Farm Land

Corley5 · January 31, 2005, 06:41:44 PM

Of our two hundred acres half is arable and the other half is northern hardwoods. The hundred acres of open ground is all in hay that is baled in small squares for sales to horse people. It pays pretty good but the cost of fuel and labor hurts. My best crop is pumpkins. Last spring I decided that my then 2 year son Zach needed a big punkin patch so I RoundUpped a bit less than an acre of the barnyard, worked it up, put on 300lbs of 19-19-19 and planted a 1/2lb of Connecticut Field Pumpkins and a half pound of Big Max Pumpkins and stepped back. They're pretty maintenance free but this year I'll need to spray for powdery mildew and will rotate them to a different spot next year. My expenses amounted to $250.00 with half of that being for electric fence supplies to keep the deer at bay so that's something that will be used over and over. My gross sales of pumpkins from this patch were just short of a $1,000.00 for a net of almost $750.00. That's a pretty good return on an investment. I learned a few things and have researched a few more to make it even better this year. I won't bother with the Big Max variety again. They don't have a uniform shape, the stems aren't real good and people want the traditional Jack-O-Lantern style. The Connecticut field is of this type but now I know that there are several varieties of this pumpkin. I just jumped into this without much planning :

. I'm thinking that I'm going to plant Howden Biggies this year that are supposed yield 30lb fruit with some going over 40lbs. There are also some good hybrids of field pumpkins that available too. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/ is a good site with a good selection of all kinds of stuff 8) 8). I sold everything on the honor system. I bolted an old toolbox with a hasp and padlock on to a wagon rack for a cash box and for the most part people are honest. I know for sure of one instance of someone not paying. I was coming home from work and there was a women loading at least three pumpkins into an old white Ford Aerostar mini van. I'd recognize it if I saw it again. When I went over before dark to collect the money there wasn't any

;). This year I'm going to allow some U-pick too. We picked them on to wagons this year. We had people stop and take pics of their kids with all the pumpkins. One guy even stopped and painted of picture of the wagon loads of pumpkins with the barn in the background 8) It also created competition. The local store had to drop their prices and a big farm market over towards Petoskey lost some sales ;D ;D This all started because Zach needed a pumpkin patch. :

;D ;)

Mongo · January 31, 2005, 07:45:21 PM

Since you refer to it as farm land, do you prefer to keep producing something on it, or are you open to other ideas like recreation?

How about a paintball field? You could use old/salavaged lumber, hay bales, etc to set up bunkers etc for people to hide behind, and then incorporate the swamp into as either an extension of the field, or a seperate field so that there would be 2 games going at any particular time.

I imagine liability insurance might be pretty high, but the fields usually have a pretty large admission fee. Set up a concession/supply store selling ammo, CO2 tanks/refills, etc.

I know of many fields that are open only on weekends. Also since the guns use CO2, and it's pretty tough to play after dark, shouldn't bother the neighbors too much.

I'm not a lawyer, everything from here on is pure speculation... if I were going to do this, I'd set the business up as an S-type corporation. That would allow you claim the business income etc on your personal taxes. I think you can get the paperwork pushed through for an S-type corp. pretty cheap, and that would give you at least some protection from liability suits etc if someone were to get hurt. But then again, most I've been to make you sign a release that ranks up there with the ones on the back of ski tickets, so you should be in the clear on that anyway.

Andy Mack · March 26, 2005, 07:43:46 AM

Great ideas guys

Look forward to seeing your property Arthur.

asy · March 26, 2005, 07:54:29 AM

Yeah, Arthur, didn't you say something about photos?

Where are they? or do I have to come take some myself ??? :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D

Oh, and Randy, what DID you decide to do???

asy :D

Daren · March 26, 2005, 09:21:45 AM

What about a 9-hole golf course? Depending on the lay of the land, just push out a couple water holes and a sand trap or 2. There is the mowing part >:(. I don't golf, but there is a nine holer on the way to one of my fishing spots and it is full every time I drive by, and it is in the middle of nowhere. Get a couple min. wage employees to mow and sell golf balls (I think the one I am talking about has a liquor license, but I bet the insurance eats up that profit) It is about 15 acres I think, he just has a couple porta-pots and a place to pay.

OLD_ JD · March 26, 2005, 10:38:00 AM

PS I do have joining this land about 10 acres of swamp--beaver made--good duck hunting, if you bait them

Quote

have u think about buckweet,good duck (and deer) food,u won't have to bait them ;)

UNCLEBUCK · March 26, 2005, 07:10:48 PM

A golf driving range is simple to do and alot of interest. Hey Corley tell a bit more how you planted your pumpkins in the ground ok, I am tired of hilling and was thinking of broadcast spreading the squash and pumpkin seed this year and then lightly discing the seed in. :P

maple flats · March 27, 2005, 12:26:14 PM

If you don't come up with a better answer buckwheet is an excellent option for this year until you decide on something more profitable. You only need a broadcast spreader after tilling or at least disking. A local farmer might till and plant for you for the straw. Buckwheet also builds nitrogen in the soil and needs no fertilizer nor weed control. Another option with it is till it back in as a green manure crop to build the soil but do this before the seeds mature if you go that route.

Corley5 · March 27, 2005, 07:57:17 PM

Last year we marked out the rows and used a 4' stick as a spacer for between the plants. We didn't hill them
just dug a shallow depression with a hoe and dropped 3 or four seeds, covered em up, and lightly stepped on them. This year I've ordered a Seed Stick Planter from www.johnnyseeds.com to simplify the process. If I plant a larger patch in the future I'll get some plates for my Ford 309 planter ;). I planted mine in rows last year with the intention of cultivating them. One evening we got the AC G out and put the cultivators on it but by the next evening when I went to do the job the plants were too big

Pumpkins grow fast ;D ;D. As long as you don't want to cultivate them broadcasting and light disking should work fine