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SW “Ohia” | I am not going to make any claims, but it would take a pretty hard hit to throw me in the red. The ground I farm is far from the best, so it doesn't commend best price. The reduction I take in yield is more than made up for by the inexpensive access.
My goal is service as a tenant. Keep the ditches mowed, bale the waterways, provide yearly soil tests, talk to the landowners monthly (at minimum), gravel all entrances/low areas to prevent mud on road or ruts from developing, no removal of trees or out-of-field earthwork without landlord visual approval, surface ditch everything, keep the fields weed-free, disc the landowners garden in the spring, etc. My pocketbook isn't thick, but I like to think I somewhat make up for that by focusing on what the landowner wants out of our relationship other than cash. Having lots of small field means lots of road time and many different landlords to juggle, but I don't mind at all.
This region is somewhat odd compared to elsewhere I have traveled. This area is Ohio river valley, so as I said before, big fields are rare. They always go to a handful of BTO's, so everyone else scrabbles for the small stuff. It is crazy how bad the politics can get over a seven acre patch of swamp ground. High prices had the bigger guys going after my choice ground, but I think that will back off when they get tired of off-roading the combine just to run for 10 minutes.
I wouldn't say my input costs are lower than anyone else, more in line with the market. When I first started, my seed rep took the time to explain many things that were obvious to someone who had grain farmed before. Many questions I look back on now as ignorant, but no one in the family had grain farmed since the 1970's. For that effort on his part, and the excellent customer service I receive, I buy seed solely from him. He knows this, and we do business yearly with a good relationship. I have talked to other local seed dealers, and most scoff at a small acreage guy like me and act like there was no way I could have started from scratch and am simply darkening their doorway as a waste of time. Been told I need to pay in cash, because a young guy they have never heard of can't be ready to lay down money for inputs in the spring and the check will bounce. Could I buy seed elsewhere, cheaper? Maybe, but ruining a relationship like that is not worth the extra dollars to me. Just my way of doing business I guess. | |
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Southern Illinois Landsale
