150 acres

[Clive]

What is interesting is just how little work 150ac is these days for a well equipped contractor

It’s a days drilling, a day harvesting and maybe a days worth of application totalled up through the year

Once upon a time 150ac would have been a full time job for a couple (maybe more) men

Totally off topic but just makes you realise how much farming has moved on in a relatively short period of time

 

[Brisel]

Too low. In a s2s you would need to be at least £150 to carry the job out properly and at least help pay for replacement machinery, labour and fuel cost.

That depends on your costs and aspirations. There's the level of management to consider too which ought to be worth £10-40/acre depending on the level of admin required. I just picked a figure from previous agreements I've been involved in.

 

[4course]

What is interesting is just how little work 150ac is these days for a well equipped contractor

It’s a days drilling, a day harvesting and maybe a days worth of application totalled up through the year

Once upon a time 150ac would have been a full time job for a couple (maybe more) men

Totally off topic but just makes you realise how much farming has moved on in a relatively short period of time

and that is why individual arable farmers are doomed in the future unless those left ( work for an agri conglomorate) or just do it for a hobby. not sure how long it will take but its ireversible and for now that 400 acres 40 miles away is by your reckoning which I tend to agree with is 9 days spread out a bit

 

[Clive]

and that is why individual arable farmers are doomed in the future unless those left ( work for an agri conglomorate) or just do it for a hobby. not sure how long it will take but its ireversible and for now that 400 acres 40 miles away is by your reckoning which I tend to agree with is 9 days spread out a bit

It’s not really a question of “doomed” but more that technology has made anything less than 500 (maybe 1000 ?) acres a part time job

Many would argue it’s progress not doom !

Same has happened to most industries where tech has replaced people and the trend continues so it’s not just a agricultural issue I guess

 

[Clive]

And that’s the issue for lot of farm finances

Expecting a full time living from a part time job

 

[Billboy1]

Agree with above I would class myself as part time arable farmer on 350a

 

[4course]

doomed or call it progress doesnt make a lot of difference what I really mean is the decline of the numbers of active arable farmers is going to be at an even faster rate, Thing is I dont intend to be one of them if I can help it but there may well come a point when its not worth the chew. Although its fair to say our farming is really part of a diversified business that translates into a farm based family enterprise

 

[ajd132]

What is interesting is just how little work 150ac is these days for a well equipped contractor

It’s a days drilling, a day harvesting and maybe a days worth of application totalled up through the year

Once upon a time 150ac would have been a full time job for a couple (maybe more) men

Totally off topic but just makes you realise how much farming has moved on in a relatively short period of time

This is a good point. With very simple high output systems like we run it makes it much easier. The other thing is that some people want a contractor/farmer who will carry on with a complicated heavy tillage loads of ploughing situation and want to see people on the farm all the time. I would want to be in and out having as little impact on the land owners as possible and contrary to popular belief this doesn’t mean it’s getting any less attention to detail as I’m sure you will agree with.

 

[New Puritan]

@ajd132 - if you'd ever like to come and explain that to my landlord then please do!

 

[ajd132]

@ajd132 - if you'd ever like to come and explain that to my landlord then please do!

Are you expected to do far more than you should be doing?

 

[New Puritan]

Are you expected to do far more than you should be doing?

Presenteeism is king! I've gone to the yard before when there's not a lot to do just to sweep up and walk about, as that keeps things happy.

 

[ajd132]

Presenteeism is king! I've gone to the yard before when there's not a lot to do just to sweep up and walk about, as that keeps things happy.

Yeh totally depends on what they want out of it.

 

[Explorer]

That depends on your costs and aspirations. There's the level of management to consider too which ought to be worth £10-40/acre depending on the level of admin required. I just picked a figure from previous agreements I've been involved in.

Yes agree.
Anybody who knows there exact cost will know how easy it is to clock up £150/acre in costs even if doing the job correctly using a nice min till system.
When you sign on that dotted line for 3 years prepare yourself for that last year too as from past experience that will be the most marginal due to rising costs.
One last thing - Believe it or not folks there has got to be some P word in there somewhere (profit) - it’s not all about just covering ur costs!

 

[Flat 10]

When you sign on that dotted line for 3 years prepare yourself for that last year too as from past experience that will be the most marginal due to rising costs.

What do you mean? Inputs gone up? I thought final year was the most profitable or at least felt like it as you get working capital back out..........

 

[7610 super q]

Grass it all down , hay , haylage , tack sheep rotation , can't be beaten .

Does this mean getting involved with horsey folks ? Hmmm ? Well does it ? Hmmmm ?, Hmmmm ? It does, doesn't it ?

 

[bobk]

Does this mean getting involved with horsey folks ? Hmmm ? Well does it ? Hmmmm ?, Hmmmm ? It does, doesn't it ?

You can't pick your family but you can pick your customers .

 

[kiwi pom]

It’s not really a question of “doomed” but more that technology has made anything less than 500 (maybe 1000 ?) acres a part time job

Many would argue it’s progress not doom !

Same has happened to most industries where tech has replaced people and the trend continues so it’s not just a agricultural issue I guess

Its definitely progress, it must be because it was called progress when technology and equipment reached a level that allowed farms to reduce their number of staff in the drive for efficiency . Nobody seemed particularly worried then, its just continuing on and has now got to the stage that we don't need as many farmers either.

 

[Exfarmer]

Thanks for the replies, the figures are much in line with what I expected, of course there are a few important factors such as field size, access etc , which must play a part in the consideration. I am also not 100% up on multi crop rules etc, as this must affect the efficiency of operations. One thing coming and drilling 150 acres in a day but another 30 acreshere and 50 there. Hopefully if it comes off, a very local person will be able to take it on and I can use these figures as a base point.

 

[Flat 10]

Thanks for the replies, the figures are much in line with what I expected, of course there are a few important factors such as field size, access etc , which must play a part in the consideration. I am also not 100% up on multi crop rules etc, as this must affect the efficiency of operations. One thing coming and drilling 150 acres in a day but another 30 acreshere and 50 there. Hopefully if it comes off, a very local person will be able to take it on and I can use these figures as a base point.

It’s obviously keeping you up at night......

 

[AndrewM]

Thanks for the replies, the figures are much in line with what I expected, of course there are a few important factors such as field size, access etc , which must play a part in the consideration. I am also not 100% up on multi crop rules etc, as this must affect the efficiency of operations. One thing coming and drilling 150 acres in a day but another 30 acreshere and 50 there. Hopefully if it comes off, a very local person will be able to take it on and I can use these figures as a base point.

3 different crops to get your greening part of the bps payment, i cant remember the minimum ratios off hand

If you wanted to make contrators more efficient you could only grow 1/2 of a rotation in any 1 year, so ww,osr,spring barley, then ww,beans, winter barley next year. Keeps benefit of longer rotation, but tries to keep area of crop up as well