Buy or Bale My Own?

[Hay Dude]

Every farmer I have ever know, always cries hard times, but the majority, end up with a ton of cash, when they finally decide to move on from farming. From what I have noticed from my friends that are farmers, they live well, and kinda enjoy crying poor, and tough times, to anyone that will listen.

That is a generalization based off ignorance.
“The majority end up with a ton of cash”.
Seriously? I know and am related to lots of farmers. Most work until they are dead and most die in debt.

”From what I have noticed from my friends that are farmers, they live well, and kinda enjoy crying poor, and tough times, to anyone that will listen.”

What are NOT “tough times”? You ever pay retail price for everything you buy and sell everything you make for wholesale price? You ever plan your whole life around weather? When can you vacation? Time for your kids? I know dairy farmers who might get away once every year or 2, if they are lucky.

I have nearly died a few times in near miss accidents. My wife cries worrying my son or I could come home in a body bag from a farming accident. I personally know 2 farmers who DIED in farming accidents both were brothers. Their mother is still barely able to talk about it.
Dont make light of farming and its risks and challenges. It only makes you look foolish. Try to show some respect.

 

[Hay Dude]

cant argue with someone that changes the story all the time.....

Please explain

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a family farm and I rent out the fields.(pays the taxes on land with about 10-12k left over most years)
We are on a rotation of soybean, corn, cotton and peanuts. After the peanuts are harvested that gets bailed, sometimes they plant wheat as an cover crop. I just like to garden and am decent at that. I understand where food comes from, just questioning your business model where you claim to lose money all the time. One day I might take over farming the place but probably not. I still have my great granddad's tiny tobacco tractor. I know what the farmers around me make and see the stuff they buy/vacations they go on...sometimes I get sick of the cries of poverty!

Big inheritance?
Must be nice.

 

[K5lwq]

Most definitely. Farmers should live in a shack with no running water or electricity. They should drive old beat up vehicles and have tractors with no cab or canopy. That makes total sense to this farm boy. And the government and the rest of society should take whatever is left over after expenses each year.

 

[Fixastuff]

Big inheritance?
Must be nice.

Your always looking for a dig ain't ya. I don't get any $$s from it. Depends on how long my dad and two uncle's(all in their 80s) live and how much nursing home/assisted living they need in the end. We had to sell one piece to take care of grandma with demintia (14yrs of it, that was tough, the demintia not selling). Right now it just gives me an awesome place to hunt on and enjoy.(and being the only semi young relative around I do alot of the heavy lifting when it comes to maintenance) After they're gone I have a bunch of cousins who don't live here who will probably just want to log it then sell, if you really need to get all up in my business. I do feel blessed and lucky so thanks for asking! I'm enjoying while I can, once my parents are gone and I don't have to worry about taking care of them Ill move if the farm ever has to be sold.

 

[Hay Dude]

Your always looking for a dig ain't ya. I don't get any $$s from it. Depends on how long my dad and two uncle's(all in their 80s) live and how much nursing home/assisted living they need in the end. We had to sell one piece to take care of grandma with demintia (14yrs of it, that was tough, the demintia not selling). Right now it just gives me an awesome place to hunt on and enjoy.(and being the only semi young relative around I do alot of the heavy lifting when it comes to maintenance) After they're gone I have a bunch of cousins who don't live here who will probably just want to log it then sell, if you really need to get all up in my business. I do feel blessed and lucky so thanks for asking! I'm enjoying while I can, once my parents are gone and I don't have to worry about taking care of them Ill move if the farm ever has to be sold.

You know after reading your last posts speculating how “maybe you just take over farming the place”, like that won’t take a crap ton of planning, money, blood and sweat, like it’s a walk in the park, you began to lose my respect.
But Good luck on the farm! You are blessed to have someone tough taking the risks involved in keeping that farm looking good for ya. Must be a good, hard working farmer.
I hear ya on the Dementia. I just helped my wife put my MIL to bed. We been at it 2&1/2 years, both of us full time jobs and kids in college. Built 3 businesses with no help and basic hand tools. No rich land owning parents and little inheritance for either of us. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Did it my way

 

[jjp8182]

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database put the issue on the map and is driving reform. Just ten percent of America's largest and richest farms collect almost three-fourths of federal farm subsidies; cash payments that often harm the environment.

farm.ewg.org

Check this out, it may surprise you. I know farmers around here get mad if you bring this up when they're telling you how poor they are.

That's interesting, but it seems to be missing one very important piece of information in my opinion: how many acres are associated with the dollar value.

Of course, looking in my area it seems the largest subsidies are for cotton growers -- which given how cotton is reputedly harvested in some other parts of the world I'd rather not see cotton go the way that US microchip manufacturing (and manufacturing in general) did ....

But (perhaps) that's just me....

 

[mred2]

A farming friend of mine just retired. He still lives in the same double wide trailer that he purchased new 45 years ago. He is no longer farming but still haying for his cows. They are renting out a lot of their farm land. And plan to sell a little each year to make it thru to the end. His kids will get very little.

 

[MossRoad]

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database

EWG's Farm Subsidy Database put the issue on the map and is driving reform. Just ten percent of America's largest and richest farms collect almost three-fourths of federal farm subsidies; cash payments that often harm the environment.

farm.ewg.org

Check this out, it may surprise you. I know farmers around here get mad if you bring this up when they're telling you how poor they are.

I/we have several friends that are on that list. Most are on the smaller end, however, a couple are near the tops in their zip codes, which doesn't surprise me, as they farm thousands of acres. I also see that they are in there under their company names, as well as several family names, as they are all large family operations working together. None of them aren't following the letter of the law.

Heck, my wife and I took government money for tree planting back around 1989-90.

As long as the laws are there, take advantage of them. If you think they are unfair, work for change. Spouting off on a tractor board isn't going to change anything.

With that said, I've recently spoken with a couple of our farmer friends that both have large farms/operations. Both are in their early 60's. Both farm around 10,000 acres. One has a feed mill and farm store. Another has a hog finishing operation with 6-8000 hogs depending. That one also works a full-time job off the farm as does his wife. His full-time job is driving trucks and equipment for his brother's farm!

Both are ready to give it all up. They are tired. And they look tired. They work long hours spring and fall and spend about 2 months away from their family activities twice a year. Winter and summer is more 'normal'. But as they both say, when it's time to work, you have to work. You can't plan the weather. I won't go into all the ups and downs they've had, as it's long. When we get together, we just sit and talk. I usually ask them how they're doing. I don't bring up the weather if it's been bad. I do bring it up if it's been good. That usually brings a smile to their face when they can report a good growing season.

The one's with the farm store are tired of a 6 day a week operation. They can't find anyone to take it on, so instead of passiong it along to their kids, they may sell it or close it. Not sure yet.

Anyhow, it's interesting to talk to them, and not just farmers, but anyone that owns their own business, and see how things are going and how they manage to do it and balance family time.

 

[Boss 302]

To each his own, all I know is there are so many things that have to line up in order to make hay. During hay season you have to plan your entire life around it everything else must take a back seat. I will say this you don't get into it for the money.