Just joined! 1st Generation, Advice Wanted/Needed (:

[sstterry]

Visit with your local Natural Resource Conservation Service office and ask them if they have heard of me. They may have, but if not, a fellow employee of theirs will have heard of me.

Your reputation is that bad, huh?

 

[cowman82]

Lots of people selling out and farm land becoming available. Lots of people trying to escape the cities and townships. I do believe it's a widespread movement. Probably 10 to 20 new people living in RV's where I'm at. All doing the same thing. Some don't last long, some seem pretty serious.

I was that guy on here back in 2015 or 2016. Very much appreciated every one of you guiding me along.

Maybe we need a mini farm section sub-forum?

i don't see much farmland available anywhere. I see a bunch of junk with a bunch of rock, trees and brush. but liek you said.. lots of RV people. They opened up a new lot for about 40 of them near here. 450/m rent. it took about 3 months after they finished and now its full.

$$$

 

[ClinchValley86]

i don't see much farmland available anywhere. I see a bunch of junk with a bunch of rock, trees and brush. but liek you said.. lots of RV people. They opened up a new lot for about 40 of them near here. 450/m rent. it took about 3 months after they finished and now its full.

$$$

They've done that a couple places here too. Quite inferiorating.

I think we may really sell some open up when cow proces skyrocket. I sure hope people are willing to rent it. zi know I can't afford to buy any right now.

 

[ClinchValley86]

You are probably correct. For sure, you are a real person, still here, and working on your plan. I don't want to discourage these new posters, but many are so unrealistic that I really wonder what the situation is. Bought 5 acres of land with the hope to raise cattle, retain bulls, and sell semen. What kind of realistic advice do you give for that? Your advice was very good. For sure, there have always been young people that hope to get into the cattle business (all good), but their views, knowledge and dreams are very different now I think. Use to be that the young people had some farm/cattle connection and the dream was more about how - money, land and such. Now way different people (still good). Maybe I am just seeing it as different when it really isn't.

You have mentioned your Highland neighbor before. I always thought of highlands as an odd breed for this area - hot and humid here. I attended a 2 day AI course at Clemson a few months back. About 16 students. We introduced and told a little about ourselves. Six of the 16 people had highland cattle. I was surprised. I asked one of them where they bought semen since most mainstream breed semen is bought from semen companies or distributors. She told me that highland semen is usually bought from highland breeders and price for the good stuff was $500 or more per straw! I asked if she had the miniature version. She was almost offended, explaining to me that the miniatures were genetic deformities and it was cruel to raise that (something we agreed on). Maybe I need to add some highlands to my little herd. They must be moneymakers! Yes, things a changed a lot I think. Us old folks tend to look at things from our old experience.

I swear... sounds like you ran into my neighbor. She uses a camera/scope deal when doing her AI. Did the woman mention one of those? lol.

She wasn't kidding. They sold a cow bred to a long since deceased bull guaranteed bred for 14k a couple days ago. Used 3 $400 straws to get her bred tho.

One of the heifers they sold 2 years ago white with black trim, recently sold for $48,000!!!! at a highland function auction. It was bred back to a white bull.

It's just silly money. I've considered asking if they need my help producing more of them.

I 100% got what ya mean on the silly questions lately.

 

[simme]

I swear... sounds like you ran into my neighbor. She uses a camera/scope deal when doing her AI. Did the woman mention one of those? lol.

She wasn't kidding. They sold a cow bred to a long since deceased bull guaranteed bred for 14k a couple days ago. Used 3 $400 straws to get her bred tho.

One of the heifers they sold 2 years ago white with black trim, recently sold for $48,000!!!! at a highland function auction. It was bred back to a white bull.

It's just silly money. I've considered asking if they need my help producing more of them.

I 100% got what ya mean on the silly questions lately.

Those numbers are way better than kudzu fed Corrientes, aren't they? Your neighbor may have found the end of the rainbow and the pot of gold. And, yes they did ask about the AI tool with a camera. But they are local here in the Clemson area. Maybe they are all friends and compare notes.

 

[RotAcres]

Hello everyone.

I am absolutely a real person, and absolutely serious about this.
As I mentioned in my first post - I am 27, just bought a home on 5 acres. Most people my age are spending money on "now" happiness, buying expensive cars and fine jewelry, versus building for their future and family.
With my age, and my plot/home alone, should be enough to show my sincerity in investing in my future.
I built this for myself. I don't have generational wealth or anything of the sorts.

I absolutely plan on buying more land, in turn, buying more cattle.
There are trusted vets in the area.
There are more land options around me.
I chose to live, where I live, because of the established cattle ranches here already. Why haven't I reached out to their owner, you may ask? Because it's his off season, for he owns half the peach fields here and peach season is on a break, so he has someone else running his cows till he returns.
I am already volunteering, so no pay, at the local equestrian, to meet new farmers and have hands on experience. I am offering my time with local cattle owners just to help, and acquire more hands on knowledge.
I am all for using my local resources, but I found this website while doing my personal research.
Plant some trees? Sir, I specifically came on here asking for advice, not condescending responses.

I don't expect to be up and running anytime soon.
I know I have A LOT to learn.
I know this will be a lot of work, and that is specifically why I am here.

Don't any of you remember starting from nothing?

Maybe bull collection isn't my niche, but how am I going to learn if I don't give myself the opportunity to try.

Happy Sunday.

 

[chaded]

I think it is about as realistic as trying to push a string uphill. I'm not sure even The Great Mark Reynolds will be able to help.

 

[Mrcopier]

You are on the right path, learn all you can and don't afraid to ask questions not only from your acquaintances but here as well

 

[mwj]

Maybe you could get a weaned calf to feed and put in the freezer. It would get you some real experience on a small scale that wouldn't be a huge financial risk if it does not work out. If you enjoy it you can scale up and move on from that point.

There is a vast difference from how things look on paper to how they are on the ground.The big thing with livestock is you have to provide for them EVERY day. Do it as soon as you can because youth is a very big advantage.

 

[kenny thomas]

@RotAcres, one member here lives fairly close to you if you are in the Johnson, SC as you state in your profile. Maybe he will message you and you can ask some questions. Him being in your area makes his answers even better.

 

[farmerjan]

Welcome to the CT group.

You will get all levels of answers... and you will get some jabs about your ideas.

It sounds like you are doing alot to try to learn about the cattle business. I honestly think that wanting to do something like having some bulls for collecting is a "bit" beyond most realistic ideas at this time. Most bulls that make it to the "collecting stage" are from previous well known farms that raise alot of cattle... or have some exceptional genetics that produce a bull that catches someone's eye... there are always people looking out for some "outcross genetics". Sometimes it is just a representative from a semen company, that might deliver some semen to your farm and you say hey, look at this bull I raised out of xxx semen I got from you 2 years ago... or someone that is watching the show rings and sees an outstanding animal, and does some checking into the genetics behind it, and goes from there. BUT..... you will be YEARS down the road from collecting a bull that might make it into a profitable situation.

That is not to discourage you. I agree with the idea of getting say 2 calves/feeders. They like company of their own kind... Raise them up for beef... Or get a heifer and steer, put the steer in the freezer and get the heifer bred. Find out if you really are suited to cattle. Some people are not. I have a friend that has gone into hair sheep and has found her niche, after having some cattle on a small scale....

I totally agree with doing any/all kind of work on existing farms... to try to get some experience. 5 acres, even in SC with a better growing length season, will still only be able to feed 2-3 head of cattle... with rotational grazing, with a house and all on it also. I am here in the shen valley of Va and we figure an avg 2 acres per head... and that is NOT continual grazing on that land... we rent alot of land, and do alot of rotational grazing. We also make hay on ground that is not fenced just for the keeping the ground open, some poor quality... as well as our own improved hay ground.

You need to figure in the cost of keeping an animal or 2... We figure it costs at least $2.50 per day, over a years time, to feed and properly take care of a cow. You may/may not get any advantages for a small farm there as far as tax relief with the amount of acreage you have. Feeding an animal is not cheap; FENCING is going to be a huge expense.
You need to fence the perimeter with a good fence... 3 strands of barbed wire is not going to cut it long term. Electric fencing will work for some things... but I do not like it as a permanent fence. Electric netting works good for some things... BUT I want a permanent.."hard fence" like woven wire around the perimeter of my animal fields/areas.

I remember starting out on a shoestring... and nearly going broke many times as I struggled to "get bigger".... Taken me 50 years and a big strong son, to help with some of the work, to get to where we are. I work in the dairy industry.... have for over 40 years... to help "pay for" my 'hobby" of beef cattle.. Son has worked a full time job also for 30+ years... we farmed on the side and have built up to a good sized operation, 90% on rented/leased land...and with recently buying a farm, a fair amount of debt now....

It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders as far as spending money on something "tangible" like land, instead of the "I want this today" with no thought to the future... That is COMMENDABLE.

If you like the idea of "homesteading"... which is great... you also might like another forum.... BYH...... for smaller scale homesteader, self-sufficient type people.... (back yard herds). Gardening and growing your own is a great way to make your land productive at home... give you that satisfaction that you can't get in an apartment or condo... I am a homesteader at heart... but that is more of the self sufficient personality.....

Great to have dreams.... be willing to modify them as circumstances allow... and willing to make a 90 degree turn if something might get you somewhere from a different direction. Understand that you will be going "up against" well established people in that area... for expansion like renting etc.... but if you get in with someone that you can work for/with, then that will give you some insights. And no offense... I am assuming by your name, you are female.... I am also.... and it is more of a "man's world"... so get a tough skin.... keep your mouth shut and LISTEN to any/everything you're told... then in the privacy of your own place, take it out, examine it, and decide if it makes sense or not.

Several magazines will help.... read any/everything you can. I have gone the gauntlet from Small Farmers Journal to Countryside, Mother Earth News to Graze... I like Acres USA, and Stockman Grass farmer.... and there is one out of Ohio known as Farming.... produced by Amish farmers for smaller scale operations...
Your local extension service often offers classes, workshops, on different topics... most are free or the cost of a supper meeting... GO TO THEM even if it is something you don't know much or anything about.... You will make more connections that way; and if you make IN PERSON connections, that might lead to others that might be wanting/trying to do something similar.
Go to the local stockyards... sit and WATCH..... LISTEN... see what is selling... see what the better feeder cattle are bringing... most come from farmers running good bulls, and most of those bulls are bought at local/area "bull sales " for $3-8,000 on average. They are good bulls, but most of those bulls are NOT "good enough" to collect for big semen sales or to go into bull studs. ... most are out of AI breedings. There are tons of bull sales around and many of us will buy a bull to improve the next calf crop out of our cows. Unless you are big into show cattle or have a many year reputation of extraordinary cows, you will find it near impossible to sell semen. Plus it costs an average $2,000 or more to develop them to a sale age of 15 months or so..
so bulls are a very expensive proposition.
One other thing... BULLS are not a nice sweet quiet animal.... they can be very decent to work around if you are experienced... but they require fencing that is exceptionally sturdy... to keep them contained.... and their hormones will preclude that they will want to go finding girlfriends.....Bulls are not for inexperienced people or people that do not have the kind of fencing that will keep both the bull, and the neighbors safe.

PM me if I can answer anything you do not want to put on here in the general forum. The little envelope top right of the screen...
@TCRanch is another female with a long history of exceptional cattle... and she buys all her bulls for her operation....sells feeders that go almost exclusively to one buyer that finishes out beef for a name brand specialty label.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Don't let our berating discourage you. I am only 9 years into it myself and had the benefit of family ground to start. I've added lease ground. I've learned a great lot from local producers and a tremendous amount here on CT.

I'm a tight wad too. I'd rather do without and hang w cows.

No such thing as a dumb question either.