How to start Row Crop operation without MILLIONS

I was reading comments when a viewer asked "What equipment do you need to get into row crop"

I thought that I would be fun to make a video talking about my thoughts on how to get into row crop from nothing!

These are just my options, Let me know what you would have chosen in the comment section below.

#hypothetical #FakeSpending

iowANFarmer, Ben Van Roekel, is a 2nd generation farmer in southern Iowa. His goal on YouTube is to showcase what young farmers have to offer to the agricultural community. He hopes to give the general public a glimpse into what life is like on an American corn, soybean, and hay operation. The channel will focus on farming equipment, repairs, precision ag, and daily operations on the farm. Join him in his daily trials and tribulations in the changing agricultural environment.

Instagram: _iowANFarmer_

[BriansFarmingVideos]

Was just thinking about this topic for a video the other day lol

[onealfarms]

I started farming doing hay on shares when I was 18 years old it started around 44 acres and with in 2 years it went to 380 acres it went down and back up though the years now 35 years later I farm 80 head of cattle and haying around 200 this year I doing silage for the first time it takes years to collect your equipment without going broke around here not much land to farm left with all the housing going up thanks for your time to help others

[payne]

You're right about a combine. I'm a custom cutter and I have ceased operations for someone who went and bought an old worn down high hour machine. Not only are they paying to fix the issues they encounter, but they are also losing crop in the field. On top of all of this!!!! A combine is a very advanced machine that many farmer's don't understand and send to the dealership to fix. This can stack up especially with dealership prices. Trust me when I say my rates are good for you. I have been doing this for 43 years and I assure you the rates of a custom cutter are much better than going out and investing in a combine to run 300-700 acres. Past that point is when I believe it is viable to invest into a well maintained ~5 year old class 5 or 6 combine. Once you have invested you need to read that operating manual at least five times and be able to understand everything that machine throws at you. You must service the machine well. You must know how to set the machine. Don't just set the combine for a crop once a season... Stepping into combines in the ag industry is one of the most confusing things for a new farmer and I suggest it be the last thing that you purchase. You also have to know how to spec a combine for what it will be doing in your environment. I think you pretty much nailed this video down very well!!! PS: I am leaving this comment for the viewers who are actually considering starting a row crop operation, not for the farmers already at it.

[kevindircksen]

It kind of depends on the area you're located in as well. In our area, the big farmers keep getting bigger and the small farms keep fading away. The only way a young guy or new farmer can get a chance to buy any land is if the current owner passes away and has no children. There is alot of "old money" in this area. Land purchase will rack you $12, 000- $16, 000/acre, rent will rack you $300-$400/acre. Big guys snatch up all the ground before you even know that it was available. There's not much in the way of cheap used machinery, most guys have all or mostly new equipment. It's really tough to get started and keep it going, but this is where my roots are and I'll keep fighting the fight. Farming is a good life, but there's no halfway, you're either all in or all out.

[TheRealJesseStoltzfus]

I’m starting my own this year in honest. I did some last year. I bought a wore out planter last year and redid it how I wanted, splurging a little, but it is well set up for the future. I also bought a tractor here last week, that is arguably bigger than I need, but I’m planning on it being my only one for a while, and it is big enough to do everything I need it to do, in this present time, and allowing me future room to grow into it and not scramble for something bigger when it comes time.

[gravellanefarmshop]

It's getting late in the evening, but I wanted to again tell you this a good video. Thank you for explaining al that stuff. And thankyou for identifying that fun planter you showed planting the fun plot.   and....  I been reading some of these comments.... maybe some ideas...   it's all good.     nose to the grind stone - full speed ahead !!!

[garyburgmylifeandtimes]

Your fellow Iowan farmer, ColetheCornstar, did a great break down of farmer cost for 2018 with very valid number and assumptions. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in farming check that out. Farming is a very expensive career and I take my hat off to all those would work the land to make a living. My mother is a farmer’s daughter and I have spent many a day working on a farm in my younger years from bailing hay to walking beans back in the day. It is sad to see that the number of farmers has decreased over the years and the small time farmer is just about a thing of the past. Big time operations are just about the only way farming operations make money. I wish the best to anyone willing to take that risk, God be with you.

[fishingreportswithscotts]

Another great video. Simple but informative. Thanks.

[michaelstark]

When I was 28 years old and farming I didn’t posses your knowledge and the only down force on our planter was gravity and seed in the hopper. If it plugged a row we found out when it didn’t come up, you were the monitor.

[dirtthunder]

Jump in the "Way Back Machine" with me to 1982. I was 12 years old. My dad with my budding interest in farming ability to fix things decided to go from a 165 acer hobby farm to 970 acer cattle/row crop farming operation. Of this acreage 550 was row crop. At that time our one and only tractor was 43hp. We soon bought a G950 MM for $10k, a 14ft disk for $600, a 16ft. field cultivator, and a 12ft grain drill. The first year we planted all 550 to soybeans. We had our spraying and harvesting all done custom. We added 3 more tractors between 1983/84. All were used and auction perches and were well below market value do to the poor farm economy at the time. In 1985 we added a used 545 Oliver combine on a parcel trade and a 16ft grain truck. We also moved up to a 28ft disk that we had to replace the front blades on before it went too the field $475. We also picked up a 5 bottom plow with only 450 acer on it for $370 and a 15 shank chisel plow for $775 that need a spindle on one wheel replaced. We also bought a 500 gal. sprayer for $150 that we had to totally had to be rebuilt. We also had hay equipment and over 70 head of cattle. We sold some ground in 1989 and went down to 360 acres and by 1993 we were out of farming all together and over $150k in debt.... And Dad never quit his day job through it all, but I missed a lot of school and graduated two years behind my class.

[briskibriski]

Great job on this video Ben, very informative!!

[michaelstark]

Great job as always, you are growing into your role model position well.

[Reeclaimed]

Super informative for a noob that wants to get into farming. Thank you kind sir 🙏🏼🙌🏼

[jamieshields]

Great vid👍know your tractors prices as Magnum is most selling tractor in Australia n you get cheaper then Puma. Hydraulic flow, weight, match equipment like ft=hp, make sure check specs n weather your tractor could be upgraded like fitting loader, GPS etc. if comparing CaseIH with others like McCormick, Claas as they share FPT engine n maybe transmission. In end we went McCormick for basic livestock tractor but still pull 18t chaser bin, spray, sow but if time is money then Magnum 215 like we have does everything with ease although hay feeder cart is overkill n loader on this tractor is awkward for size. Last thing McCormick hp/weight not ideal for tramlines when matching equipment size.

[ldtenenoff]

yup i had watched mr. brocks video earlier. i was stuned at wat was lft in the bucket, good vid man i enjoy urs the one with ur buddy goat farmin was cool

[tfisadog]

Excellent video You reaffirmed a few things I just did buying a new tractor. Research. But also Go drive it. play with it put it to work if you can. Not every tractor is suited for every person regardless of brand. I am the guy that the equipment will dye on my Hobby farm.

[tiger]

My dad had a hobby farm for 12 years. Quit because of bad wheat pretty much every year. He enjoyed it though

[Ryled]

I have acreage willed to me. I have a tractor but don't know a 1st crop I can start with that I don't need 10 attachments. Like hay. U need lots of attachments.

[jacksonstanfill]

I’d change one thing, instead of buying the semi setup and sprayer is I’d buy is a 6620 range combine and 1 or 2 gravity wagons

[davecronise]

Another informative video. Thanks Ben n Bandit. Did you add Annapolis Maryland to your map? Lol.