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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:02 am
by smigelski
3 things I have learned from farming. These are 3 major things, but I have learned alot more. 1st if an old timer tells you something he is right. I have learned that the hard way more then once. 2 Hay is a hard and expensive business. If you are only doing a couple of acres it is not worth owning the equipment. Hay equipment only brakes down at the wrong time and there is never a cheap repair. I do 150 acres of hay on my own and I do custom work for 2 other people who only have 3 acres each. I had a used square baler and I found out the less I used it the more it broke. Hay equipment doesn't like to sit and it doesn't like being abused. It likes everyday use and maintance. (I know where your comeing from with the price of hay, but when you see what it takesand the cost to keep moving you would say wow not worth it to me) 3rd is the vegetable stand. Everyone loves fresh vegtables but won't stop or pay a fair price. I end up buy a soda and slim jim with the money I make and give the rest away before it goes bad. However an acre of pumpkins could buy you another cub. People pay more for pumkins and straw then food. It is simple logic most people will complain about food going up in price, but will pay 10 times the value of a decoration or hobby. This is why there are so many nurseries. people buy flowersand never price shop or complain about the price. raise milk 50cent a gallon and you could start a war.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:41 am
by Jim Becker
smigelski wrote:I had a used square baler and I found out the less I used it the more it broke. Hay equipment doesn't like to sit and it doesn't like being abused.
I have to second these coments. Balers especially don't seem to like rust. We had an old baler back on Dad's farm that always gave more trouble in the first field than it did for the rest of the season. In fact, it missed more knots early each day than it did later in the day. I'm sure that the tiny bit of rust that would form overnight had to be polished back off before it ran right.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:47 am
by Lance Leitzel
I agree with smigelski. I've made more friends growing pumpkins than corn. :lol: Of course, they grew even in the drought we had this year.

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:59 am
by Jack fowler
Deleted

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:20 am
by John *.?-!.* cub owner
Jim Becker wrote:
smigelski wrote:I had a used square baler and I found out the less I used it the more it broke. Hay equipment doesn't like to sit and it doesn't like being abused.
I have to second these coments. Balers especially don't seem to like rust. We had an old baler back on Dad's farm that always gave more trouble in the first field than it did for the rest of the season. In fact, it missed more knots early each day than it did later in the day. I'm sure that the tiny bit of rust that would form overnight had to be polished back off before it ran right.
I definitely agree with that statement. We found on our old New Holland 77T (big monster) that if you were not going to use it for more than a day or so, things went much better on start up if you coated all the slides, knotter bill hooks, etc. with oil, especially when putting it away for the season.

5 acres of stumps

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:52 am
by Uncle Mike
We have 5 acres of stumps, with 2 huge stump piles. have just enough cleared out to start plowing. Also have 55 apple trees on the way.

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:20 pm
by KETCHAM
Mike if you put stuff out to sell,people will come!!!I hope you get honest people.I have 3 1/2 acres with about a 1 acre garden.My neighbors are all ready looking forward to my corn and crops.I hope to do real well like I did last year!!! :D :D The garden has been plowed and disc with a little more work it should be ready to go!!!!My postal carrier is hoping to get green beans[she lives in town]and wants a lot,so do I.I'm out of green beans all ready!!!Kevin

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:40 pm
by 1835wayne
I am hoping to maybe be able to grow some vegetables next year if my work load lets up.........

Once again, anyone want some manure???? :wink: :wink:

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:07 pm
by SONNY
Wish I lived closer to you!!--I could use 10 semi-truck loads!!LOL! thanks; sonny

It'llbe Ranch

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:26 pm
by itllbejohn
Sandy and I have 5.5 acres (give or take). We've fenced it, put up a 14' x 30' barn and we're letting our neighbors pasture 2 of their pack horses on our place in exchange for keeping an eye on things when we're not there. Eventually, there will be a garden, fruit trees, and plenty of work for my cubs... :D

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:20 am
by 1835wayne
We could always try the Poo express!! :shock: LOL

I am hoping that we have a cubfest close to me this coming year, I need lots of things for my old gal.

I would be happy to just grow enough vegetables for my family, but I will need cultivators, a disc and a plow, and who know what else?

The only implement I have right now is a old A-C manure spreader, not even sure of the model. I wish it was one of those front unloaders, those look very cool!

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:08 am
by Jack fowler
Deleted

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:29 am
by 2cubs2cases
My wife works on a certified organic farm. They grow organic fruits and vegtables as well as organic corn and soybeans. They have organic beef, chickens, pork and milk. The prices they get for stuff is $5 gallon for milk, $18 bushel for soybeans, $10 a bushel for corn, eggs $3 a dozen eggs etc. They farm almost 400 acres.

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:35 pm
by Barnyard
1835wayne wrote:I am hoping that we have a cubfest close to me this coming year, I need lots of things for my old gal.

Wayne you're gonna have Central Indiana CubFest in Tipton about two hour drive. There is also the show in Portland about three hours. If you want to drive four hours there's DocFest in Paris Illinois in April.

You'll find a lot of forum members at all these events.

Land

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:47 pm
by Joe Malinowski
I have just over 15 acres where my house is and another 5 on the other side of the river. Rent out all of the tillable right now, except for a one acre garden and a old pasture converted to high bush blueberries.