Own equipment vs custom hire under two-site logistics¶
Question¶
With two sites and non-trivial commute, when should owned equipment live at SITE_FARM, at SITE_HOMESTEAD, or be hired/custom—vs duplicating tools?
Criteria¶
| Criterion | Own at farm | Own at homestead | Custom hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utilization | High acres-hours on farm | Home projects + transport to farm | Pay per acre/job |
| Time tax | No trailer move each trip | Must haul or accept duplicate | Vendor scheduling risk |
| Capital | CAPEX + shelter + theft risk | Same, smaller | OPEX only |
| Best when | Core enterprise requires timeliness (hay, fence, spray window) | Maintenance of home systems; shared truck | Low annual hours or specialist skill (laser leveling, large pour) |
Tradeoff summary¶
- Distance increases hauling cost—either cache equipment at the work site or hire locally.
- Telemetry does not remove metal; it changes when you discover you need the tool.
Links¶
Dual-site operations model — non-agritourism farm businessCAPEX, OPEX, and enterprise sequencing — two-site constraintImplementation backlog— P2 #21 Two-site logistics concept (page may not exist yet).
Fill with hours/year and $/hour delay cost for your enterprises; no universal answer.