Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Where should I start??

Hi all,

I recently acquired a small farm in Southern Ontario, and was wondering what my best options are.

I have approx. 15 workable acres, which has grown ginseng in the past. I also have a 2 floor, 10,000 square foot barn, that is approx. 20 years old, and in great shape. It was used to grow poultry.

Should I rent the land out? Or should I hire somebody to plant corn? Or other ideas?

Also what should I do with the barn? I'd like to do something in there, just hoping for ideas.

Thanks.

Views: 759

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on January 24, 2012 at 1:50am
Permalink Reply by Tom Cox on January 27, 2012 at 3:31am

Congratulations on the new purchase.  Assuming that your land is reasonably productive you shouldn't have too much trouble finding someone interested in renting from you.  15 acres is a fairly small parcel but providing there is adequate access to the field from an adjoining road there will be quite a few takers. There are great variations in the prices being offered for rental land and often a sizable gap between what numbers get tossed around in the coffee shops and what is actually getting paid.  You could go to an established agri business -farm equipment dealer, fertilizer dealer and ask for a recommendation of who is reputable and does a good job.  A sign on the field would likely be enough to get you some offers but no assurance of the calibre of renter.  I'd want at least some cash upfront if I was renting it out.

If you decide to have it planted yourself you're likely looking at $500 in costs per acre vs. renting it out where you'll get $1-200 in income.  There is more upside to doing it yourself but you really need to find the right custom operator if that's where you head.

 

No clue on uses for an old chicken barn....do your kids like ball hockey ?  Stay away from pidgeons...

 

Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Teresa Ainslie on February 2, 2012 at 4:08am



T. Ainslie said:

I'm assuming you have an empty barn and all the chicken equipment except the fans and air inlet controllers has been removed. Otherwise you should get quota and raise broiler chickens :)

We have an old (empty) chicken barn too and removed part of the second floor to create a "cathedral ceiling" in one half and a storage loft in the other. Put a good set of stairs and railing up to the loft as opposed to a ladder so storage access is easier and safer. We have mainly hay and straw storage (small square bales) in the loft but also store lumber and household "overflow" up there because it is much dryer than our basement and cleaner than our driveshed. The high ceiling allows us to use the loader tractor to get heavy stuff in & out of the loft. A high ceiling also would make a suitable area for horses.

Taking down part of the ceiling got rid of a maze of support posts so now larger vehicles and equipment can move around easily. The 2nd floor had a 2 1/2 inch layer of concrete which was broken up and used to build a ramp ("barn bank" lol) in front of one of the barn's big doors and created a drive-through barn. If I were to make additional changes I would widen and raise the door at the high-ceilinged end of the barn to allow entry with a full haywagon. We are gradually exchanging many of the fans for windows so we don't have to use so many lights.

Check with your local building inspector before you do any changes to make sure the barn's structure will still support itself with part of the 2nd floor missing. You will also need an electrician to help you with the wiring that will have to be removed and rerouted. Propane or natural gas lines have to be capped safely too.

Hope that gives you some useful ideas....

Good luck!

 

Permalink Reply by Teresa Ainslie on February 2, 2012 at 4:11am



 

Permalink Reply by Teresa Ainslie on February 2, 2012 at 4:29am

The considerable lumber we got from the removal of part of the 2nd story of our old chicken barn was reused for various other building projects around the farm.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Canada Launches Carbon Market Working Group and Agriculture Watches for Opportunities

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have launched a new working group to explore greater cooperation among Canada's carbon markets, farmers and agricultural organizations may be watching closely for future opportunities.

Ag Canada Raises Durum Export Forecast; Lowers Ending Stocks

Agriculture Canada has reduced its forecast for Canadian durum ending stocks in 2026-27 amid stronger-than-expected exports, while raising its average price outlook. In its October supply-demand update released Tuesday, Ag Canada lowered projected durum ending stocks by 150,000 tonnes from September to 1.35 million, reflecting an upward revision in expected exports, partially offset by lower anticipated domestic use. Despite the reduction, ending stocks are still projected above the 1.102 million tonnes carried out of 2025-26 and the 512,000 tonnes remaining at the end of 2024-25. Ag Canada increased its 2026-27 durum export forecast by 250,000 tonnes to 5.3 million, down 9% from last year's record but 15% above the five-year average. Meanwhile, expected domestic feed, waste and dockage use was reduced by 100,000 tonnes to 433,000 tonnes, partly offsetting the impact of higher exports on ending stocks. Canadian durum exports have started the crop year strongly, with 787,000 ton

Higher Diesel Prices Put Further Squeeze on Canadian Farm Margins: FCC Report

Record-high diesel prices are putting additional pressure on Canadian farm profitability and transportation costs, with consumers potentially facing higher grocery bills later this year, according to a new report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). The FCC Economics report examines how elevated diesel prices are affecting Canada's agricultural supply chain, from farm production and livestock operations to transportation, food processing and retail. Using an assumed 80% increase in diesel prices from pre-Iran war levels, FCC estimates Saskatchewan grain producers could see crop margins reduced by $14 to $21/acre, depending on soil zone. That scenario compares diesel at $1.18/litre before the war with $2.13 this autumn. For a 5,000-acre farm, the additional fuel expense would range from $68,000 to $106,000. In Ontario, FCC estimated that an equivalent increase in diesel prices, from $1.28 to $2.30, could reduce corn and soybean margins by $16 to $30/acre, depending on crop and tillage s

Saskatchewan Harvest Virtually Now Complete

Mostly dry weather this past week pushed the 2026 Saskatchewan harvest to near completion. The weekly crop report on Thursday pegged the provincewide harvest at 97% complete as of Monday, up 4 points from the previous week and slightly behind 99% last year. Favourable weather allowed producers to make good progress, leaving only a small number of acres of later-seeded crops still standing, the report said. Harvest is furthest advanced in the southwest and west-central regions, where 99% of crops have been combined. The northern regions are 97% complete, followed by the east-central region at 96% and the southeast at 95%. Most major crops are now almost entirely harvested. Spring wheat, durum, barley, lentils and field peas are all 99% complete, while oats are 98% finished and canola is 96% done. The harvest of fall rye, winter wheat, triticale, mustard and chickpeas is complete. However, some later-maturing crops remain further behind, including flax at 88%, canary seed at 92%,

Understanding and Applying Canola Disease Diagnostic Results

Disease testing through Canola Diagnostic Services can confirm which diseases are present in a field, but knowing how to act on them can be challenging. The real value of diagnostic testing is understanding what those results mean and using that information to make informed management decisions to protect future canola crops. Blackleg and Verticillium In Manitoba Canola Growers’ Diagnostic Testing, blackleg and verticillium stripe results are combined into a single report. For each stem analyzed, the report indicates whether blackleg and verticillium stripe were detected. For verticillium stripe, the report includes an estimated DNA load and an infection category. DNA load reflects the amount of pathogen DNA detected in the sample and can vary depending on plant maturity at sampling. The infection category provides a general indication of disease presence, but it cannot be linked directly to yield loss as the relationship between infection and yield loss is still being researched.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service