Greg Judy has some good books. Also, get involved with a grass assoc in your state. In Va it is Va Forage and Grasslands. They have 4 conferences around the state in January, prices are about $30 per person or so. They usually have some good speakers, Greg Judy has spoken at ours one year, Temple Grandin another year, as well as other farmers that are doing rotational grazing, stockpile grass for winter grazing, different practices. I have learned something from every conference. The local extension service also puts on some good "pasture walks" and such.
Greg Judy is right about the leasing to a point. In his area there might be more "below average" land/farms available but here in our area, there aren't alot that aren't already rented. Plus we deal with owners wanting way too much money for the pasture land and they get the tax advantage on top of it. We have had places for over 20 years, and some as little as 2 years. We also have to be careful because many of these places are along fairly well traveled roads. Without real good fences, there are too many liability issues.
Many older farms the fences are so run down as to be non-existent. Okay, so you run electric.... OH wait, the deer make runs through the electric.....literally THROUGH IT. So you are constantly fixing electric. It is not a good deal when you are putting in that much time to put up electric daily because the deer have torn it down. We used to rent almost anything that was offered to us. Made several places alot nicer than they were, just from bush hogging and running cattle. But when you go to the owner and tell them that fence needs to be replaced, not just patched again, many will balk at it. We do many as you buy the materials, we do the labor.... and some we still have. We have always done it on a 5 yr lease minimum. But now, so many don't want to put in the money, or they go up on their rent and we have gotten out of some. We pay on the average of $50 per acre per year. With the cattle prices so low, it doesn't pay unless the places are fenced and there is water. I don't want to just break even, my time is worth something to me if it isn't worth anything to anyone else.
So we are slowly cutting back on the leased/rented places unless the fences are good and there is water. And we don't rent any without a 5 year lease now because as soon as it is improved a little bit, someone will come along and offer more for lease money, and you will lose it. Happened twice in the last 3 years, and we are a little burnt out over that.
Yes, borrowed money to buy, with a mortgage, is not a perfect set up. But no one will come along and tell you that your lease is up, or tell you that they want this and that done now.... and you can do it the way you want. Our cows are paying the mortgage on the one farm, and that is what we wanted. Any improvements are adding value to the place.
