Farming will require you to have a few tools and some machinery at least at a basic level.
It can be a fine line between acquiring necessary items and simply collecting play things.
Heading off to purchase a useful farm trailer and arriving home with a Mack Truck, can and does happen!
The excuse “it seemed like a good idea at the time”, is one to be avoided unless you enjoy collecting costly infrequently used toys.
Tools and especially machinery, are expensive and the costs only start with the purchase.
Operating costs and maintenance are commitments for the duration of your ownership.
In this section you will be shown how to get the investment right and you will learn how to:
- Assemble a basic opening tool kit and how your choice of farming activities will influence what is in it.
- Understand what different items of equipment are used (or should not be used) for and how their usefulness may fit into your farming activities.
- Understand the difference between what is really needed verses what might be nice to have but is used infrequently.
- Calculate the true cost of ownership and determine when it is correct to invest yourself compared to when you should get someone in to do the work.
- Understand and calculate lifetime maintenance costs.
- Understand what the law says is required for some machinery and specific types of work. Know what the difference is between a licence and a competency requirement.
- Know what training may be useful to allow operators to build skills and confidence.
Once you understand what plant and equipment you really need as well as knowing what it will cost to acquire and run you can operate your tools and machinery with