What would you do?

[brierpatch1974]

What would you do if you have been giving permission to use 500 acres of land? I am new and this year has been my first calving season and I want to go slow so not going to get more cattle for this land. But I have more than enough land for all the hay I need already.
This 500 acres is my inlaws and they are letting me do what I want with it instead of it sitting there doing nothing. I know the fields need some fertilizing and lime to start with but not sure what I want to plant in it. And regardless of what my son says I am not starting a dang sheep flock lol.
So what would you do with all this land to make it productive and profitable?

 

[tncattle]

lease it to crop growers or run stockers while you have grass.


Is there existing fence and water available? If there isn't adequate fencing then your going to need to take care of that before any cattle go on the land. How much of it is actual grass?

 

[Limomike]

Since you do not want to get more cattle to put on it.. I would say lease it, or hay it.

 

[TexasBred]

What would you do if you have been giving permission to use 500 acres of land? I am new and this year has been my first calving season and I want to go slow so not going to get more cattle for this land. But I have more than enough land for all the hay I need already.
This 500 acres is my inlaws and they are letting me do what I want with it instead of it sitting there doing nothing. I know the fields need some fertilizing and lime to start with but not sure what I want to plant in it. And regardless of what my son says I am not starting a dang sheep flock lol.
So what would you do with all this land to make it productive and profitable?

If you have no concrete plans for it, it would just be another liability. Lease it to someone else.

 

[Dave]

regardless of what my son says I am not starting a dang sheep flock

As much as it pains me to say it...... there is pretty good money in sheep right now.

Just not enough information to give you good solid options. Is it crop land? Is it planted to grass now? Grow a crop of your own or make hay to sell. If it is fenced and has water bring in somebody else's stocker cattle to graze on a monthly or rate of gain or rent it out to someone with stockers cattle.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

]What would you do if you have been giving permission to use 500 acres of land? [/u] I am new and this year has been my first calving season and I want to go slow so not going to get more cattle for this land. But I have more than enough land for all the hay I need already.
This 500 acres is my inlaws and they are letting me do what I want with it instead of it sitting there doing nothing. I know the fields need some fertilizing and lime to start with but not sure what I want to plant in it. And regardless of what my son says I am not starting a dang sheep flock lol.
So what would you do with all this land to make it productive and profitable?

crap on myself.. then go from there :nod:

 

[SRBeef]

1st off consider yourself very fortunate.

2nd I would look at the land and see what is there. Are there places that could be row cropped? How are the fences and water available?

Only after you analyze what you have can you decide what to do with it and when long term or short term.

My personal feeling is if you don't care for sheep, stay away from them. also I am not a big fan of haying ground that will not get the manure from that hay put back on. Selling hay is like selling fertility. But on the other had you do want to keep the weeds down.

Is this ground currently all in pasture or is there some row crop ground? 500 acres is a lot of ground You could also meet with a local university extension person to walk the ground and discuss options.

Some of the ground may be fairly level and suited to row crops. On these places I would work with a local good farmer (not the highest bidder) and no till some RR soybeans this year yet directly into the sod. Make sure the agreement states he supplies the needed fertilizer but beans are not too hard on level ground and the RU and harvest will keep weeds down and bring in some cash to use on fixing up the rest of the place, a part at a time....

Lots of options. Good luck.

Jim

 

[jerry27150]

i'd make hay & sell it or swap it for more cattle

 

[circlew]

]What would you do if you have been giving permission to use 500 acres of land? [/u] I am new and this year has been my first calving season and I want to go slow so not going to get more cattle for this land. But I have more than enough land for all the hay I need already.
This 500 acres is my inlaws and they are letting me do what I want with it instead of it sitting there doing nothing. I know the fields need some fertilizing and lime to start with but not sure what I want to plant in it. And regardless of what my son says I am not starting a dang sheep flock lol.
So what would you do with all this land to make it productive and profitable?

crap on myself.. then go from there :nod:

I concur!

 

[Brute 23]

I would pull a few cattle from my other places and lighten the load a little. Maybe buy a few cows if I had the cash. Then just grow slowly by keeping heifers, trading, or finding deals.