I know basically nothing about running a tree farm (at least the commercial side of doing so), but here are some ideas that might help:

1. Contact your local agricultural extension office. Tell them what you have and what you are considering. Find out what they can offer. You may be surprised at the volume of info they can provide. To find your local extension office, look here:

www.sdstate.edu/sdces/districts/index.cfm

2. Are you located near any large colleges or universities? Without knowing which school we should consider, it's hard to know how to find proper contacts, but you should definitely explore that angle. Again, you might be amazed at how much information may be available. There may be researchers/advisers there that have in-depth knowledge of what would be your likely best crop(s), specifics related to all aspects of your operation, lists of contacts that could be beneficial, etc.

3. Are there other tree farms near you? Are there any wholesale nurseries near you that might deal in woody plants? Visit them and look around to see what you can learn. Get to know the owners/operators. Probe around for contacts and information. Some may even be excited to give you information and help you out. Some may be able to help you establish other contacts.

4. Take a look through this website:

www.treefarmsystem.org/

And, contact this guy. He is the contact for the South Dakota Tree Farm System.

John Hinners
SD Dept of Agriculture
PO Box 915
Huron, SD 57350-0915
Phone: 605-353-7187
Fax: 605-353-7196
Email: john.hinners@state.sd.us

I would take a look at Dr. Carl Whitcomb's books. I'd grow everything in the ground to preserve water and promote superior root system in knit fabric bags compared to traditional B&B or regular smooth sided containers.

http://www.rootmaker.com/rootmakersystem.php

for books - http://www.lacebarkinc.com/books.htm

You'll learn a lot from those sources, I'm sure.
But one thing I promise you that you won't learn there is about the problems of growing trees that may end up in places in which they have the potential to become invasive or highly problematic in other ways.

For example, Flowering pears are a huge money maker. They're beautiful IMO, and there really isn't anything not to like about their showy blooms and rapid growth and absolutely perfect size. But they are becoming invasive virtually everywhere an they are prone to random, unannounced self-destruction which poses a hazard to people.

So research the trees you're thinking of growing to be responsible. Don't put profits before people and the environment.

a lot of nurseries are going out of business due to a lack of market ...

therefore.. i would start the process from the point of sale.. as in.. who will want what you sell .. how will you get it there ... etc ...

once you ID a market.. and a goal .. then you figure out how to accomplish it ... at the sources noted above ..

it is not hard to plant and grow a tree .. finding someone to buy it may be the problem .. as perhaps indicated by what the prior owner had to leave on your property .. eh??

all that said.. plant away.. and have fun.. just dont bet the retirement on making a million dollars ...

ken

"But one thing I promise you that you won't learn there is about...(invasives)."

I would be shocked if at least the first two didn't provide that information. That's a big part of their business.

Nevertheless, that is something that should be considered. One should consider invasiveness in other parts of the country (where the stock might be sold) as well as the potential in South Dakota.

Well, if you want to make some money selling trees I would try growing japanese maples. Some cultivars sell for several thousand dollars per tree. You could also plant black walnuts or black cherry trees for lumber. When mature you can harvest them and get thousands of dollars as well.