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| Is there even a market for custom farming? The "if you buy it, they will come" idea doesn't work so well any more.
I assume Canada is like the USA. There is such a good supply of every type of used equipment that everyone buys what they need. I did a lot of custom big square baling 15-20 years ago when I was paying for a baler. It was good then, but would be nearly impossible now. Today, everyone, no matter how small a patch of hay they have, has their own round baler. Heck, I hate round bales and don't make very many, but I own my own round baler because I paid for it in two years on custom charges. Row crops are even worse; combines and planters are so cheap relative to custom charges, it takes a very special case for someone not to own what they need. Face it, most small farmers farm because they like running equipment. Hiring it done negates that. Right now, about the only real custom market I see is cover crop seeding, but I'm sure history will repeat itself and that will dry up before long.
The only place where custom farming shines is when you find the old guy that is not quite ready to retire and wants to try to have his ground custom farmed for a few years...Then you strike pay dirt! The odds of finding that guy is just slightly better than winning the lottery! | |
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Getting into custom farming
