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:

 

[MossRoad]

Here's something for you to chew on...

I know many people that own their own businesses. They started young, enjoy and believe in the product they produce (be it a physical product, a service product, etc..) and decided to get their own business. If the business grows and is successful, eventually management duties get larger and larger. Someone has to manage it. You can either hire a manager and keep doing the work that you love, or you can manage it yourself and you'll end up going hands-off the work that you love. For someone to say that a farmer that manages the business and pays people to do the physical labor and never gets into the field themselves isn't a farmer, well, that's just not true. Large businesses require managers and labor. Its still a business, and the business is farming.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

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!

JB, I spent 18 years in the public sector, and I never put in less that 40 hours a week, sometimes a lot more. Comp time was there, but I didn't always take it. I loved my job, worked hard and had a lot of professional freedom. I am well aware that there are those who have obtained their jobs through political influence, and who have abused the system. It's not perfect, but it's getting better. I acknowledge the word "many", but I have to say that there are "many" public employees who are devoted and work their assigned hours and more.

 

[jerrybob]

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:

I am glad you work for a living and I respect the fact that you put your life on the line....seriously. With that said.....we all know that many government jobs lack accountability and there is a lot of waste. This happens at the local, state and federal levels.......there is tremendous waste in government.

 

[jerrybob]

JB, I spent 18 years in the public sector, and I never put in less that 40 hours a week, sometimes a lot more. Comp time was there, but I didn't always take it. I loved my job, worked hard and had a lot of professional freedom. I am well aware that there are those who have obtained their jobs through political influence, and who have abused the system. It's not perfect, but it's getting better. I acknowledge the word "many", but I have to say that there are "many" public employees who are devoted and work their assigned hours and more.

I agree....there are many public employees who are devoted and do great work.....I believe you were one of them. I don't agree it is getting better......the waste in government at all levels is shameful. There is a lack of accountability. I know a local guy trying to get on with the county...why....he told me "cause they don't work that hard and you never get fired." He's absolutely correct. Show me a city, county, state or federal worker with defined performance objectives. Show me one that was fired for not meeting performance objectives.......they are few and far between. I appreciate hard work and believe it should be rewarded. My daughter is a really good school teacher and deserves higher pay than the teacher next door that has tenure.....does not prepare lesson plans.....is out the door when the bell rings and is not devoted to her students. She has at least 10 more years before retirement and she will never be held accountable.....her job is protected! To me.....that's bull! I appreciate you standing up for the good workers........but...we both know there are a lot of slackers in government as well.

 

[BigCountry1689]

Well at least none of that is prevalent in the corporate world..........

Unsubscribed-

 

[jerrybob]

Well at least none of that is prevalent in the corporate world..........

Unsubscribed-

Actually it is.....just more get fired because some companies hold people responsible for their actions and results.....you can tell those companies by their stock price......it is higher than the companies that are run like government entities.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Here's something for you to chew on...

I know many people that own their own businesses. They started young, enjoy and believe in the product they produce (be it a physical product, a service product, etc..) and decided to get their own business. If the business grows and is successful, eventually management duties get larger and larger. Someone has to manage it. You can either hire a manager and keep doing the work that you love, or you can manage it yourself and you'll end up going hands-off the work that you love. For someone to say that a farmer that manages the business and pays people to do the physical labor and never gets into the field themselves isn't a farmer, well, that's just not true. Large businesses require managers and labor. Its still a business, and the business is farming.

I agree with you. I would guess that a fair amount of food produced in this country comes from corporate farms that have multiple layers of management. There are may people involved who I would consider farmers who probably never get their hands dirty. But I would think it takes 1000's of acres, or even 10's or 1000's of acres to reach that point.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

As for the comments on public sector folks not working. I have seen sloth in both govt an public sector jobs. I can tell you that in our state govt there are many people who work long hours and are constantly worried about being let go. I was a contractor who came in and replaced some of the people who's jobs were eliminated at the state level. Some were good, some were dead weight. But I've seen that very same thing in public sector jobs. Ask any one who own's a business and has to hire people. It is really hard to find good, qualified people who are willing to work.

 

[smstonypoint]

Some data on farm family labor from the USDA at USDA ERS -
Family Farming in the United States

Steve

 

[jerrybob]

As for the comments on public sector folks not working. I have seen sloth in both govt an public sector jobs. I can tell you that in our state govt there are many people who work long hours and are constantly worried about being let go. I was a contractor who came in and replaced some of the people who's jobs were eliminated at the state level. Some were good, some were dead weight. But I've seen that very same thing in public sector jobs. Ask any one who own's a business and has to hire people. It is really hard to find good, qualified people who are willing to work.

I agree......dead weight in both sectors but in my experience......there are significantly more in the public sector because it is so hard to fire them. Most are union......that's part of the problem as well but that opens up a another can of worms.