# Starting Farmer



## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

Hello, I am from Western Kansas and currently live on my family 2000 acre crop farm. I am interested in started a custom hay swathing/baling business. I might have an opportunity to rent out ~300 of flood irrigated ground. I was thinking I would plant alfalfa on that but i have no idea. I have never had any haying experience and would like to start with a loan of ~$50,000. I have a 200 hp tractor i could use that doesn't have a loader on it. Any help would be appreciated. Also, not at all interested in the livestock end of haying.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Loads of experience on this site for you, unfortunately I know very little about alfalfa, but if you need me to come up and collect soil samples in the coming weeks I will....p.s. can I bring my rifle?


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

Also, if it helps, the tractor is a 9690 agco allis tractor. I was mostly wondering what kind of swather to use, pull type or self propelled. What year/make of baler to use, and information regarding flood irrigation


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Guess not?


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

To rent and farm 300 acres of alfalfa you will need more then just your 200 hp tractor. What you need to do is find out what kind of alfalfa bales are mostly baled and sold in your area. Your tractor could put a large square fairly well, but those are pricey to buy new or used. 300 acres would be a lot of little bales to bale and stack if you went that route. For anything,but large squares your tractor is too large.

As for the flood irrigation. Do you have enough water to flood irrigate? Flood irrigating 300 acres plus harvesting hay sounds like a lot of work. I'm certain you would have to hire some help. Do you also help on your family's farm?


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## justbad7 (Oct 2, 2013)

I help a lot on my families farm. I have my grandpa that could help with some of it, also my dad if i need him but he is terribly busy at Aeroswint. In my area, round bales are the usual thing baled around here. As it turns out, the irrigated ground is not available for rent until next year. I was now wondering if i could make a small business of just custom work


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