Best crop for 15 acres

[Full3r]

Looking at potentially putting some land to work and wondering what the best move would be for a 25 acre plot. My thought is to either plant hay or corn and find someone to do the harvesting. If I go with hay, I'm leaning toward round bales, small squares just seem like a headache and too much manual labor.
In the long run, I do plan to build on the land, but in the short term, it could be a good way to make a profit. Any idea of what kind of net income I could expect from hay? Or if I went the corn route and had someone custom harvest it for me?

Are there other crops worth considering for this kind of acreage that could make good use of a 100 HP tractor

 

[cutanddry]

Just a rough estimate, hay can get you about $200 to $400 per acre in profit, give or take, relying on what's happening at the local markets. Corn might make you around $271 per acre, but that number dances around a bit as market prices and how much it costs to produce corn goes up and down.

 

[saddleandsickle0484]

Hay can get you about $50 to $100 per acre in profit, but it depends on what's happening at the local market and how much you can grow. Corn could bring in about $271 per acre. But remember, things like hiring someone to harvest it can be pricey, maybe $700 to $800 per acre.

 

[hayfieldsforever]

When it comes to hay, using round bales makes things easier, you're looking at a net return of about $100 to $300 per acre, depending on how much you yield and the market conditions. Corn involves higher input costs and typically offers lower margins. It's also worth thinking about planting alfalfa, sorghum, or even some niche crops like herbs or mushrooms, as these could provide better returns with a 100 HP tractor setup.

 

[r9nger_hf]

Looking at potentially putting some land to work and wondering what the best move would be for a 25 acre plot. My thought is to either plant hay or corn and find someone to do the harvesting. If I go with hay, I'm leaning toward round bales, small squares just seem like a headache and too much manual labor.
In the long run, I do plan to build on the land, but in the short term, it could be a good way to make a profit. Any idea of what kind of net income I could expect from hay? Or if I went the corn route and had someone custom harvest it for me?

Are there other crops worth considering for this kind of acreage that could make good use of a 100 HP tractor

I'd suggest going with hay, especially round bales. That's a more common gig for smaller parcels, and finding a custom baler for a 25-acre parcel is much easier than finding someone to do corn, as most grain harvesters prefer larger acreage to justify the move. The net income is a huge variable, depending on your local market, soil quality, and what you spend on inputs like fertilizer. Corn is also a single harvest, while hay can get you a few cuttings a year, but each steps like mowing, raking, baling are all separate costs. But given the current season, I think it's generally too late to plant hay or corn so you're probably looking at planting in 2026. However, you could put a cover crop in this fall to build up the soil for next year. Your 100 HP tractor is well-suited for a variety of crops, including small grains like oats or wheat and soybeans, which are also often custom-harvested. Just keep in mind that the best option always depends on where you're located.

 

[ernest_1945]

I'd suggest going with hay, especially round bales. That's a more common gig for smaller parcels, and finding a custom baler for a 25-acre parcel is much easier than finding someone to do corn, as most grain harvesters prefer larger acreage to justify the move. The net income is a huge variable, depending on your local market, soil quality, and what you spend on inputs like fertilizer. Corn is also a single harvest, while hay can get you a few cuttings a year, but each steps like mowing, raking, baling are all separate costs. But given the current season, I think it's generally too late to plant hay or corn so you're probably looking at planting in 2026. However, you could put a cover crop in this fall to build up the soil for next year. Your 100 HP tractor is well-suited for a variety of crops, including small grains like oats or wheat and soybeans, which are also often custom-harvested. Just keep in mind that the best option always depends on where you're located.

Appreciate the insight! I’ve got a 100 HP Deere and was leaning toward hay for my 30 acres next year. For cover crops this fall, would something like rye or clover help prep the soil better for alfalfa later on? Also how do you handle weed pressure between cuttings?

 

[Full3r]

Hey all, I appreciate the feedback especially the check on the numbers
The hay argument is convincing, especially the part about multiple cuttings versus one corn harvest and honestly finding someone to custom harvest 25 acres of corn does sound like it'd be a pain