THE FARM MILL
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Acreage calculator

Measure a paddock, pivot circle, or triangular corner in feet, then read acres (and square feet) instantly. One acre = 43,560 sq ft.

When to use

Use this when you have a tape, wheel, or GPS length/width for a roughly rectangular field, a triangular wedge, or a circular center-pivot area — and you need acres for seed, fertilizer, stocking, or fence quotes.

For irregular polygons, split the field into rectangles and triangles, run each piece, and add the acres. Survey plats still win for legal boundaries.

Field area shows up in almost every Farm Mill workflow: fertilizer and lime tons, seeding bags, fence perimeter, and stocking. Getting acres from a tape or wheel beat guessing from a county GIS thumbnail when you are laying out a new paddock this afternoon.

Remember the difference between planimetric acres (map view) and surface acres on a slope. Seed and chemical labels usually assume plan view; very steep ground may need more product than flat-acre math suggests — ask local Extension when slopes are severe.

Calculator

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How this is calculated

Square feet depend on shape. Acres = square feet / 43,560. Circle uses pi approx 3.14159265.

Rectangle: sq_ft = L x W
Triangle: sq_ft = (base x height) / 2
Circle: sq_ft = π x r²
acres = sq_ft / 43,560

This is planar area from your entered dimensions — not a deed acreage, GIS layer, or slope-adjusted surface area.

Worked example

A square paddock: 660 ft x 660 ft → 435,600 sq ft → 10.00 acres.

Center pivot with radius 1,320 ft (1/4 mile): π x 1,320² ≈ 5,473,893 sq ft → ≈ 125.7 acres.

Triangle corner example: Base 600 ft, height 250 ft → sq ft = (600×250)/2 = 75,000 → acres = 75,000 / 43,560 ≈ 1.72 acres. Add that wedge to a rectangular body when the field is an L-shape.

Limits / assumptions

Assumptions: flat plan-view geometry; inputs in feet; triangle height is perpendicular to the base.

Limits: slopes, curved fence lines, and roads cutting corners need field survey or GIS.

Responsibility: do not use this alone for property lines, easements, or cost-share acre reporting without official measurements.

FAQ

How many square feet in an acre?

Exactly 43,560 square feet. A square acre is about 208.71 ft on a side.

Can I enter meters?

This page is feet to acres. Convert meters to feet (x 3.28084) first, or convert m² / 4046.86 for acres.

What about a half-pivot or pie slice?

Compute the full circle, then multiply by the fraction of 360 degrees you irrigate (e.g., 180 degrees → x 0.5).

Rectangle vs GPS track?

GPS track area can differ from LxW if boundaries bow. Use this for rough layout; trust surveyed acres for contracts.

How do I combine multiple shapes?

Run each rectangle or triangle separately, write down the acres, and add them. The calculator does not store a running total — a notepad or spreadsheet is fine.

Does this replace FSA or survey acres?

No. Use official acreage for government programs, leases, and boundaries. This page is for operational planning when you need a fast geometric estimate.