|
You've got a wide spectrum of choices, both with good sides and major downsides. The first thing that I want to go over is your field sizes. Seems to me that if you're planning on also expanding your ventures, you will need at LEAST 25 to 35 foot tillage equipment. Acres per hour are vital to profit, and if you plan on running a 15 foot cultivator behind a smaller two wheel drive tractor, you're going to be spending a lot of time on just one job for 500 acres. HOWEVER, the problem with going big for the first time is the initial cost of the equipment and tooling. If you're going to buy, say for example, a john deere 8400 fwd with duals for $80,000 over the fall, that gives you about 5 months of downtime before you even plant, and another 4 or so before you can harvest. Of course, you're going to need your 30 foot cultivator, your 24 row planter, and whatever else you plan on getting. IF you do go big, you COULD wind up holding up at least a hundred thousand dollars for collateral for the operation you are starting. If you are a first time farmer... I'd hestitate to do any 400 or 500 acres and just do the 80 acres for the first 2 years or so. But keep in mind, that if you go with big equipment with only 80 acres of crop, you're going to be stressed with not finding enough income to pay for the big equipment. SO that leaves you with choices: you can either go all out and tool up for the 500 acres, or you can start off smaller for the 80 acres. Do not fart around trying to accomplish 500 acres with machinery that is too small. I have no idea on what you're thinking or what you plan on doing, but starting off small is a good way to build up your confidence and experience.
|
