I guess we ain't that kind of farmer.

[WoodChuckDad]

I love to hear stories like yours. It's funny, I've spent twenty years in corporate USA and make a great living, but dream about the farming life. My wife and I are also working on a part time, hopefully to be eventually full time dream. We've got 30 acres and hoping to start our orchard next spring. Life in the gerbil wheel isn't all it's cracked up to be. I love getting out there and busting my butt. Keeps me grounded.

Where are you going to be putting that orchard in? What kind of trees? I can tell you that it is possible. You just have to shove all the nay-sayers our of your way. There is no shortage of people who will tell you that you can't do what they can't do.
A friend of mine has said for years, that there are 3 kinds of people. Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. There are lots of variations on it but I think that sums it up pretty well. Congratulations on pursuing that dream. Beats the heck out of a rocking chair.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

But there is such a thing as a spaghetti tre, isn't there?

I love that. I want some of those trees. I come from an Italian family...I have to send this to my brother.

 

[hawkeye08]

Back in the early to mid 70s, family farms either had to go big (1000s of acres to gain economies of scale) or go small (smaller equipment and being able to handle farmwork with family members). Those in the middle were forced out of business. Many of the farmers went broke back in those days due to poor business planning and banks. Our family went small (cut down 3000 irrigated acres with hired man(s) to around 600 acres.
We did okay, but there were some lean years. Live your dream...

 

[TheMan419]

I love to hear stories like yours. It's funny, I've spent twenty years in corporate USA and make a great living, but dream about the farming life. My wife and I are also working on a part time, hopefully to be eventually full time dream. We've got 30 acres and hoping to start our orchard next spring. Life in the gerbil wheel isn't all it's cracked up to be. I love getting out there and busting my butt. Keeps me grounded.

I think this is the key. I was raised with work ethic, but it was more indoor. I have had a job or been in school (or frequently both) since I was legally allowed to work. Mowed lawns for cash before that.

Spend a LOT of time driving a desk at work.

We just bought 18 acres and are in process of contracting out a barn to be built. Then the horses come home. It will be a lot of work, but it is turning out to be just the thing to wind down from a rough day at the office.

At work I deal with a lot of family law issues and they are very emotionally charged. Even though it is not my life effected by those cases it takes its toll. Working out in the "back 40" unwinds all of that. Even if it is just puttering around on the tractor.

 

[bcp]

I love that. I want some of those trees. I come from an Italian family...I have to send this to my brother.

More of the story:

Spaghetti-tree hoax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bruce

 

[meos1]

I just put in my first beehive in 34 years (I had 14 hives when I was a 15 year old). I hope to add more as money and time permits(That is a next year thing as its close to too late to start up a new hive). My Wife was upset to learn the bees don't do all the work. You need to check them and make sure you don't have a queen being reared, clean the bridge comb from the frames or they will glue it together so bad you cant pull them out, and make sure your queen is there, laying eggs, your brood are progressing and do a mite count as well as a host of other pests that can ruin a hive. Sure its an hour a month, in winter.

 

[meos1]

Here is a shot of what your working with.

 

[jerrybob]

In the original post.....it mentions this guy wants to have a 40 hr. job in the public sector and still work the farm.......shouldn't be a problem.....many public sector employees get paid for 40 hrs. but only work half or less of those hours.......his public sector job won't wear him out......he'll be plenty rested when he gets home to work the farm and have money to boot! LOL!

 

[MossRoad]

My wife has a good friend that works 40 hrs per week at her job. Her husband works 40 hrs per week at his job. All of their grown children and their spouses work 40 hrs per week at their full time jobs. And they farm 3-4 thousand acres as a family with several seasonal paid employees. I'd work for them in spring and fall except they are an hour and a half away, so it would be a 3 hour commute for me. Nicest, hardest working folks you'd ever meet. They could easily make it on their full time jobs alone, yet they enjoy working their full time jobs and farming. They farm corn, beans and have feeder hogs.

 

[BigCountry1689]

In the original post.....it mentions this guy wants to have a 40 hr. job in the public sector and still work the farm.......shouldn't be a problem.....many public sector employees get paid for 40 hrs. but only work half or less of those hours.......his public sector job won't wear him out......he'll be plenty rested when he gets home to work the farm and have money to boot! LOL!

I'm glad to see in Washington that your government allows their employees to only work half the time that there actually paid for. I on the other hand put my life on the line every day for much more time than I am fairly compensated for. But I can see how you would find that humorous......:thumbdown: