Farm Progress

Despite investments that improved the land, we may not be operating field next year.

Kyle Stackhouse 2

October 13, 2017

2 Min Read
Dean_Fikar/ThinkstockPhotos

Looming over harvest this year is the potential sale of a farm by a landlord.

We take pride in maintaining long-term relationships. A lot of time and effort has gone into improving the productivity of the field. Although I have been farming that field since 2005, there is a strong possibility that it will come to an end. At this time, consideration for purchasing the field is low. 

On the bright side, I was offered to bid on 115 acres (to rent) which is very close to home and adjoining other property we farm. Unfortunately, it is about two-thirds flood plain. To make it even more difficult, the flood plain land is high organic muck/peat soils.

Though the farm is system drained, we have seen several excavators and various recovery equipment sent out to retrieve sprayers, tractors and combines.

I declined the opportunity. The farm simply wouldn’t fit into our operation.

Slight disappointment was added to the situation as we heard an area farmer has retired and rented out his land as well. I say only slight because we don’t really know him, nor do we frequent the coffee shops to keep up on community happenings. It is my hope that when someone decides to rent land they would contact us. However, over the years, I have learned that if someone has already made up their mind who they want to rent to, there is no point in getting involved. They are often happy whether or not the rental rate is competitive with the market.

So, as harvest continues I have asked the local farm paper to re-insert my land wanted ad and run it for a couple months. Seldom do good leads come from running the ad, but it really only takes one nibble, once in a while, to be worthwhile. I have bought and rented farms from the land wanted ads.

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.

 

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