how many acres will i need to be sustainable?

[Bossfarmer]

Ooft surely not that much

 

[Sonoftheheir]

I'll ask again, what is your brothers thoughts on expansion? Maybe you could buy him out if he's not as interested as you?

 

[Bossfarmer]

So you do know then? You should measure the size of your grain trailer, find out the specific weight of your barley and work out what is on each one. Earlier you said you get 2t/ac and when you count trailers you get 3? Surely to goodness after a couple of years of this you would work out that there is less in the trailer than the manufacturer claims and revise your numbers down appropriately?

This year the grain was spilling over the lorry to get the weight last year it was a bit away from the top so that shows trailer test would be inaccurate, best and only option imo is tons sold divided by acres sown

 

[Bossfarmer]

I'll ask again, what is your brothers thoughts on expansion? Maybe you could buy him out if he's not as interested as you?

Hes keen to push on too

 

[Bossfarmer]

Hes keen to push on too

Couldnever afford to pay him out anyway

 

[Spud]

When i count the trailers i end up near 3 t/acre so i dont trust it i go by the loads sold on the lorry and exact weights, i know it affects it being undersown but not a huge amount when im taking it out of an av over the 500 acres

But is the 60ac pulling the rest down badly? Does it stack up on its own? Does the rotation need adjusting? Do you need that grass, or could silage be bought and a potentially loss making crop turn a profit? Sounds like you need a simple yield meter fitting to the combine, if you can't measure it, you cant manage it. Small tweaks.

 

[Spud]

This year the grain was spilling over the lorry to get the weight last year it was a bit away from the top so that shows trailer test would be inaccurate, best and only option imo is tons sold divided by acres sown

Were the wagons the same size?

 

[DrWazzock]

The loss of a ton per acre of a low input spring barley crop is offset by having a fresh new ley available straight after harvest time.

Do you have an agronomist or fertiliser adviser?

Could be money well spent. Sorry if this has already been answered.

 

[Andrew1983]

So you do know then? You should measure the size of your grain trailer, find out the specific weight of your barley and work out what is on each one. Earlier you said you get 2t/ac and when you count trailers you get 3? Surely to goodness after a couple of years of this you would work out that there is less in the trailer than the manufacturer claims and revise your numbers down appropriately?

Mars bar says it's a marshal trailer!

Is it light land? We struggle in a dry year on about 200 acres at home to do 2 ton. Just burns up. Same with grass 2nd cuts don't always happen.

 

[ridger]

I currently undersow 60 acres of my spring barley with grass could this be affecting my average yields by much?

Can't grow 2 crops, grow good crop of barley and then grass when barley is off

 

[ridger]

There is a farmer here who sells a site each year to keep the show up, don't be like that if it doesn't work, rent it out and take the money for no work

 

[Bossfarmer]

yes the wagons were the same size I think the grain was lighter last year due to heavy rainfall here all summer and low sunlight levels, how accurate is a combine yield meter tho because its overall av yield I need and also at a low moisture level

 

[Bossfarmer]

most my barley was dried down to 14% last year

 

[Frodo]

The Scottish average Spring barley yield is around 2.38 tonnes / acre. Given that some genuinely do get close or over 3 tonnes, there will be plenty only yielding 2.

Easiest way to increase it is move farm.

 

[Bossfarmer]

The Scottish average Spring barley yield is around 2.38 tonnes / acre. Given that some genuinely do get close or over 3 tonnes, there will be plenty only yielding 2.

Easiest way to increase it is move farm.

Dont see many sizeable units on the market so thats unlikely

 

[Frodo]

Hopefully this link will work.

http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Cereal-yields-lower-than-expected-207b.aspx

5.9 tonnes/hectare is 2.39 tonnes/acre.

 

[Bossfarmer]

would putting the fert down the spout using a combined fert/seed drill result in much yield improvement? this is one option I am considering as we currently put the fert on once the tramlines are showing

 

[deutz.agrostar]

would putting the fert down the spout using a combined fert/seed drill result in much yield improvement? this is one option I am considering as we currently put the fert on once the tramlines are showing

What drill(s) do you currently run and how many acres do you aim to drill per day?

 

[Bossfarmer]

An old reco sulky usually 30-40 a day

 

[the great omnishambles]

If you define yourself as a grower of commodity arable crops then indeed the temptation to feel you need to expand is strong. If you define yourself as the owner of multi million pound land based asset base on which you have the option of borrowing against and making a return on then the possibilities are endless. I feel you have put too many constraints over the options you would consider and as others have suggested get a neutral third party to look at the farm/location and many more options will be available. You are taking a risk by maintaining the status quo. Sometimes you need a bit of revolution as well as evolution - but that is as much determined by your personality and attitude to risk as to the business opportunities available. Free yourself to dream a little