Topic Type:
Question
Any suggestions? Questions?
I want to complete a wishlist pretty quickly so that I can get the system ready for use in the 2014 season, at which time I'll be looking for farmers who are interested in trying the thing out.
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What would farmers like to see in a tool like this?
bill I would love to try this tool out next year. We grow about 5 acres of mixed veggies with another couple acres in row crops of potatoes, garlic, and winter squash. we are are crew of 5 full time and we sell to market and CSA. I would love to see this tool in action.
That should be doable. What's your farm called, and where are you? So far the most functional version of the tool I have is one built around some of our data in MS Excel. I am in the process of turning that into a blank template, but the thing keeps evolving and that slows me down. Do you have a recent version of Excel? I'm also working on modifying it to work in Google Sheets; that way it will not require expensive MS software and it will be cloud-based. The features of Sheets are somewhat limited, though, so that conversion is slow going, too.
Hi Bill, This tool sounds cool, you must be an Excel wizard! I used to consider myself one, even now that I'm an experienced programmer, building a quick financial model in Excel is amazingly fast. Building these kinds of tools in Excel is cool because the "source code" is modifiable right in front of the user. That's also the scary part for folks who don't know Excel, it's easy to break it when someone places a value where a function used to live. The approach is a great fit for those comfortable with Excel and maybe that's what the tool should focus on for now. Excel is quick to program, Apps are a bit more rigid so having a nice Excel program nailed down could count as the prototype for an App where usability could be improved. Are you planning on sharing the document? I could make some suggestions if I had the document on hand.
Hi RJ,
Right now what I'm working with is built around our farm's data, or at least includes some approximations of real data for testing. I just asked permission to share that, so we'll see. Meanwhile, I'm working on making a blank template with protected formulas for other people to use, but I keep making changes to the original and that's slowing me down. Either way, I'll try to have something pretty soon that you can look at. The biggest thing missing right now is how to handle materials costs. Anyway, you'll see what I mean. I'll be in touch.
Hi Bill,
I sympathize with the amount of work it takes to replace real data with sample data. A program is often hard to understand without some sample data running through it.
Good luck with getting it ready!
- RJ
Hey, I think I just sent you a message about a different project I'm doing. Was that you?
Anyway, the boss says it's okay to share our real data, so I'll just have to make sure everything's in order before I send the file. Do you have a recent version of Excel for Windows to view it with? Also, can I have an e-mail address to send it to?
-Bill
Hi Bill, Unfortunately I don't have a recent copy of Excel for Windows. I do however have the Open Source version of Excel called Open Office. I just sent you my contact details using your the Contact tab on your Farm Hack profile.
Hmm, yeah, I thought about Open Office as a possible platform, but I haven't really looked into it yet. I'm going to install it and see if everything works correctly, in which case I'll send the file on.
Well, Open Office seems to have problems with some of the functions I used, so that's going to take a little more work to resolve. It's also not as pretty as the way I had it formatted in Excel, but I guess that's okay. Hopefully I'll have it ready to go in the next few days.
RJ:
I've finished converting the tool to Open Office format, and I'm sending it to your e-mail address now.
It might be interesting to start working on integration with some of the other enterprise tools listed on Farm Hack - a few I identified
http://farmhack.net/tools/record-keeping-profitability-analysis-tool
http://farmhack.net/tools/enterprise-budgets-lists-downloads
http://farmhack.net/tools/open-enterprise-budget-organic-eggs
http://farmhack.net/tools/oilseed-oil-meal-and-biodiesel-cost-calculator
http://farmhack.net/tools/crop-planning-software
GreenStart (www.greenstartnh.org) just had a recent meeting that recommended the expansion of the oilseed/biodiesel calculator to extend it to integrated small grain enterprises. I believe that this is something that we will be working on this year and would love to see integrated into
a feed ration calculator for milling/sprouting and mixing home grown grains for poultry, hog and bovine feed.
I'm not sure how what you are describing would work with the record keeping tool. Perhaps I could send you a copy and see what you think. Do you have MS Excel 2007 or later for Windows? Or Open Office?
That would be great! Open office or Excel both work fine for me.
Dorn,
Sorry I never got back to you. The Open Office and Excel versions are now both obsolete. The current version is Google Sheets. I have a working copy that I can share, but there is a newer version in the works. Anyway, here is version 0.2: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ar4Ct8viQWP7dG94VURNbERTeFRpNXphRTZRbjJnbXc&usp=sharing I haven't made detailed instructions yet, but the description above is still accurate. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Bill
I write and maintain the Crop Planning Software (http://cropplanning.googlecode.com/ and http://www.farmhack.net/tools/crop-planning-software) project and have put together a "labor and materials" budget module for it. Still in development, but I wonder if you might be interested in working together to test that/these? CPS works around the idea that you enter info for HOW you grow crops once, then enter info about WHEN and HOW MUCH you need to grow for separately. Right now the module is working in that you can enter data (tasks and time & materials needed for each) once for each crop and it automatically generates a "labor and materials budget" for the whole crop plan. What do you think?
I looked at your Crop Planning Software a while back, and looked interesting. However, I didn't spend the time to really learn it and enter any meaningful data. I've also been messing around with AgSquared, but I think I broke it by trying to do something too complicated.
Anyway, I would be interested in potentially working together. Feel free to e-mail me at bladdcawthorne@glynwood.org.
Hi Bill,
I'd love to have a look at the record keeping tool. I'm developing curriculum for sustainable agriculture enterprise and think this would be a great addition. Are you planning to develop a mobile app?
Mary mtsaunders@wisc.edu
I have been using a system integrating google doc spreadsheets and smartphone data entry for farm financial management for the last 2-3 years. Would love to pick your brain and trade info. I have been sharing it with farmers and teaching classes on this and am in the process of trialing with several more farms. I also create folders on google drive where I upload images of all receipts/invoices, and deposits/checks received. Combined with quickbooks you have everything a financially minded farmer could dream of.
Where do we start?
Sorry I am not a diligent blogger. I haven't had a chance to check back in. I can share the docs and doc templates I am using. Really took the idea of simply turning a normal system into a digital system leaving room to customize to fit the farm needs. This has led to a few different templates. I would love to see your system as well. email me nicwelty@gmail.com (this is also the account I access google docs through)
thanks
Nic Welty
Hi Mary,
I sent you an e-mail, but I think it may have ended up in your spam folder. I would definitely be interested in working with you. If you are still interested, e-mail me at bladdcawthorne@glynwood.org.
Bill
@Bill The fix was on Sunday to give you a reference of when emails were probably ending up in people's spam folders. Let me know if you are suspicious of this happening again.
Good to know; thanks.