Fish Felon wrote:It seems like you're using the pioneer cost of production calculator. That thing is garbage and puts cost of production far too high.
Click on the 'allow me to determine my own variable costs' and look at all the crap they have on there that you shouldn't factor in or that is much lower than what they penciled it in for.
The ND south valley worksheet (similar soil and yield when adjusted) had input costs $100 more per acre on corn than what I used on the pioneer. I'd waste more time scouring the web for the UM extension 2014 inputs but I'm at work. I also correlated input costs w/the average of 4 of my neighbors inputs from 2013. Like I said, its not exact, but it gives an idea of where things are. Could i adjust costs down? Sure. Hell I could save a lot on rent and could pull a guilt trip on my mom and her sisters and probably operate on the land for the cost of taxes. Seen it happen...families cut a son or nephew a break and are proud of the new generation getting started until the kid starts driving a nice truck and buys newer equipment.
I'll stick to taking a week off in the fall, hunting during the day and doing some DMI ripping or plowing at night for friends. I get to turn some rounds, my kid gets to experience a farm, and my buddies get a break. Good enough for me.