Forage to cash

Owning and operating a farming operation can be one of the most rewarding challenges a person can have. As with everything in life, success leaves clues. Farmers who have found success in running a farming operation develops strategies for creating new marketing opportunities. This is just what one of Livingston County farmers has done for his operation. With crop prices down and rent prices up he was looking to maximize his acres for clear income not gross income.

This farmer wanted to convert some of his marginal and erodible crop ground back into forage based crops. He had experienced a good market in value added hay crops in alfalfa, and wheat straw. Over the past several years grain from his wheat crop has not brought him as much as his straw has this made him take notice. Livingston ANR offers the first 25 soil and or forage test free per producer. With these two simple tools being offered he has managed to make better decisions that has helped him covert marginal crop ground into cash forage crops.

This farmer continues to operate a successful row crop operation, which makes the most of his erodible and marginal ground for forage production. Over the past several years his forage operation has expanded from just alfalfa and wheat straw, to timothy and orchard grass production. His forage operation now has grown to be as big a part of his income as his row crop operation. With just two simple tools that U.K. Extension had to offer it has helped his operation in making informed decisions.