Re: How can you get into farming with these kind of land values?

Posted by CBBC on April 13, 2018 at 20:43:54 from (98.158.90.229):

In Reply to: How can you get into farming with these kind of land values? posted by BrianV_ on April 13, 2018 at 18:55:18:

Hey Brian.
I'm on the west side of the country. Prices for Ag
land in the Metro Vancouver area which is
Richmond ( where I'm from and my parents farm
still is ) all the way out to Chilliwack, this is all the
called the Lower Fraser Valley. Land prices range
from $80,000 to 150,000 per acre ... so your 30,000
looks pretty good. Our costs are fuelled largely by
off shore investment. You don't grow soy or corn
here unless its feed for your dairy.
Not a bad thing if you want to retire but bad if you
want to start farming or expand.

I actually live on Vancouver Island and come over
for 2-3 days a week to keep things rolling at our
main farm. My farm is smaller, 45 acres vs 80 at my
parent place. We are Cranberry Farmers ... so it is a
specialty crop... however as of late our industry is
now basically a commodity with prices flat to
declining.

That's my background. The reason I moved to the
island was economics.... 15 years ago the price was
80,000 / acre on the mainland and I could buy on
the island for 4,500. Yes it's a bit of transportation...
but even with high fuel prices it's still cheaper and
now my land is worth significantly more.

My advice is look a little further away. You're still in
southern Ont and the price will keep going up.
Farming doesn't often make economic sense. You
will work for little but gain alifestyle. You run your
own business so you probably will understand that
part of what you do.... but margins will be tighter. If
you have $100 in the till maybe $3-10 will really be
yours. Don't be surprised by this.

Having said that, I would say stick to small scale
high value crops. Look to the farmers markets. They
are already being over run with salad greens and
tomatoes and corn... look for other weird things that
you don't see at the markets.

Keep the beef on a small scale, maybe look to lamb
and goats and a couple litters of wieners a year.
For veg look to the shoulder season ... early or late
and take off the middle of the summer.... sort of
anyway.

As Bruce said the surest way to get into farming is
marrying an only child farmers daughter ... or to
make a million dollars is start with two million. Likely
neither option will work for you so just be prepared
to work a lot and hopefully your wife doesn't get too
mad.

Good luck. Grant.

• Yellow Point Cranberries

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