Any other hidden costs.
Thinking of getting into cereal crops. Anyone got a breakdown including contractor costs
- Thread starter Seth470
- Start date
- Location
- East meath/dublin
Ten acres will neither make nor break you but there is no reason you should not do the work yourself . A 3 furrow reversible shouldnt trouble the 844 and older kit for a small acreage can be bought for handy enough money. True you have to buy the gear but unlike a contractor who has to be paid every year you only have to buy the gear once if you mind it . Anyway part of the joy of farming is doing your own work . Plenty of good well qualified people on here for crop and spray advice.
Go for it and good luck remember every barley baron had to start somewhere !!!
For 10 acres I'd get someone nearby to grow the crop on a 'stubble to stubble' agreement. Trust me, they'll be happy to do it at a loss, as in their head (tumbleweed emoji) it will 'help justify their machinery budget'.
That would be the easiest way in to (and out of) arable without forking out a lot of capital on kit that will taunt you for the 364 days of year you're not using it, and cursing the space it takes up and the cost of it's depreciation and parts.
After you've done the sums at the end of the year, I'd be surprised if it wasn't considerably cheaper to buy in the straw and feed barley from the same nearby contractor, i.e. cheaper than the cost of production.
It will save you the ball ache of having to jump through lots of regulatory hoops, and it will remove the considerable risk from crap weather and disease and whatever else contrives to banjax the crop before it's safely in the barn.
That would be the easiest way in to (and out of) arable without forking out a lot of capital on kit that will taunt you for the 364 days of year you're not using it, and cursing the space it takes up and the cost of it's depreciation and parts.
After you've done the sums at the end of the year, I'd be surprised if it wasn't considerably cheaper to buy in the straw and feed barley from the same nearby contractor, i.e. cheaper than the cost of production.
It will save you the ball ache of having to jump through lots of regulatory hoops, and it will remove the considerable risk from crap weather and disease and whatever else contrives to banjax the crop before it's safely in the barn.
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What’s best implement to make a good seed bed on a budget.
- Location
- Dorset/Wilts
Soil analysis might show need for other things.
Might need to dry it, but I'm sure your good natured local contractor will clear it up on a lovely sunny weekday afternoon at about 12%
- Location
- East meath/dublin
Power harrow if you are on heavy land , lighter land a tine cultivator will do the job @grainboy will have all you need on a budget !
Let’s not overlook rotational benefits for say tidying up a weed burden etc. I think if he costs his time fully it won’t be worth it but as others have said buying a 3furr rev plough, spring tines, Mf drill is cheap as chips and I assume he has rollers, sprayer, spreader,baler etc for the grass so only need to pay for combining.
Ye that’s what I most likely do.
120£ per t. But you will need to sell to a farmer as you won’t be assured...
About £125 / ton in FW ATM.
Any merchants in your area ? Wynnstay etc ?
Will you be selling the grain to livestock farmers ?
Straw..... never broken the £80 / ton glass ceiling here. There's always a reason why it's on the floor. Fantastic high yielding crops this year......yet at standing straw auctions it's " Very poor crops this year ".......
As said you can buy it in at below COP, so why bother growing it ?
Any merchants in your area ? Wynnstay etc ?
Will you be selling the grain to livestock farmers ?
Straw..... never broken the £80 / ton glass ceiling here. There's always a reason why it's on the floor. Fantastic high yielding crops this year......yet at standing straw auctions it's " Very poor crops this year ".......
As said you can buy it in at below COP, so why bother growing it ?
How do I get assured ?
Wynnstay.About £125 / ton in FW ATM.
Any merchants in your area ? Wynnstay etc ?
Will you be selling the grain to livestock farmers ?
Straw..... never broken the £80 / ton glass ceiling here. There's always a reason why it's on the floor. Fantastic high yielding crops this year......yet at standing straw auctions it's " Very poor crops this year ".......
As said you'll buy it in at below COP, so why bother growing it ?
depends if I find someone.
So on 10acs
you don’t it’s not worth it
Wynnstay won't take non assured grain. With only 10 acres, that's only going to be 30-40 ton, so you'll really have to sell it direct to livestock farmers
who aren't fussed about it being assured.
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
As someone who has grown about 25 acres of cereals (feed wheat) for the last 20 years, don't bother, it's just not worth it. Even if you do only need a contractor for combining, you will be a the back of their queue. you can't bale it until you have combined it and you can't drill your next crop (grass?) til baled. A lot of contractors wouldn't turn up for 10 acres. As others have said, it is not worth doing farm assurance and as most livestock farmers are farm assured they need to buy farm assured grain. If you want if for rotational reasons I'd look at an alternative forage crop.
Do farm assured farmers need to feed farm assured grain?!?