New job? - Retiring to the farm - advice?

[smfcpacfp]

I retired 2 years ago this month. I was a college professor who taught a course in retirement planning and I did retirement planning for others. Most people who retire have the same anxieities as you do. However, if they have enough money they soon fall into a comfortable retirement lifestyle. If they don't, retirement is usually somewhat unpleasant. I had some of those anxieties that you have but my income didn't really drop much since I had been maximizing my tax sheltered savings for years while working, now I don't need to do that.

Like many others have said, I have a lot to keep me busy, but there is no penalty for not doing it today. If I don't feel like doing anything, I can just do nothing. In addition to doing the around the property projects, my wife and I travel alot around the world scuba diving and sightseeing. I hope you have that kind of flexibilty built into your retirement budget.

I have been thinking about volunteering lately. Life and work were so good to me, that I want to give back in some way.

 

[MossRoad]

It seems like everyone on this board is either retired or soon to be!:laughing:

I only have 19 years to go! :confused2:

 

[smfcpacfp]

It seems like everyone on this board is either retired or soon to be!:laughing:

That why we are on this board, since we don't go to work each day.

 

[txdon]

#1 pace yourself. You don't have all week to recover anymore.
#2 Get involved in the community.
#3 Enjoy life!

 

[smstonypoint]

well except for the moving bit I'll be in your shoes in 28 work days or 41d6h17m59S but who's counting. Figure I'll sleep late like 7:30 go for a walk eat breakfast/paper garden/org garage (5 yr plan) till lunch take a 1hr nap walk mow some grass or do inside chores (if to hot outside) till time to start supper. find some time to grocery shop during week not like after work weekend now. Play with the Kubota/dogs!!!

I too thought that I would enjoy being able to sleep in following retirement. Not so. I've been retired three years and still get up at 5:30.

Steve

 

[warhammer]

You hit the nail on the head!
Usually I get out to the farm 2 days a week and work 4 days at the regular job. This is has worked out pretty well.
Due to a monster amount of 70 hour weeks at work for months on end I have been farming 4 days a week for the last month and a half and working the other 3 at the regular job. I never realized how I was trying to physically recover from farming at work until this schedule.
Still love working on the farm but I am actually looking forward to going back to the old schedule next week and giving my back some more rest. ;o}

#1 pace yourself. You don't have all week to recover anymore.
#2 Get involved in the community.
#3 Enjoy life!

 

[two_bit_score]

lhfarm, look on the bright side. You should be young enough to still have some good 'working' years left in you to enjoy.

I have seen too many people who wanted to get away from the 'office' or whatever job it was holding them but they never found the way and when they finally did they didn't last long enough to enjoy it.

Good luck, good health and hope you have a lot of fun.

 

[Ken45101]

I wouldn't plan your days out so much. That's the great thing about retirement

I retired in 2001 from 34 years of computer work. I haven't missed it at all! Moved from the suburbs to this place in spring 2002.

I hate spring, too many things that need to be done and it's gone before you get to do the fun things you want.

Beware of adding animals, pets or otherwise, if you will ever want to do any traveling or camping. At one point we were breeding horses (we were up to 23) and that kept us from getting away at all.

We love it here! Can't imagine being retired and living in the suburbs!

Best wishes,
Ken

 

[lhfarm]

Don't start drinking! :laughing:

Where abouts in central Indiana are you located? I love Indiana, have lived here all my life and have no plans on leaving, although we do enjoy traveling.

How much land do you have to work with? What type of terrain do you have? Soil types, etc...

It sounds very exciting... all the possibilities. :thumbsup:

We are between Columbus and Nashville, in the land of clay and Brown County stone (sandstone). Mostly rolling hills, with only 6 or so tillable acres (all in prairie grass). No plans for crops or livestock.

Indiana is an interesting and lovely state. We do plan to travel, especially in January and February, when no one should have to live here...

First thing is to recognize that the work never stops. There is always something that requires your attention. Personally, when I grow bored or weary of my current job/project, I simply quit and do something different for a while.
If you are the type personality that cannot leave a job/project unfinished, you will soon learn that it's okay. Historically, the world doesn't come to an end very often and it won't if you leave a job unfinished. Enjoy your new job and learn to go with the flow.

I have been an internal management consultant for the past 20 years, which means I was sent in to work with departments to fix problems. Some times I was invited in, but most times, at least in the beginning, I wasn't welcomed. I could only give my best advice, then had to walk away. The vast majority of the time, the problems got solved and I had the satisfaction of seeing the job completed, but it could take months. That is why I have such a large yard. I loved mowing because I could see the results right away.

#1 pace yourself. You don't have all week to recover anymore.
#2 Get involved in the community.
#3 Enjoy life!

I have worked non-stop most weekends because that was all the time I had. I will need to pace myself. We also figured out that we have been coming here for 25 years, but have never stayed here more than 14 days in a row. So I think we have a lot of fun adjusting to do.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[lhfarm]

I retired 2 years ago this month. I was a college professor who taught a course in retirement planning and I did retirement planning for others. Most people who retire have the same anxieities as you do. However, if they have enough money they soon fall into a comfortable retirement lifestyle. If they don't, retirement is usually somewhat unpleasant. I had some of those anxieties that you have but my income didn't really drop much since I had been maximizing my tax sheltered savings for years while working, now I don't need to do that.

Like many others have said, I have a lot to keep me busy, but there is no penalty for not doing it today. If I don't feel like doing anything, I can just do nothing. In addition to doing the around the property projects, my wife and I travel alot around the world scuba diving and sightseeing. I hope you have that kind of flexibilty built into your retirement budget.

I have been thinking about volunteering lately. Life and work were so good to me, that I want to give back in some way.

I only have 19 years to go! :confused2:

Those 19 years will fly and you don't want to wish your life away. Now would be a great time to take one of those courses and do some planning. We have been blessed and got lucky, so we will be quite comfortable. However, I do wish I'd saved more. I like buying attachments!