Where would you go?

[farmaholic]

Marusko, the current are haying them.

I like Agstar's answer

[makar]

I can get 2000 an acre for as poor a soil as you can find, no chance in hell to make it unless you can afford to burn money, dont come here with no cash and start cutting bush, we here all did but times now are different, second farm i cleared in 1990 diesel was eight cents, last piece was hundred a acre for fuel just to get it the root harrow stage.

[Marusko]

This dont sound like peace country im farming in, sure as hell still waiting for the global warming thing to kick in.

Yeah, and here in north-central AB, I'd say we've been having Peace country falls! cool, snowy/rainy for 3 years. Drying 50-80% of the crop, whereas before then, never touched a dryer.

[poorboy]

I would suggest he/she buy a small acreage close to a major city. Get a good trade that will always be in demand such as plumber or auto body shop guy. Raise organic or market garden type stuff to market direct to the big city or raise small dogs, huge demand for them. Make sure there are lots of buildings and people in the area, so that you will have enough support for a plumbing business or auto repair business.

Use the proceeds from your trade to buy land as it comes up for sale. Good part of this is that you can often schedule your work to fit a farms harvest or calving schedule. Carpenter is also a good business.

I doubt that anyone could start farming totally from scratch in Canada right now with limited capital and not struggle for years to move ahead financially. Much faster path and more financial stable route is with a trade or very good off farm job.

[WiltonRanch]

Yeah, and here in north-central AB, I'd say we've been having Peace country falls! cool, snowy/rainy for 3 years. Drying 50-80% of the crop, whereas before then, never touched a dryer.

Same here in nw sask except every farm seems to have an old batch dryer sitting in the bush from times of the past. Apparently in the 70’s they dried everything for a spell. Went for a long spell of getting dryer until the 02’ drought then it’s gradually gotten wetter with these cold wet crap harvests but dad talks about these types of periods when he was a young man. Land was reasonable considering the economic activity around here. However ground is absolutely nuts now. It’s priced like Alberta now.

[malleefarmer]

Seems to me after my years on agriville and my visits since 1983 to canada mixed farming is rare.

Only ever been to montana and a bit of sd and nd mixed farming is a bit more common but still nothing like it is here in australia.

"ley farming" if you know what that the term, is really making a comeback on strength of wool and sheep lamb prices.

basically crop pasture crop pasture

reduces risk somewhat but may miss out on "big" crop years

[farmaholic]

Mallee, every farm in the beginning was mixed...had to be...horses, cattle, pigs and chickens. But it has gone from being necessary to what alot of people would look at as a burden. Our farm was mixed for over 100 years. People made use of everything Mother Nature provided, roadside(ditch) hay, slough hay, pasture land, grainland...seems nothing was wasted.

[Taiga]

It is tough to do it all nowadays on a commercial scale. The never ending equipment needs and costs and replacement are so cost prohibitive to be efficient at it all as funds need to be prioritized.

Grain: seeding, harvesting, handling, storage, transport

Livestock: feed, base herd cost, veterinary, handling, transport

Hay: equipment, maintenance, handling, weather

I realize for the weekend warrior or hobbyist the equipment required can be less a concern, but for a full time farm to support a family it is different. She’s a tough farming environment, without land appreciation for there to be an end game it is hard to justify farming financially beyond the lifestyle.

[bigzee]

I would just like to farm flat ground and no rocks. Heard the Red River Valley offers that!!

[makar]

There is several parcels in gordondale ab to be auctioned off which may go relatively reasonable for someone looking to start out, look at weaver auctions. Bigzee this is not for you.