breeding safely (for you and the animals), to vaccinations of the pregnant cows at the right time, watching for the births and knowing what you can handle and when to call the vet (plan on sleepless nights), shots for the calves, bottle feeding some of them if the mom doesn't make it (and what do you do with dead stock - bury it on your property or have someone come get it?), castrating, tagging, weaning, marketing, selling, separating into groups to prepare for selling, processing, breeding.

Check into insurance, for the farm and yourselves. If Heaven forbid you or DH gets injured (and there's lots of ways to do that on a farm), you may need to hire someone in to help.

It's exciting, but it's a lot of work, and this is just from someone who has 6 acres, not a 'real' farm. Go into it with your eyes wide open, and realize that it *will* be a lot more work, and cost more money, than you ever thought. If you love it and can make it work, it will be worth it though.

 

[FarmersDigest]

Just some random thoughts - a turnkey operation sounds great, but a place that big is a lot of work. Countless details. Can you or your DH do the equipment maintenance and repair yourselves or hire it out - to someone who will come to you, or will you have to find a way to get the equipment to them? Fixing fence, keeping the water supply lines and troughs in good order and cleaned, barn maintenance - stuff always breaks around a farm.

Doctoring the animals - everything from breeding safely (for you and the animals), to vaccinations of the pregnant cows at the right time, watching for the births and knowing what you can handle and when to call the vet (plan on sleepless nights), shots for the calves, bottle feeding some of them if the mom doesn't make it (and what do you do with dead stock - bury it on your property or have someone come get it?), castrating, tagging, weaning, marketing, selling, separating into groups to prepare for selling, processing, breeding.

Check into insurance, for the farm and yourselves. If Heaven forbid you or DH gets injured (and there's lots of ways to do that on a farm), you may need to hire someone in to help.

It's exciting, but it's a lot of work, and this is just from someone who has 6 acres, not a 'real' farm. Go into it with your eyes wide open, and realize that it *will* be a lot more work, and cost more money, than you ever thought. If you love it and can make it work, it will be worth it though.

We know it's a lot of work, and money. That's why we have already had many sleepless nights. We find ourselves asking and thinking, are we really thinking this through. Should we really be doing this? It's beyond scary for us. My parents have 40 acres, I know it's nothing compared to what we are looking at, but we help them all the time. Which includes staying up there for a weekend while they are gone. Again, I know it's not the scale that we would be looking at and it's just for a weekend. But at least we have some idea.

Dh is a quick learner, and thank God he doesn't have one of those attitudes of I know everything and I don't need to ask anyone for help. I am one of those wives that he can ask for help and I'll do what he asks. Again, not saying we know all and we can do anything and everything. We have a lot to learn. A LOT!

Thank you for talking to us about the insurance as well. Dh told me that if he ever were to get hurt, he'd hire someone. He doesn't want me having to do that all on my own. He's very protective of me that way. At times, it can be a little frustrating. Eyes, and ears are very wide open. After we go on the 17th, my Dh wants to take my Daddy there, and have him see the place. He values my Dad's opinion, which makes me smile and means so much. Not saying my Dad knows everything either, just someone that we trust, and my Dad is not one to sugar coat thing's either. He's one that tells you how it is!

This morning my stomach hurts because of all the info we have been looking at. Just because I stress about the unknown and the new. Dh has said numerous times, if I fail, I'd never be able to forgive myself. You and the kids mean everything to me. I can't fail. I know he will do everything ha can to make sure this works. I am willing to work off the farm. But again, it all comes down to the 17th. Thank you for taking your time out to write.