Caustic Burno
Well-known member
callmefence said:
The exact opposite is going on here paper companies selling off larger tracts to doctors, lawyers and Indian Chiefs literally.
You can hire a Mexican cheap to build fence.
Demise of the Family Farm
- Thread starter hurleyjd
- Start date
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The exact opposite is going on here paper companies selling off larger tracts to doctors, lawyers and Indian Chiefs literally.
You can hire a Mexican cheap to build fence.
greybeard
Well-known member
Farms are seeing the same fate that small Texas towns have seen for decades, and i assume other places as well. The death of one begats same for the other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9IUj1mDENg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9IUj1mDENg
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Caustic Burno said:
Not that's insured, bonded, pays taxes and will finance the work, no money down....for a fair rate of course...... ;-)
hurleyjd
Well-known member
It takes a lot of money to start farming and keep farming. In 1965 we built a small dairy barn on the place. Bought 35 head of cows. This was on fifty acres. We got along pretty well with it could buy the best alfalfa hay available for $35 a ton. Fertilizer was around $45 a ton. A new tractor in the 45 hp range would be $3250 a new pickup could be had for $1800. We had all of this and was still able to pay bills and satisfy the notes at the Production Credit Bank each year and did for about seven years.
Ever thing we needed started going up and up each year until it was a break even situation. When we first started this operation we only had less than $50 thousand involved in it. The fifty acres cost us $5000 and had to clear the brush form some of it. Needless to say we did struggle but kept getting ahead a little each year. We look back with fond memories and we have photos of the cow in the pasture and forty years later my son can look at the photos and name each cow. There was hornet, brownie and prunie to recall three of them. Alas the memories of an old man and the joys as long as we forget about the knee deep mud we would wade and the rubber boot would stick and you would pull out of it and the sock foot would go in the mud. Try not to remember the bad times. Finally after seven years the wife found a job in town and ten years later I did also and sold the cows and kept the land. At one time the small cow calf herd made a little money along the way. But now it takes spending money from investments each year to break even and you get a tax break because you lose money each year. But memories will not pay the bills. You have to know when you have had enough and move on.
Ever thing we needed started going up and up each year until it was a break even situation. When we first started this operation we only had less than $50 thousand involved in it. The fifty acres cost us $5000 and had to clear the brush form some of it. Needless to say we did struggle but kept getting ahead a little each year. We look back with fond memories and we have photos of the cow in the pasture and forty years later my son can look at the photos and name each cow. There was hornet, brownie and prunie to recall three of them. Alas the memories of an old man and the joys as long as we forget about the knee deep mud we would wade and the rubber boot would stick and you would pull out of it and the sock foot would go in the mud. Try not to remember the bad times. Finally after seven years the wife found a job in town and ten years later I did also and sold the cows and kept the land. At one time the small cow calf herd made a little money along the way. But now it takes spending money from investments each year to break even and you get a tax break because you lose money each year. But memories will not pay the bills. You have to know when you have had enough and move on.
hurleyjd
Well-known member
You have not hired any Mexicans lately have you. They charge American wages now.Caustic Burno said:
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
You and I definitely have a different view on what an American living wage is and a day laborer for 10-12 bucks an hour and lunch is.
We're thinking of putting everything in trees. Not just pines, but some hardwoods. We wont see anything from them, but our kids will. We have saw timber stands right now, solar panels hopefully in our future, so we plan to retire from ranching. Done it over 40 years, kids all went in different directions, I don't want to be wrestling cattle into my 70s. Planting trees will keep our ag exemption and give our kids a retirement, and the land stays in the family...And in 30+ years if someone wants to ranch, they'll have an opportunity where they wouldn't if they had to start from scratch....
Richnm
Well-known member
hurleyjd said:
I miss the Mexicans that worked .
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
I miss the Americans that worked..
Richnm
Well-known member
I hate free things
1982vett
Well-known member
Richnm said:
I love free caps....just saying.
snoopdog
Well-known member
This hits pretty hard, cleared out the medications and supplies from the FIL's yesterday. None of the others have any livestock. It was raining today, spent it in the shop going through all of it, most medications long expired. A few treasures found.
Richnm
Well-known member
Most of all. I miss Americans that loved America.
cbcr
Well-known member
As farmers get older it is hard to make a decision as to what to do. We all wanted our kids to do better than us, so we encouraged them to get an education and a career away from farming.
And that is what they did. Very few of them made the decision that they would like to return to the farm.
Then it comes to how do you transition the farm. Most of us have worked the land and cows all of our lives and there have been times when it wasn't very easy. But be honest, would you have done differently?
It is sad to see the small farms disappear. I was down a blacktop road just a few months ago and many places where a homestead once stood were gone, no sign that one existed. The disappearance of the small farms also affects our towns and the businesses in them.
At one time we had about a half dozen grocery stores, numerous restaurants, gas stations, clothing, hardware and other stores. Ag dealerships of all the brands. They all thrived.
Today, we have no grocery store, (except a walmart), our square is almost empty of businesses, very few restaurants, and we have no ag equipment dealers. This is what is happening and will continue to happen as the family farms disappear from rural America.
And that is what they did. Very few of them made the decision that they would like to return to the farm.
Then it comes to how do you transition the farm. Most of us have worked the land and cows all of our lives and there have been times when it wasn't very easy. But be honest, would you have done differently?
It is sad to see the small farms disappear. I was down a blacktop road just a few months ago and many places where a homestead once stood were gone, no sign that one existed. The disappearance of the small farms also affects our towns and the businesses in them.
At one time we had about a half dozen grocery stores, numerous restaurants, gas stations, clothing, hardware and other stores. Ag dealerships of all the brands. They all thrived.
Today, we have no grocery store, (except a walmart), our square is almost empty of businesses, very few restaurants, and we have no ag equipment dealers. This is what is happening and will continue to happen as the family farms disappear from rural America.
Dave
Well-known member
Define a "family farm". I am surrounded by family farms who seem to be doing just fine. Before I retired I worked with a number of family farms. Can you make it milking 35 cows or running 50 beef cows? The answer is no. But there are a lot of families running 200 to 300 cows and doing just fine. I know people milking 200 with one employee. The majority of farms in this country are family operations. If they are incorporated it is for tax purposes.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
cbcr said:
There was a time we had Deere, Massey and Ford tractor dealership along with GM, Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge dealers.
None exist today.
Dave
Well-known member
Caustic Burno said:
A hundred years ago my little town had 4 hotels, 2 saloons, a two story dance hall (upstairs was a Odd Fellows lodge), 2 churches, 3 grocery stores, 2 big warehouses, a barber shop, meat market, and a drug store. Besides the nice railway depot, there was 2 section houses, a stockyard at the rail line, 3 livery stables, 2 blacksmith shops, a school, and a post office.
Now there is a post office where the counter is only open 2 hours a day. The trains still go through but they never stop. The freeway make it a short trip to Baker or Ontario. In the past it was a long day horseback or several days by wagon. Even 50 years ago people just didn't travel like they do today. The roads weren't as good. Vehicles were as good and didn't last as long. People just simply didn't travel like they do today. They wouldn't think of driving 30 miles to the grocery store or 50 miles to a car dealership to get the best buy like they do today.
HDRider
Well-known member
Dave said:
Are they running on government land too?
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
HDRider said:
Government land are not you can bet their getting run on country, as cattle should be. Not getting feed dumped over the fence everyday. ....much like they raise cattle in Brazil. efficiently
