4 acres. Best use versus renting it out

An Ri rua · 12-07-2019 11:13am #1

Folks,

I know it's a wide question.

But would you just take 600 from a local farmer (Midlands, good ground) or would you for instance sell a hay meadow on the stem or round bales hay and sell it off the flat? Anyone any recent experiences of doing small amounts of hay?
Longer-term I'm thinking forestry but in the above scenario, is there more than 600 profit in it at say 25 a bale?

L1985 · 12-07-2019 6:30pm

Honestly you would make a bit more then 600€ as with 4 acres you might get 25-30 bales of hay if you can get hay but to be honest when you take out the cost of the contractor mowing turning raking it in or having to do silage instead if the weather turns I’d take my 600€ hassle free and run!

kollegeknight · 15-07-2019 9:34am

Have you equipment to save the hay? If not by the time you would have someone paid to do it, you would have far less than the €600 after. Not to mention looking at the skies for hay

uck51js9zml2yt · 15-07-2019 5:08pm

I have a similar plot.

I have a half acre veg/orchard and got 42 bales of silage off 3 1/2.

Had an offer of renting it for 600 for the field but reckon next year I should make money with silage

I'll break even this year as I had to invest a lot to improve the soil nutrient levels .

I also don't want to loose a big back garden and have a farmer spraying chemicals near the house.

Cost me the guys of 1k euro this year for cutting/baling and fertilizer as it needed a lot of fertiliser.
As the years go on I will need less.

lalababa · 30-08-2019 1:28pm

600 is doing very well, not a hope you'd make it in hay no mind silage, and no hassle.

wrangler · 30-08-2019 2:11pm

Nicholas Cold Locker wrote: »

I have a similar plot.

I have a half acre veg/orchard and got 42 bales of silage off 3 1/2.

Had an offer of renting it for 600 for the field but reckon next year I should make money with silage

I'll break even this year as I had to invest a lot to improve the soil nutrient levels .

I also don't want to loose a big back garden and have a farmer spraying chemicals near the house.

Cost me the guys of 1k euro this year for cutting/baling and fertilizer as it needed a lot of fertiliser.
As the years go on I will need less.

Taking 42 bales of silage off it will remove a lot fertiliser from the soil too, you'll need more fertiliser instead of less if you keep doing it

uck51js9zml2yt · 02-09-2019 7:13pm

wrangler wrote: »

Taking 42 bales of silage off it will remove a lot fertiliser from the soil too, you'll need more fertiliser instead of less if you keep doing it

To update.
It was depleted when I got it so meant a lot of fertiliser this year.
I got a load of slurry spread after the cut for free and have some calves in it now which gave me a €120 until the grass is gone and free fertiliser.
I've traded the bales for a heifer for the freezer and having taken half for myself have the balance sold for €500.

Cost me 1000 for fert, cutting and baling so have broken even at this point.

I'll also save on buying beef for the next 8-9 months. If I put some cash away I've made some money on the deal.

It was a better deal than holding the bales and hoping for a bad winter.

If I go this route next year, I won't need as much fertiliser
My other alternative is if I can let the field out, farmer fertilises, cuts etc and give me meat for the freezer.

lalababa · 10-09-2019 10:13pm

Aahhh let me get this right, it cost you 1000 and you got 1000.....am I right 'coz there's alot going on there!

uck51js9zml2yt · 10-09-2019 11:09pm

lalababa wrote: »

Aahhh let me get this right, it cost you 1000 and you got 1000.....am I right 'coz there's alot going on there!

Ballpark figures..yes.
Won't need as much fertilizer next year so should make a profit if I choose to do I cut and then trade for a heifer.

vicwatson · 10-09-2019 11:34pm

€600 per month right?

An Ri rua · 11-09-2019 11:39am

vicwatson wrote: »

€600 per month right?

For renting land? What part of the country are you in where they rent land by the month?

vicwatson · 11-09-2019 11:42am

An Ri rua wrote: »

For renting land? What part of the country are you in where they rent land by the month?

So what’s the answer then? Per year?

lalababa · 11-09-2019 7:55pm

vicwatson wrote: »

€600 per month right?

Ha ha, I thought you were taking the Micky ...like comparing land rental to house rental seeing as that has gone to hell in the cities and is usually monthly!
No land rental for grazing or silage is different. And the 600 would be for the year(more or less). Like you could rent the 1st cut , or 1st & 2nd, or 1st,2nd and Autumn grazing etc. Many different verbal contracts.

punisher5112 · 11-09-2019 7:58pm

Christmas trees

4 acres. Best use versus renting it out

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