Food plot business

[bigdave]

I am interested in maybe starting a part time food plot business. Does anyone have any experience with this as far as getting it up and running. I am fairly familiar with the crops that work here as well as liming, fertilizing, and other requirements for implementing food plots. I guess what I am looking for is more in the line of financing and advertising venues. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

[4x4man514]

big dave, what part of the country are you in?hopefully not near me cause i had the same idea!LOL im in east central ga.

[Thayer.qdma]

bigdave, could you use some help? I'm a MO resident and have tried to learn as much as I can, I have some ideas and have talked to a guy that did start his own business in plots and feeders. Are you near the central east of the state? jeff

[bigdave]

Jeff, I am in St. Charles, but I have places near Williamsburg in Callaway cty, and just got a place below Potosi in Wash cty. I don't know if there is much demand for this tiype service north of 70 as there is so much agriculture there, but I think the southern half of the state is really in need. The soil there is usually pretty poor, but responds well to liming, fertilizer, and the like.

[Thayer.qdma]

Here is what I thought I would like to do if I had the chance.

First: Offer a habitat management service. Provide services that could construct ponds, water sources, timber management, establish crop lands and wildlife food sources.

Second: Offer a connection service that could connect landowners with the land managers that have the proper equipment, knowledge, and backing from the state for such projects.

Third: Offer landowners a market for leasing their land to quality leasors.

These are all projects that have been thought of and not thought out entirely. I would be interested in doing something like this if you feel that this is something along the line of your thinking.

We can swap emails to talk about this further or exchange phone numbers. I live in Imperial.

[Andy]

I have really been on my brother to start a company similar to the one you're mentioning in NE Ohio. He has the skill, the knowledge, the equipment, the work ethic,the experience....some sort of land management company would be right up his alley
andy

[Thayer.qdma]

Hey bigdave, have you seen this page?

Conservation Contractors (http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/cgi-bin/mdcdevpub/apps/contactsnonmdc/main.cgi)

Looks like if you could get your name on there, it could get the ball rolling around here.
Talked to a guy that runs his own plot and feeder business today. Seems like he is always busy with something in that line of business. I admire his attitude and his wife's, always on the go and very nice people to talk to.

[THETOOLMAN]

I tryed to do food plots in ga. the cost of equipment, tractor, supplys,repairs, fuel++++++ It goes on and on. The price you must charge IS REAL HIGH!!!! makes it hard to turn a profit!!! keep me posted how you make out.. I couldn't break even!!!smileys/smiley5.gif It's a$$$$$THING!!!

[jfwalker]

Good luck, hope it works.

[4x4man514]

toolman, what part of ga were you in?i have wondered what kind of prices wpould need to be charged.the way i see it i need the eqiipment for my own purposes anyway.any money i made could just be to help pay for my equipment and if it got any bigger that would be great.im not planning on quitting my job so if it dont work out,no big deal!

[bigdave]

thayer.qdma, thanks for the info, looks like a great site !

[Andy]

hey thayer, do you know if there's a listing like that for Ohio?

[Thayer.qdma]

Check with your state Dept of Natural Resources or Conservation, I will try to do a search and find your states site.

[NorthJeff]

For consultation advice you need to charge at least $500 per day, plus expenses, and for actual work, just charge what a typical excavator would charge in your area, for FEL work, bulldozer work, etc. In my area they get around $60 per hour for dirt work.

Your consultation work should include at least an on-site written plan the landowner can walk away with, and plan to spend the entire day with the landowner-walking and talking, for your fee. At the same time, you better at least know enough about all aspects of property management...to be able to walk and talk for 8-10 hours.smileys/smiley2.gif

[jfwalker]

And be prepared to identify every living thing that is, can or could grow on the property.The landowner will ask.....

[jfwalker]

Well, it's 8 months since the first post... how have you done with the food plot business?

[4x4man514]

i spent almost all spring and summer trying to get my own property right.now that i see how much time it takes to do this right ,i dont know how i could find time for it without quitting my jhob!anyone else had any luck?