Got a Wild idea brewing! Opinions needed

[Terrific_tom]

Jordan seeing that you have 10 acres only 3 miles from heavy populated area I have a suggestion, Put yourself a 40 unit storage building. In most cases it takes 4 to 5 years to pay off your initial investment. After that the majority of the income from the units are profit. I know 2 different people that have done this and both of them said the same thing. Both of them after their 1st 40 unit was paid for erected additional units. It may be different in your area but almost all the storeage units in my area are full.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Jordan seeing that you have 10 acres only 3 miles from heavy populated area I have a suggestion, Put yourself a 40 unit storage building. In most cases it takes 4 to 5 years to pay off your initial investment. After that the majority of the income from the units are profit. I know 2 different people that have done this and both of them said the same thing. Both of them after their 1st 40 unit was paid for erected additional units. It may be different in your area but almost all the storeage units in my area are full.

Funny you say that. My former employer owns a huge storage facility just down the road from this place. He said on more than one occasion the storage business kept him afloat in the bad years! Their are 2 others close by all of which are just off the major hwy (better locations).

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I thought you had limited kitchen passes? This will burn every one you have.

With the 3 youngsters kitchen passes are limited for sure.. My wife likes this idea and plans to put just as much work into it as me. She wants our boys to grow up in an environment that involves hard work and getting your hands dirty!

 

[Rally1148]

Have you thought about what products you'd like to sell? I mean maybe you sell the apples themselves, or maybe you just grow cider apples and make cider. Maybe you do as others suggested and have a "pick your own" orchard so that you cut down on labor (at least the picking portion). I know I might catch some for this, but have you thought about growing organically? It seems to be a growing market, and if there is nobody around with that niche exploited, you might have found yourself a foot in the door and something that'll make your place stick out. With DR varieties, you might be able to get that done with 3 growing helpers. Also it'd give a huge lesson on how nutrients are recycled in the environment. I'm no apple grower, so I'm sure that it's harder than it really is. If you don't want to, no worries, but I'd say look into it and make sure before you spray anything because it's something like 5-10 years without anything on your ground in order to be considered organic. Again, I've got no experience with growing any apples on a large scale, and I'm not too picky about my apples, as I eat the ones with spots and have ran into worms a few times.

As far as the business goes, I'd say focus on something that'll make you different. Whether it's the products you offer, or a pick your own type deal. The big thing is that if you have a few orchards nearby, you might just be another fish in the pond. You need some shiny scales or something to make the people driving by notice you. Why should they go to you and not the other guys? How are you and/or your products different? If you're fine with it not working and you end up with your own orchard for you and your family and friends, I'd say go for it (funds permitting)! If you're trying to make this a big time business venture, I'd say give it a ton of thought, and then think some more. Definitely feel out the market with your local fruit and nut growers associations. I've had a great deal of help from mine, and even got invited to a conference this summer. Most of them will be well enough established that a small operation or start up might not be a threat to them, especially if you approach it from a part time, family type deal. Again, I have no idea, about the business aspect with any specificity to apple or any fruit growing.

Definitely lots to think about, but also lots of fun!

 

[j-bird]

How many house trailers can you get on 10 acres?!?!?!?:D

 

[Rally1148]

How many house trailers can you get on 10 acres?!?!?!?:D

Enough!

 

[j-bird]

Enough!

I tell my wife I'm going to turn our place into a trailer park and then MOVE!!!!

She doesn't see the humor in that plan.

Besides I have a bottom area that floods nearly every spring so I should have "lots available" by about June every year!:D

Call it our "spring cleaning deal"!!!!!

 

[Reagan]

I'm no Apple grower but I would think time and work invested would be a very long ROI for apples.

Pumpkins could work. Pick your own blueberries seems to have a lot of customer near my house.

This place is packed with hundreds of people sept-October. Their main thing is pumpkins but the sell the farm experience to city folks.
http://www.shawfarms.com

 

[wooduck]

Organic is a large growing part of the apple orchard thing and is doable , Organic certification requires 3 years with no conventional sprays, or fertilizers to get certified would require some cash and paper work . Organic apples are sprayed heavily just with organic approved products and some of those organic products carry as many or in some cases more danger than conventional sprays its all in the label .

What I find strange is when someone mentions organics, 95 percent of the population assumes no spray nothing could be further from the truth . Theres an organic spray for almost all crops they are not as strong as conventional so they are applied much more frequently and cost considerably more

 

[wooduck]

Every year I have someone on my place asking questions on our operation , you can almost see them counting the dollars coming in but the problem is they don't know how to subtract , nor the sacrifice that is required sometimes , , Its a good life and would not trade it for anything but its not for everyone , I say go for it you only go around once

 

[Rally1148]

Organic is a large growing part of the apple orchard thing and is doable , Organic certification requires 3 years with no conventional sprays, or fertilizers to get certified would require some cash and paper work . Organic apples are sprayed heavily just with organic approved products and some of those organic products carry as many or in some cases more danger than conventional sprays its all in the label .

What I find strange is when someone mentions organics, 95 percent of the population assumes no spray nothing could be further from the truth . Theres an organic spray for almost all crops they are not as strong as conventional so they are applied much more frequently and cost considerably more

That's 100% correct, and I didn't mean to seem dense, I just meant that there seems to be a pretty large market for it. I completely agree that many, if not most times people think that "organic" means chemical free. The biggest thing for me and organics is that, in general, naturally derived compounds are more easily broken down within the environment. This isn't always the case though. I'm not really a big fan of organics because of reducing risk to people, as we're in contact with so much that we're already screwed (not to say that this isn't a problem, just that reducing only exposure in food isn't really that big if a difference), but rather naturally occurring compounds are generally less persistent within the environment. As with anything, there are trade-offs, TNSTAAFL. For people to think that something organic is automatically "less bad for you" is simply a manifestation of the gross misunderstanding, simplification, and overall removal from the current food production system. Although many people realize that food doesn't just "come from the grocery store", there are very few who actually understand not simply where it comes from, but the processes that go into creating it.

I myself am 100% guilty of this, and am trying to actually start to grow my own produce. In no way do I think that I can be 100% self sustaining, but I think that there is absolutely something to be said for knowing what actually goes into products that you use. I find that the more I know about how something gets to my table, the greater my ability to perceive and evaluate the costs and benefits of things. One of my favorite individuals associated with hunting, Steve Rinella, often talks about how removed people are from how meat gets to their table. I think this can be said for how we get ALL our food. I don't think everyone needs to hunt, because it's not for everyone. I just think that people need to be comfortable with the fact, and somewhat experience what it takes to get that food. Whether it's working your butt off to produce apples, or just hunting, I think it's super important to see what goes into our food.

 

[MoLandOwner]

Pumpkin Patch disaster I told you about! And then the Bambulance Chaser Got Involved! Make sure you have very good insurance. This friend of mine in Dayton.......did not!:eek:

http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2013/e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-at-dehns-pumpkins-in-dayton-mn/

http://www.pritzkerlaw.com/personal...ak-linked-to-animals-on-dehns-farm-in-dayton/

 

[wooduck]

Agree with everything said , on the subject of Organics I don't think there is any difference in dangers between the two , but the public perceives things and buys according to the latest fads and that could certainly be a valuable niche for Jordan with a new start up . On the subject of deer they certainly manage to consume some gmo crops and seem none the worse for it . That brings up another question Jordan are there deer in the area being considered and would they need to be fenced out ?

 

[wooduck]

Pumpkin Patch disaster I told you about! And then the Bambulance Chaser Got Involved! Make sure you have very good insurance. This friend of mine in Dayton.......did not!:eek:

http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2013/e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-at-dehns-pumpkins-in-dayton-mn/

http://www.pritzkerlaw.com/personal...ak-linked-to-animals-on-dehns-farm-in-dayton/

And that is why we have no animals for the public to contact

 

[MoLandOwner]

And that is why we have no animals for the public to contact

You don't have to have animals. All you have to have is some idiot parents bringin there kid to the petting zoo and then to your pumpkin patch!:eek:

 

[nwmn]

Have you considered sweet corn along with pumpkins? Maybe there is a ton of that already in your area, but we see fresh produce stands around our town that people have to haul in. might be easier to have it in a good location with no transportation. Another thing would maybe be planting chestnuts as well. I'm not sure if there is much of a market but I read somewhere that the US imports a ton each year so maybe there would be a market for that. Maybe build a few trellis' and try hardy kiwi as well. Might be better to offer a large variety to drive more customers. You may draw someone in to buy strawberries/blueberries that might otherwise not visit if there were just pumpkins and apples. If you could swing it, I think you'd have a good experience. I like the idea of having your kids taking part as well and teaching them hard work and showing fruits of labor in the most literal sense possible.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Have you considered sweet corn along with pumpkins? Maybe there is a ton of that already in your area, but we see fresh produce stands around our town that people have to haul in. might be easier to have it in a good location with no transportation. Another thing would maybe be planting chestnuts as well. I'm not sure if there is much of a market but I read somewhere that the US imports a ton each year so maybe there would be a market for that. Maybe build a few trellis' and try hardy kiwi as well. Might be better to offer a large variety to drive more customers. You may draw someone in to buy strawberries/blueberries that might otherwise not visit if there were just pumpkins and apples. If you could swing it, I think you'd have a good experience. I like the idea of having your kids taking part as well and teaching them hard work and showing fruits of labor in the most literal sense possible.

Mobuckchaser mentioned sweet corn! We discussed taking advantage of my cute boys an hot wife As the selers;) I like the idea of blue berry an strawberry patch as well. Seems like it would be a lower maitenance addition.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Agree with everything said , on the subject of Organics I don't think there is any difference in dangers between the two , but the public perceives things and buys according to the latest fads and that could certainly be a valuable niche for Jordan with a new start up . On the subject of deer they certainly manage to consume some gmo crops and seem none the worse for it . That brings up another question Jordan are there deer in the area being considered and would they need to be fenced out ?

I have thought about the deer and honstly this is a pretty high deer density area. Fencing may be nessisary. Wouldnt do right away. I have been reading up on trellis growing Apple trees as you mentioned above. Looks pretty neat!

 

[wooduck]

My experience would recommend deer fence first as in this area its essential . Heres what a grower told me years ago why spend all day working at growing something and the deer browse it all night deer fence may be more important than any other investment in high value , high investment crops doesn't take a lot of browse pressure to impact. Trellis apple are where the orchards are headed right or wrong it may take ten years to find out if it is the right choice for us .

We also do about 6 acres of strawberries and have for 15 plus years , theres more to that get rich thing than meets the eye too !!
We also do blueberries here and in our climate it can be hit or miss , Diversity works
Jordan when you get serious pm me I can point you in some directions that may help you start. I don't know if this is allowed but look at Jakesappleshack.com our website internet marketing has to be in this day and age .

 

[shawnv]

Organic is a large growing part of the apple orchard thing and is doable , Organic certification requires 3 years with no conventional sprays, or fertilizers to get certified would require some cash and paper work . Organic apples are sprayed heavily just with organic approved products and some of those organic products carry as many or in some cases more danger than conventional sprays its all in the label .

What I find strange is when someone mentions organics, 95 percent of the population assumes no spray nothing could be further from the truth . Theres an organic spray for almost all crops they are not as strong as conventional so they are applied much more frequently and cost considerably more

That might be true for apples or what you grow but that is an over generalization to the organic crop grown. I know many who spray nothing on their crops including myself and some who use additives that are still not like what you mention.