By Ron Stock

Land is still selling strong post-election, and slightly lower prices experienced earlier in the fall are leveling off. Marketing time for a farm right now is about two months, depending on the area. This month, all the representative sales are courtesy of BigIron Realty.

Nebraska

Merrick County. A total of 160.46 acres sold at an online auction for $802,300, or $5,000 per acre. This farm is a quarter section that is a combination of dry crop ground and partially pivot irrigated. The east side of the farm has a Model 2065 Reinke pivot with drop nozzles, purchased new by the seller in 2004. There are 64.82 acres of certified irrigated land, according to the Central Platte Natural Resources District. The corners on the east half are being farmed as dryland. The west half has 73.41 acres of dryland crop ground. There is a 6-acre pasture portion in the northwest corner. There are six wells on the property, and four of those are currently being used for irrigation. Water is pumped to the pivot point with a John Deere four-cylinder diesel power unit. The farm is located on a well-maintained gravel road, close to blacktop and local markets.

Kansas

Pratt County. A total of 157.12 acres sold at an online auction for $298,528, or $1,900 per acre. This farm is located about 8 miles north of Pratt, Kan. It has income from the Conservation Reserve Program, crop production and a unitized oil interest. Of the total acreage, 154.08 acres are cropland, with 2.76 acres in a tree grove and 0.28 acre of waste. The 154.08 acres of cropland is divided between 76.93 acres of CRP on the north and 73.63 acres of cultivated acres on the south. A 3.52-acre buffer strip borders the cultivated acres on the east, south and west sides. Soils are 86.9% Hayes loamy and fine sandy loams with 13.1% prime Solvay loamy fine sand. The 76.93 acres of CRP pays $40.17 per acre, or $3,090 per year. The CRP contract matures on Sept. 30, 2031.

Related:Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference will inspire ag leaders

Reno County. A total of 158.40 acres sold at an online auction for $712,800, or $4,500 per acre. This farm is one of the best located and productive cropland quarters in Reno County, Kan. What a great quarter to add to any operation. The Central Prairie Coop, Agronomy Center, is immediately across Nickerson Road to the west. The travel distance is 6 miles south to Partridge, 6 miles north to Nickerson or 6 miles east to Hutchinson. It has 156.67 acres of tillable cropland. Soils are 85.4% “prime” Class 2 and 14.6% soils of “statewide importance,” according to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The “prime” soil is highly productive Taver silt loam, 0%-3% slope. Grain sorghum was planted for harvest in 2024. It has a Farm Service Agency wheat base of 152.81 acres with a 48-bushel FSA payment yield.  An oil well on the property pumped 206 barrels in 2023. The buyer received the sellers’ 0.04166670 share.

Related:Finding surefire carbon strategies for High Plains land

Stock is co-founder of BigIron Auctions and Realty with his brother Mark. Based in Columbus, Neb., BigIron, a licensed real estate broker in eight states, compiles the reports each month for this column. However, not all sales are handled by BigIron each month. For more information, call BigIron at 800-887-8625.