Jumping into the 21st Century.

For probably two months I have argued with myself about harvest options.  Hiring someone to have the crops custom harvested.  Leasing a machine. And finally updating our equipment to newer better machines.

I have looked at more dealer websites, driven and snooped at more neighbor's farm head quarters than you can imagine.

The Achilles heel was knowing we had potential for a tremendous crop yet not knowing if we would see it meet that potential.

We have been very fortunate this year to be in a "wet" band.  It isn't very wide, but it seems as though every time Roscoe "proper" received a shower or light rain, at the barn you could add two inches to that total.  Gon Gon use to tell me if you were in it in the spring you would be in it all year.  His words proved true.

I had not vocalized my hopes or expectations until Thursday just past.

A custom harvester gets a minimum $30/acre or .08 cents per lint pound which ever is greater.  So their baseline is about three-quarters of the bale per acre.  Bale to the acre cotton would run $40/acre.  Any exceptional cotton could increase the harvest expense to double or any point in between , depending on poundage.

The pro to having it harvested would be the speed and no hassle.

The cons would be that no one takes pride in doing a job for someone else like they do in their own, and when you are done you have nothing to show for the money spent, even though it is 100% deductible.

Leasing a machine would be tied to engine and fan hours and you would have fuel, parts and labor to add on to rental costs.  Of course while we would do the work, in the end we would have nothing to show for money spent except that the lease, labor, parts, and fuel would be deductible too.

I visited with the manager at our nearest John Deere dealership, explaining that no more acres than we had we couldn't  justify a brand new machine, and that Memama really didn't need any more depreciation for 2012.

The salesman suggested that we rent a reconditioned used machine with all rent applying to the purchase.  The rent would be a 2012 fully deductible expense while we could complete the purchase after the first of the year, giving Memama depreciation for 2013.  Also the purchase would be interest free until November 1, 2013.

We had already moved two of the old 484's into the barn and began going over them.  Trying to determine what it would take to get them field ready.  We had also pulled the module builder to the shop to lubricate chains, check hoses and such.

I sat down and talked with Pat and Memama about my thoughts, and we decided to pursue upgrading our equipment.  So I became busy again, talking with the salesman and driving to the Lubbock area.

Of course nothing is simple.  When we decided to buy a 7460 with an 8 row header it became necessary to purchase a boll buggy (because the header is too wide to pull along side the  module builder unless you back along side and dump on the very back).

Due to labor concerns I was also looking into an automated module controller.  It should take about three years for such a system to pay for itself.  No matching social security, no TWC, no FUTA, it is never late and never complains.

So we have leaped into the 21st century.  Updated, late model burr extractor 8 row machine, New boll buggy and a new module controller.

I am afraid my learning curve is going to be pretty steep.

On Thursday I took Memama on a tour of all the farms.  I showed her cotton that only I had seen.  And I shared with her my thoughts that this will be the best crop since 2007 for her.

Memama told me she didn't know she had such a good crop!

The module controller is installed.  The stripper and boll buggy are in Snyder.  I am supposed to meet with our chemical consultant later today to look at our crop and see what we need to do.  Maybe some drop leaf and boll buster.

We may be getting the sprayer out of the barn pretty quick.  I think we will spray about 80-100 acres a day, in hopes we don't get too far ahead of the stripper.  One of my neighbors terms this as trying not to out kick our coverage.

Great expectations!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all the blessings YOU pour down upon us.  Thank YOU for the good crops.  We pray YOU will let us get them all harvested without problem.  FATHER, help us to make good choices.  LORD lead me on.