Clover seed

[Central Fl Cracker]

I have a friend that just disk up 100 ac. and he is going to plant Clover for a seed harvest. I can not imagine how this could be profitable with the price of diesel and seeds for him to make any money. He wants me to go in with him on another pasture but I am very leery that we could make a profit. He claims after we harvest the seed we can turn the cows in for grazing.

 

[1982vett]

Sounds like he is looking for a banker. Clover seed production in Florida doesn't sound promising but I've been wrong before. Takes a lot of $$ to buy a pound of clover seed but then it takes a lot of clover to make a pound of seed. Their is an old saying that goes something like; The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket. I would go for renting the pasture after he havested the seed.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I checked on the retail price and it cost about $1.80 per lb. I am not sure how many lb's per ac. you could harvest.

 

[MikeC]

"Someone" makes money on combining clover, or else there would be no seed available.

I just don't know how viable the practice would be where you are.

Although no nitrogen is generally needed, there are many other micronutients essential to growing clover. Boron is the first to come to mind.

Get a good soil sample analysis done and figure what the inputs would be before proceeding.

With the long growing season that you have it may be a good move. I just dunno.

 

[bigbull338]

yes you can make money combining clover seed.if you have a place to clean an bagg the seed.as well as test it to see how pure the seed is.about 25yrs ago we knew an old man that would pay .50 to .70 cents a lb for clover vetch an peas.then sell it for $1 to $1.50 a lb.depending on your stand.you should be able to combine 2000 or 3000lbs seed an acre maybe more.then you have the straw for hay.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

yes you can make money combining clover seed.if you have a place to clean an bagg the seed.as well as test it to see how pure the seed is.about 25yrs ago we knew an old man that would pay .50 to .70 cents a lb for clover vetch an peas.then sell it for $1 to $1.50 a lb.depending on your stand.you should be able to combine 2000 or 3000lbs seed an acre maybe more.then you have the straw for hay.

That is pretty well what he is telling me. He wants to plant Alyce clover, harvest seed, and then cut and sell hay. The property has bahia so you would get bahia/clover hay which he says he can sell for $ 50 per roll. After cutting hay turn some cows lose to graze the stubble.