/r/farming

Photograph via snooOG

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Welcome to /r/Farming - Home of 'FARM TRUCK TUESDAY' and ' FARM DOG FRIDAY'

Any news about Farming, Food Production, Agriculture, Land Use, etc.

No fundraising, surveys, homework help or online petitions, or adverts unless it's 4-H

If you are trying to sell us farmland, equipment, seed, fertilizer or clothing you will be banned, ridiculed and mocked...unless you give everyone who replies to your post a free hat, penknife, thermos, ceramic coffee mug, insulated vest, and a complete SAE and Metric socket set. Read: No solicitation!

All steam show and threshing show videos are now spam. They will be removed and you will be banned from this subreddit and possibly all of Reddit.

Vloggers,Bloggers, YouTubers, Self-Promoters are banned on sight, unless you have participation history with this community, we're not here to generate views to your pages.

No mention, or promotion, of WWOOF.

Shill implications, in any form, will result in a ban (length of which will vary).

You get the idea.

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/r/farming

136,370 Subscribers

2

Hens not laying

We got an assortment of male / female chickens a few hens and a few roosters. They were chick's and it's been over 24 weeks and they are not lsying eggs. Any suggestions? (We bought them at rural king)

4 Comments
2023/10/04
00:00 UTC

56

Do you run big equipment (say, $500k+)? Does it work for your farm?

All I know about farming is what I read in farming-challenged places like the New York Times and then what I hear from you guys. Newspapers sometimes sound all shocked about the capital requirements of buying super expensive equipment like $700k combines. But you guys seem pretty savvy and you must have made those deals for good reasons. So... what goes into making a commitment that big?

How fast does a big fancy machine pay for itself? Who wins and loses out of big-ticket purchases like that? How much land do you need to make big hardware pay? What economic conditions make a big capital investment necessary now as opposed to how your parents or grandparents farmed?

Thanks for answering, anybody. I'm always curious about how you guys do what you do.

59 Comments
2023/10/03
20:20 UTC

5

Drawbar or 3 point

Just a discussion post, why is it that we in the USA will use a drawbar for most if not all the equipment being used while in Europe they use a 3 point with their style of quick hitch?

11 Comments
2023/10/03
19:30 UTC

3

How much storage space (dimention of storage space) is needed to store 150 tonnes of Onion or Potato before transportation?

3 Comments
2023/10/03
19:04 UTC

1

When it comes to goats do the have to be castrated in order to taste good? Or do they have something similar to boar taint if not? Also does age have any effect of the meat?

1 Comment
2023/10/03
18:40 UTC

1

Feeder calf nutrition question

While I know Reddit is not a nutritionist, I am seeking advice. I am in the bottle calf business where I am buying calves off of dairies and raising them up to feeder weight (600-800lbs). I have access to to hay but am wondering what a good feed program/ration would be for best gain on these Holsteins. Hay and corn and something else?? I’m not sure any advice would be greatly appreciated.

5 Comments
2023/10/03
14:57 UTC

8

At first I thought this gypsum cloud was a combine fire

1 Comment
2023/10/03
14:53 UTC

29

Farming on raised beds

Just kind of overall curious if anybody else farms on raised beds or ridges? And what all crops do you grow on them? SEARK

8 Comments
2023/10/03
14:29 UTC

7

Do you have accreditation on your farms?

What's motivating you to get an accreditation (or not!) on your farming? EDIT: to be more specific, if you're selling meat, do you have any certifications that you label on what you sell (e.g. RSPCA Assured, Red Tractor, etc.).

28 Comments
2023/10/03
13:44 UTC

0

Best countries/places in the world to become a farmer?

I know I am very far from retiring but I would want to become a farmer when I get older because I want to contribute to society and I heard farming is a great way to do such.

What are some of the best countries for agriculture in terms of landscape beauty, weather and or climate?

Thanks

15 Comments
2023/10/03
07:33 UTC

28

Disking the field today

1 Comment
2023/10/03
03:31 UTC

8

How do I lease my land out and what's a good price?

I have 23 acres of pasture land in central NC and of which I really only use 3 acres of at the moment for my small farming operation and home. Of the available 20 acres, 1 acre is a pond, and all of it is within one fence. How would I find someone who wants to rent out pasture land and what's a good price for rent? Ideally I would make $20k per year on rent for the full acreage? Is that too much? Not enough? I currently let my neighbor put a few cows out for free but he knows I'm trying to rent it out and is okay moving his cows when the time comes. He said he's not paying rent though and I don't mind because our agreement is currently discounted meat and him fixing the fence. I'm just getting to the point now that I need to make some money on it.

EDIT: I WENT BACK AND CHECKED THE NC STATE AG EX WEBSITE AND I CANT READ. MY NUMBER WAS BASED ON MONTHLY WHEN IT CLEARLY SAYS ANNUAL.

Still open to ideas though, unless discount beef and a fixed fence is going to be my best deal (which is fine).

14 Comments
2023/10/03
02:02 UTC

35

Anyone know what this is?

Found on my property in western pa. My estate was previously a farm in the early 1900s. I was told it may be a piece to an early combine but curious for more info.

The are it was found is now heavily wooded, but believe it may have been pasture 100 years ago.

14 Comments
2023/10/03
01:44 UTC

35

New rake, should a hay Tedder be my next purchase?

Just picked up this rake, Dealer was having a fall sale. They also have hay Tedders. Never used them before but they seem to be gaining popularity. What’s your experience with them and do you recommend them to others?

17 Comments
2023/10/03
01:23 UTC

291

What is this called?

81 Comments
2023/10/03
00:00 UTC

0

Please what’s the difference

What’s the difference between cow milk and goat milk?

9 Comments
2023/10/02
21:56 UTC

18

Watermelons

Picture for attention. What is the best way to get into contact with a produce distributer? Interested in the cleaning requirements and how to sell in bulk! TIA Loco OK

0 Comments
2023/10/02
21:47 UTC

3

Sweet potato

Any sweet potato farmers in the house?! I'm looking for some advice,how to you plant them. We have our main veg fields on reclaimed land so it's deep soft water retaining soil, they grew amazingly there we were getting s.potatos of 4/5 kg! But they grew deep that none of our tractors harvesters could reach them so we did it by hand. This year we planted them in another field and in ridges, we got some good ones but not big enough. So I'm thinking could I plant them in the soft deep field with cardboard layed the a ridge of soil on top and plant in the ridge,I'm thinking the cardboard would stop the going too deep,himself is saying just lay plastic! So tell me is it a crazy idea or how do you do it?

6 Comments
2023/10/02
20:33 UTC

26

No matter how long you have worked with someone, never get sloppy!

Just got my knee slightly crushed between the tractor bucket and a piece of equipment we were working on. I was being “mostly careful “ and only had one leg between equipment. I told him to rotate the bucket and he pulled forward. No real damage but I will be sore tomorrow. ( sore now too!)

15 Comments
2023/10/02
20:22 UTC

1

Biz plan

Anyone got a place to look for or already have a good template for a biz plan for small bale hay?

Looking at trying to acquire about 23 ac fully irrigated land but at 17k an acre here in central Wa it looks like it won’t pencil out. But wanna put pen to paper in a way I haven’t before. Any help or suggestions would be of great value.

2 Comments
2023/10/02
19:44 UTC

0

How to get into hobby farming?

Hey yall! I'm looking to get into hobby farming and possibly substitute some of our houses food. I currently I've in the suburbs woth my family and I work as a commercial hvac, refrigeration and hotside tech. I work long hours. I started a small garden at our house a few times and was successful but I don't have enough space to do anything meaningful. I was hoping to find a very small plot of land to buy cheap but we all know that didn't win tve lottery on that one. I also looked into community gardens and couldn't find anything around me. Does anyone know how I can make this happen? Preferably if like to buy a small plot of land and when I say small I mean a single acer if not less. I'm not going full out.

7 Comments
2023/10/02
18:39 UTC

14

Need help understanding the economics of garlic

I have a small farm and would like to add garlic to our crops.

I've been trying to get up to speed and get cloves planted this fall.

But I'm not sure I understand the economics of it.

Wholesale garlic cloves cost about $20-$25/lb.

Each pound is about 40 cloves. That means each bulb has a "seed" cost of about $0.55

Each clove produces a bulb that will retail for about $1.25.

I understand there is some variation in my dollar amounts, but am I analyzing this correctly?

Thanks.

20 Comments
2023/10/02
16:53 UTC

29

How do cows feel about getting milked?

Do they enjoy it? Or is it painful for them?

91 Comments
2023/10/02
16:33 UTC

3

Monday Morning Coffeeshop (October 2, 2023)

Gossip, updates, etc.

11 Comments
2023/10/02
11:22 UTC

10

Need some opinions

First off there could be a completely better sub to post this is other than broad “farming” but I’ll ask anyway

Ok so here’s my dilemma, recently dropped out of college and lost myself at 19, got a job helping a local friends father start up his 120,000 flock commercial egg barn. We make 120,000 eggs a day and it is a lot of fckn work. Due to our location good workers are beyond rare, meaning it’s just my boss and me everyday working. I am coming up a year now on this job, and I wouldn’t even say a “job” anymore my boss isn’t even there some days and I handle the whole operation. But coming up a year now and not really gaining anything besides a lot of money, I’m wondering is this actually something I should continue with at 19? Is there a future is commercial egg farming if I continue? I’m your stereotypical teenager with big business dreams who always thought millions were made on Wall Street but seeing my boss make so much money from a thing that is shit out a bird. I don’t know, i basically have the exact knowledge how to get permits, how to get contracts, who to go to for construction, how to use/fix Prinzen packing equipment, literally the only thing I don’t know how to do that would help be a better chicken farmer is electrical engineering. Like I’m learning so deeply about such a business i have no idea really if it’s something I keep pursuing, I love it, I love the hard work, but I’m so young and I’m already loosing friends because I work EVERYDAY. Everyone I meet in this line of work is, I don’t even wanna be rude but so so so much older than me. My boss took 1 week off having me run everything, and every service tech and supervisor that came to visit that week from our contractors, every farmer boy that came in, they were baffled “a kid” was running it all. Is this a good Job to have on my resume? Is this a business that still has potential growth in its field? Is it even possible to grow from where I am? I don’t know, I think I’m just young and and lost, I just want some advice from people who maybe have an idea

7 Comments
2023/10/02
09:26 UTC

71

What do I do with a 4.5 acre farm

Idk where to ask this so hopefully you guys can help me.

TLDR: I basicly have a 4.5 acre farm and I have zero clue on what to do with it.

About a year ago my uncle inherited a 4.5 acre farm that was only used as a dump. Over the course of that time we've cleaned it out and it's ready to use but my uncle has been arrested and it's just me to work on it. I'm a 20 and have never grown anything so I'm thinking actually farming is out of the question. Does anyone know what I can start working on to turn the farm into a job or side hustle of sorts?

Edit: thank you all for the ideas. I think my best course of action is probably something small like bees or flowers or a small garden I can sell at the farmers market, while working a real job.

Edit 2: I've been convinced im going to just take a couple of years farm a corner or something and slowly build it up to flip

86 Comments
2023/10/02
06:08 UTC

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