Hello all!
After a lot of looking and making offers on various pieces of land, we found what we were looking for in SW Virginia (about 35 miles south of Roanoke). The property is 32 acres and we moved into it last month. It has about 15 acres in three fields - planted with corn (for silage). The corn was collected/cut at the beginning of January by the farmer who was working with the previous owner - I am attaching a photo of what a field looks like now.
I would like to make horse quality hay. I have never done this before and don't even own a tractor.
While looking for a tractor I like and can afford and all necessary implements, I would like to spend a year or two having someone else spray, seed, fertilize etc. However, I would like to manage this process - pay per service - for example, pay someone $x to spray, pay someone $y to seed, pay someone $z to fertilize and then I have a friend with a baler who will help me bale in exchange for a cut in the finished hay bales. This way I have the time to get a tractor and all the implements and learn the ropes slowly but be fully involved in the process and hopefully learn something.
I went to our local Southern States and they quoted about $20/acre to spray the fields with an herbicide (got some weeds popping through). We got the soil tested through the local ag extension and the soils returned as productivity group 3, acidity 6.1-6.5 and needing potash and nitrogen.
Would someone be nice to explain what my steps are coming up? For example, should I get someone out to till the leftover corn cover in, in preparation for drilling in the seeds? Should I spray first and then fertilize and then seed? When do these steps each happen? My plan is to grow something that is "typical" here - like fescue and orchard mix.
I spoke with someone locally who offered to convert the fields from corn to good horse hay (all expenses included) for $500/acre and manage the process from beginning to end. In addition to defeating the purpose of me being involved and learning, I find that to be on the high end. But, what do I know (hence I am here asking!).
Thank you for any words of wisdom. (Oh yeah, don't tell me not to make my own hay, that ship has sailed...)
Attached Thumbnails
Corn fields to hay fields
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