“Purple mountains majesty and amber waves of grain…” As the great lyrics from the song America the Beautiful describe, there isn’t much that contributes to the beauty and pride of our great country than the sprawling miles of cattle ranches and farmland that produce the food we survive on. And there aren’t many people in our great country who do more to contribute to our thriving way of life than the farmers and ranchers who work that land and livestock.
Are you looking for ranch farm land for sale? Or are you considering listing your own ranch farm land for sale? Whether you are interested in ranch farm land for sale to build your own private homestead that you can live off of, or if you are aspiring to create a business out of it, your first step is securing the land. If you are new to the agricultural industry, you might feel intimidated about how to get started. Before you get started looking at ranch farm land for sale, here are some things you should keep in mind:
- Start small and scale up as you learn the ropes.
There’s a good chance the saying, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew!” was created for new farmers and cattlemen. There are a lot of details involved in growing crops and livestock. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll do it all poorly. It’s better to start with a small, manageable plot of land or heard, and do it great. After you get confident in what you’re doing, you’ll be able to gradually grow into a full scale operation.
What does this mean for people looking at ranch farm land for sale? Maybe it’s a good idea to buy a smaller plot of land to start with, and lease more land as your operation expands. Over half of farms and ranches are at least partially run on leased and rented land. This alleviates the burden of big mortgage payments while the farmers and ranchers are gearing up. - Manage your risk.
It’s a sad truth that there are so many factors that impact the success of agricultural owners that they have no control over. Too much rain, not enough rain, pests and disease, and even the actions of other human can all have a devastating impact on your crops and livestock. In order to survive as a farmer or rancher, you must be prepared to survive a couple years at a time on a deficit.
Most successful farmers and ranchers pull this off by diversifying their crops and livestock, so that a single factor won’t destroy them. It’s also important to have good financial management skills. When you have several good years in a row, make sure to set aside some money to get by during times that aren’t so good. It’s a feast or famine lifestyle, but with a little know-how, you can be successful working the land. - Never stop learning.
Even a sage old farmer still has things to learn. Through education and experience, you’ll learn how to adapt when the circumstances aren’t favorable. You’ll figure out how to take quick action to mitigate damage in an unexpected turn of events. You’ll figure out how and when to expend time, resources, and energy on your land to get the greatest outcome, since there are never enough hours in a day to do everything. As long as you always approach your land with a student’s heart, eager to learn new things, you’ll always be able to grow and improve your operations. - Plan and plan some more.
As a new farmer or rancher, your best chance to thrive will come through having a defined road map. As we mentioned, there are a lot of unknowns in the agricultural industry, but if you have a good idea of the milestones you need to hit by defined times, you’ll have a good chance of reaching your ultimate goal in the end.
If you are considering purchasing a farm or ranch, we salute you. The life you’ve chosen is rewarding and critical; our great country wouldn’t survive without you. Following these steps while developing your operation will give you the best chance of success.
