Gerry Farm Management System

Mobile-first field operations · Smart budgeting · AI-powered insights

14 weeks
Development Timeline
$28k
Total Investment
3 phases
Incremental Rollout

Three-Phase Approach

Incremental value delivery with low risk

Phase 1 4-6 weeks · $6-8k

📱 Field Activity Logger

Mobile-first operations tracking

  • Quick field activity logging from tractor
  • Offline-capable with auto-sync
  • Real-time cost tracking
  • Photo capture and GPS tagging
  • Field history and rotation tracking
Deliverable: Working mobile app, daily use ready
Phase 2 6-8 weeks · $12-16k

💰 Gerry Engine (Budget System)

Cost of production calculator & planner

  • Per-crop budget builder
  • Break-even vs survival price calculator
  • Crop mix optimizer
  • Actual vs budget variance tracking
  • Insurance/bank ready reports
Deliverable: Complete farm budgeting system
Phase 3 4 weeks · $6-8k

🤖 AI Assistant & Semantic Search

Intelligent insights and automation

  • Natural language queries
  • Conversational data entry
  • Pattern recognition & recommendations
  • Semantic search across all data
  • Cost optimization suggestions
Deliverable: AI-powered farm assistant

Technology Stack

Modern, proven technologies with AI acceleration

Backend

PostgreSQL 14+ pgvector FastAPI/Express Docker

Frontend

Next.js React Native Offline-first PWA

AI Development

Claude Pro Cursor Schema.ICU SDK GitHub Copilot

Deployment

Self-hosted Docker Compose Nginx Let's Encrypt

New: Schema.ICU Enterprise SDK

Just configured! Accelerates database schema generation and API development by additional 10-15%. Auto-generates type-safe code from natural language descriptions.

Why This Succeeds Where TFJ Failed

TFJ System ($30k)

  • All 73 tables at once (overwhelming)
  • Desktop-only interface
  • No training or support
  • Vendor disappeared
  • Complex, not user-friendly
  • No mobile access

This System ($28k)

  • Phased rollout (incremental value)
  • Mobile-first design
  • Training & documentation included
  • Ongoing support (2 months)
  • Simple, tractor-friendly UI
  • Offline-capable field access

💡 Salvaging the TFJ Investment

We're not throwing away the $30k. We're extracting the valuable domain model, business logic, and agricultural taxonomies while replacing the failed user interface and deployment approach.

Return on Investment

Year 1
-$28k
Initial investment
Year 2
-$14k
Early gains
Year 3
+$3k
Break-even!
Year 4
+$25k
Positive ROI
Year 5
+$49k
Strong returns

3-Year TCO

$47k

Total investment over 3 years

Annual Savings

$18-25k

Gerry's self-hosting advantage

Break-Even

36 months

Then positive returns forever