[Tricky1549]

Hi, my family just inherited 100 acres in Pa. 70 farmland , 30 treed and figuring what to do with it. Are there any profitable livestock/crops etc. to raise that are trending higher use? Thanks for any guidance.

[Wondergirl]

Do you and your family have any farming experience? Do you live nearby this acreage?

[joypulv]

Renting to farmers is common where I am in rural CT. But we are more crowded than you are. I would explore that first.

Hay is a common crop, as is corn (different kinds for cows, people, ethanol).
Organic crops are the darling of good restaurants and fancy grocers.
You could grow walnut trees for the high price walnut gets for woodworking. It's good to mix in other species, such as maple, birch, ash, etc., for furniture.
But you wait 40 years for that cash crop!
You could raise bees, which are in huge decline for 'unknown' reasons, but probably pesticides and herbicides. We humans and other animals can't even survive without bees.
You could talk to Amish farmers around the area, if you are near any. If they don't know, no one does.

Contact the nearest state ag station to you. There are always good people at them who will advise. Your tax dollars pay their salaries. You could bring in some soil samples when you go. Or buy a good pH tester anyway, for future use.

Keep in mind that anything you do on your own will take enormous startup costs. As for livestock - forget it. How much can you afford to do this? There is no profit in farming for the first 'many' years of acquiring equipment, buildings.

[Tricky1549]

Do you and your family have any farming experience? Do you live nearby this acreage?

No to farming in the family and about two hours to the property for the closest family member. I live in Wall NJ. And pass an Alpaca farm daily and see the Alpaca running around and have delusions of becoming a farmer or doing something of sort and making a go of the land. I know it's far fetched but would like to keep it in the family.

[Wondergirl]

No to farming in the family and about two hours to the property for the closest family member. I live in Wall NJ. And pass an Alpaca farm daily and see the Alpaca running around and have delusions of becoming a farmer or doing something of sort and making a go of the land. I know it's far fetched but would like to keep it in the family.

Would any family members be willing to move to the farm? What buildings are on it and what condition are they in?

[Tricky1549]

Would any family members be willing to move to the farm? What buildings are on it and what condition are they in?

There is a home on the property and that's it now. My nephew is looking to move to the area. We have seventy thousand dollars to start with.

[Tricky1549]

Would any family members be willing to move to the farm? What buildings are on it and what condition are they in?

There is a home on the property and that's it now. My nephew is looking to move to the area. We have seventy thousand dollars to start with.

[Fr_Chuck]

No, this is a job, and it will require hours of daily work. So this is not something to play with, do part time and so on. This is no "up trend" well there may be today and by the time the crops come in or you sell the live stock, it is down.

The difference between a grade and a B grade hog may be the difference in profit or loss. You could expand live stock to 300 or 400 hogs and grow the feed for them on the farm, But you need to know how to fix a tractor when it breaks down, you need to know how to get medication to the hogs (or any animal as that goes) and so on.

The most profit, rent the land or the entire farm to someone who really wants to farm.