Farms

[bigbull338]

theres no more land ever gonna be made.an the sad thing is the kids dont want to farm or ranch.an one day they will realize they made a misstake.sure it hard back breaking work.not very much pay.so when people gets old they sale out or get pushed out by developments.i hope when i get old.mt neices an nephews will keep the farm going.i wont even consider selling any land.an it just burns me up when i know people are trying to sale their farms.

 

[cmjust0]

One thing I've witnessed as a young tryin'-to-be farmer is that there are a lot of folks out there who've been farming for a long time who seem to revel in watching someone younger fall flat on their face.

We get called "soft" or "green" -- or just plain stupid -- and there's always somebody waiting to criticize our work ethic, ideas, decisions, or anything else they can to elevate themselves and discourage us.

Then, to beat it all, those same folks sit around and lament about how farming as a profession seems to be going away completely.

What they don't seem to realize is that it's disappearing up it's own asshole -- and that they're part of the problem.

While I certainly applaud many of the true mentors on this board who genuinely seem to want to help people succeed (dun comes to mind specifically), it's worth noting that even this place has it's share of self-aggrandizing discouragement machines. To me, that speaks volumes -- considering that this is a Q&A forum, complete with a "beginner's" board.

I mean, how many times have we all seen people get run off the beginner's board for asking "stupid" questions?

And yet, here we are, lamenting how all the young people are getting run out of farming...... Whatever shall we do?

 

[backhoeboogie]

One thing I've witnessed as a young tryin'-to-be farmer is that there are a lot of folks out there who've been farming for a long time who seem to revel in watching someone younger fall flat on their face.

We get called "soft" or "green" -- or just plain stupid -- and there's always somebody waiting to criticize our work ethic, ideas, decisions, or anything else they can to elevate themselves and discourage us.

Then, to beat it all, those same folks sit around and lament about how farming as a profession seems to be going away completely.

What they don't seem to realize is that it's disappearing up it's own be nice -- and that they're part of the problem.

While I certainly applaud many of the true mentors on this board who genuinely seem to want to help people succeed (dun comes to mind specifically), it's worth noting that even this place has it's share of self-aggrandizing discouragement machines. To me, that speaks volumes -- considering that this is a Q&A forum, complete with a "beginner's" board.

I mean, how many times have we all seen people get run off the beginner's board for asking "stupid" questions?

And yet, here we are, lamenting how all the young people are getting run out of farming...... Whatever shall we do?

I am really sorry you are having such negative experiences. That must be discouraging indeed. Most of the old timers around here have been extremely encouraging to all of us. They are friendly in the sale barn even when I have never seen them before in my life. I am bidding against them. It is just business.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much about what folks say on these boards. Farming is a hard life and it renders some hard reality resulting in hardened men and women. Most all of them are crusty on the edges but soft in the center :lol:

 

[bigbull338]

One thing I've witnessed as a young tryin'-to-be farmer is that there are a lot of folks out there who've been farming for a long time who seem to revel in watching someone younger fall flat on their face.

We get called "soft" or "green" -- or just plain stupid -- and there's always somebody waiting to criticize our work ethic, ideas, decisions, or anything else they can to elevate themselves and discourage us.

Then, to beat it all, those same folks sit around and lament about how farming as a profession seems to be going away completely.

What they don't seem to realize is that it's disappearing up it's own be nice -- and that they're part of the problem.

While I certainly applaud many of the true mentors on this board who genuinely seem to want to help people succeed (dun comes to mind specifically), it's worth noting that even this place has it's share of self-aggrandizing discouragement machines. To me, that speaks volumes -- considering that this is a Q&A forum, complete with a "beginner's" board.

I mean, how many times have we all seen people get run off the beginner's board for asking "stupid" questions?

And yet, here we are, lamenting how all the young people are getting run out of farming...... Whatever shall we do?

I am really sorry you are having such negative experiences. That must be discouraging indeed. Most of the old timers around here have been extremely encouraging to all of us. They are friendly in the sale barn even when I have never seen them before in my life. I am bidding against them. It is just business.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much about what folks say on these boards. Farming is a hard life and it renders some hard reality resulting in hardened men and women. Most all of them are crusty on the edges but soft in the center :lol:

like boogie said alot of the old timers are crusy an rough for a reason.most of the reason they so tough is that theyve been through tough times.went through low prices droughts an other things.if people ask questions i try to answer them if i can.but the bottomline is this if you want to farm or ranch you had better be tough.because its not going tobe easy.

 

[cmjust0]

Luckily for me, I've got fairly thick skin and pretty good neighbors. Plus, I'm doing this for my own reasons, so I don't feel like I've got anything to prove to anybody. Every now and then, though, a little GenX/GenY-targeted barb comes screeching across the bow and sorta sticks in my craw -- even when it's not directed at me, per se.

I guess what I've seen could really be boiled down to a lot of misunderstanding between the X/Y crowd and the boomer-plus crowd. For instance, boomers-plus seem to look at my generation and see people who expect a whole lot of mollycoddling and money and personal freedom for not-a-whole-lot of actual work, whereas my generation seems to look at all the boomer-plus folks and consider it to be a shame for them to have spent their whole lives breaking their backs and/or selling their souls to "the man" for what seems, to them, like a pittance cast down at them from a boardroom full of unappreciative jerks who expect nothing short of absolute loyalty from their wage-slaves.

I also think that both points of view are somewhat valid, even if not altogether accurate.

Unfortunately, however, farming is sort of the perfect storm of what X/Yers hate the most: back breaking labor for hardly any monetary reward, and having to get help from people who often times have a tendency to be patently discouraging.

It's no wonder they run, especially when a lot of climate-controlled, keyboard-based, college-degree desk jobs start at $50K with perks and bennies.

If there's anything I'd like to change about the dialogue, though, it's the notion that X/Yers are just lazy. We're really not. We just wanna be fairly compensated and/or appreciated in exchange for our most valuable asset -- hours above ground.

Some X/Yers (like me) have occasionally been known to get the compensation/appreciation thing backward, and can actually be put to hard work for little more than appreciation and/or the knowledge that what we're doing is going to make a difference somehow.

That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. I wanna raise kids on a farm, and that -- to me -- is worth every day I spend trying to get this thing off the ground. If it never makes a dime, it's still going to make a difference.


Sorry, gang. I just realized that this is turning into something of a manifesto, so I'm just going to stop here. :lol:

 

[Lammie]

We have people that moved in right next door to chickens houses. I mean there house is closer to them than ours. Right on the other side of road, then they want to complain about ever little smell. And when we wean calves they grip about the cows bawling. If they don't like the country they are free to move back to the city. It gets me when people move to the country and try to turn it in to the city.
We had to borrow every dime to buy our farm, I hate owning money. but we have been careful and we put all the money towards paying it off. We will be completly paid out in 8 years. I am 28 and my husband is 32 so I think we will be alright. We bought and raised all our cows, built up slow ,but they are ours. And the chicken houses pay the land payment, and there bills. It is very tight but we stay paid ahead just incase something ever happens. And in 8 years it will be ours. That will be the greatest feeling in the world.
It is nice that both of us are here because Between chickens hay and cattle I don't think one of us could do it alone. But there may come a day when we have to try.

I hear you. People all the time moving in and complaining about smells. Just where do you think you are???

People think that they want to "get away to the country" but they do not realize that they are bringing their problems, their crime, their cracker box houses, with them.

Why would anyone want to live in a house that is spitting distance to the houses on either side?

 

[backhoeboogie]

I guess what I've seen could really be boiled down to a lot of misunderstanding between the X/Y crowd and the boomer-plus crowd. For instance, boomers-plus seem to look at my generation and see people who expect a whole lot of mollycoddling and money and personal freedom for not-a-whole-lot of actual work, whereas my generation seems to look at all the boomer-plus folks and consider it to be a shame for them to have spent their whole lives breaking their backs and/or selling their souls to "the man" for what seems, to them, like a pittance cast down at them from a boardroom full of unappreciative jerks who expect nothing short of absolute loyalty from their wage-slaves.

Wow!! Where did this come from? I am a wage slave? I turned down a $90 an hour package in Illinois to stay where I currently work. I didn't want to run out on the farm, family, granchildren etc.

Peers who have climbed the corporate ladder over the last 30 years have wondered why I didn't want to. "the man"??? We made him.

But back to your slaving point. I have to ask, Have you ever watched a bird build its nest and sing its heart out all the way?

I sincerely enjoy a since of accomplishment, although I cannot sing like a bird. I don't get that from editing documents on a keyboard in the corpo world, in that cubical.

Edit: The most folks I have ever supervised was around 65 people and that was 25 years ago. I don't like being in charge of people lives and have lots of stories to tell. It is not for me.

When I see really good young engineers jump in and contribute, I am very proud of them. My engineer daughter included. I don't care for yongsters with attitudes. I don't care for older folks with attitudes either.

 

[cmjust0]

Wow!! Where did this come from? I am a wage slave?

I was speaking in generalities, sort of "on behalf" of the typical GenX/Y mindset. To GenX/Y, if you're collecting a paycheck to make ends meet, you're a wage slave. It's not meant to be disparaging, either, as those of us who are in that situation are generally pretty quick to put ourselves in that category as well.

I turned down a $90 an hour package in Illinois to stay where I currently work. I didn't want to run out on the farm, family, granchildren etc.

To clarify, being a wage slave doesn't mean you're a slave to wages or money.. It's simply an acknowledgement that the majority of us are trading the ever-fleeting hours of our lives for a paycheck, which is never -- regardless of the rate of pay -- a fair bargain. After all, when the end is near, you can't buy back time no matter how much you've got stuffed in the bank.

Peers who have climbed the corporate ladder over the last 30 years have wondered why I didn't want to. "the man"??? We made him.

Through that statement alone, I now consider you to be a fellow GenXer at heart.

For GenX/Y, simply being at the top doesn't generally garner any respect. Such an attitude basically stems from the belief that those at the top are buying our time on the cheap, turning it into profits which they're mostly keeping for themselves, and that they still expect us to be loyal and see them as our benefactors.

What they don't get is that we kinda see them as our captors.

Yes, we can leave for another job or and go start our own companies and see how it works out for us and blah blah blah.. Yes, we know it's difficult to turn an idea into a profitable company, blah blah blah..

We just don't really care. :lol:

We also know that if we all decide to stop doing it, they're screwed too.

Bear in mind that most of this can be mitigated if GenX/Y can at least feel like what we're doing is making a difference. Then we can justify the "expense" of our time and not have to be all "Whatever dude, this sucks.. I'm out.. :roll: ." :lol:

To be fair, we X/Yers didn't really start this tugo'war, either. We'd probably be just as loyal to our employers as our parents were if so many of us hadn't seen our loyal parents wind up being laid-off by their 'benefactors' or have their pensions erased as a means to drive up share prices and placate a few filthy-rich investors.

I guess little family speedbumps like that really have an impact on impressionable little minds, huh? :lol:

But back to your slaving point. I have to ask, Have you ever watched a bird build its nest and sing its heart out all the way?

I sincerely enjoy a since of accomplishment, although I cannot sing. I don't get that from editing documents on a keyboard in the corpo world.

Enjoying a sense of purpose and accomplishment is what GenX/Y is really after. Again, if we can justify the "expense" of our time by knowing that our contributions are appreciated or that we're having a positive impact, we're pretty OK with that.

Or...

If it pays obscenely, that's OK too -- for a while.

 

[cfpinz]

What's a Gen X/Y?

cfpinz

 

[backhoeboogie]

What's a Gen X/Y?

cfpinz

Now you've done gone and done it! :lol: :lol: :lol: Your cows aren't gonna speak to you for several weeks! :lol: :lol:

 

[GMN]

We have people that moved in right next door to chickens houses. I mean there house is closer to them than ours. Right on the other side of road, then they want to complain about ever little smell. And when we wean calves they grip about the cows bawling. If they don't like the country they are free to move back to the city. It gets me when people move to the country and try to turn it in to the city.
We had to borrow every dime to buy our farm, I hate owning money. but we have been careful and we put all the money towards paying it off. We will be completly paid out in 8 years. I am 28 and my husband is 32 so I think we will be alright. We bought and raised all our cows, built up slow ,but they are ours. And the chicken houses pay the land payment, and there bills. It is very tight but we stay paid ahead just incase something ever happens. And in 8 years it will be ours. That will be the greatest feeling in the world.
It is nice that both of us are here because Between chickens hay and cattle I don't think one of us could do it alone. But there may come a day when we have to try.

You are lucky that you and your husband can both work and make it on the farm, I know our Dairy would have been done within the first year, if my husband did not work out, and make good money to make up for the low lows on the milk checks, and when milk is high(like now) it just gets us more ahead on the bills, and more put away, for the next low low. Have you ever thought how much more ahead you and your husband could be, if one of you worked out just part time. It is alot of work for just one person, I know sometimes I feel overwhelmed here doing all the chores myself, but instead of 8 years, you might be able to reduce it down even more.

Around here, there are the richer neighbors that when land does come up for sale, they snatch it up, because they can afford to pay $2300 plus an acre, good for the person selling, but it kind of limits the small time farmers, like ourselves from obtaining more land. I guess in a way it is good though, because they are buying the land to farm on, and prevent developers from building the subdivisions, so I can't complain too much. I'd say this area where we live will be a small farming community for many years to come, it is nice.

Gail

 

[- Claireview -]

I really wish some more younger people would get into farming. I hate to see it just disappear. Just wondered if this is the case anywhere else?

I talk to my dad quite a lot about this. My generation is so lazy it makes me wild. My friends often say that they feel 'sorry' and 'sad' for me because of the work i do on the weekends, when, according to them - i could be shopping, going to the movies or having parties in town! unbeleivable!.

only this morning when we were mustering, dad was saying that majority of the kids nowadays wouldnt even know where half of their food comes from. Most kids dont even know how to grow their own food - its disgraceful.

Unfortunately even kids i know now who have grown up on properties all of their lives want out - they want to get (and some have already got) apprenticeships and so on with the mines because farming is all thats been pushed at them since they were born - and the mines pay anywhere from $1000 to $3000 (and up to $100 and hour in some trades) a week compared to the $400 or so my next door neighbour used to get for being a jillaroo. - I think to get more young people into agriculture is to send troubled (criminal etc) kids to work on properties - they could do something constructive with themselves and sustain our countries future while they're at it.

I am really glad that this topic was brought up, because i fear for our countries future - this place is full of idiots who are lazy and couldnt care less about anything but themselves (not everyone is like this, mind you) and once the last of our original "cowboys" and bushmen pass away - who is going to teach us the proper ways to farm? One day, agricultural practices will be able to be controlled from some flash office in the city somewhere and the days of working from dawn to dusk and home made machinery will be a thing of the past. I do the best that i can to enjoy everybit of the experience dad and the old bushies that ive grown up around give me - it mightnt last for much longer but i am dedicated to stay within the agricultural industry - no matter who tells me otherwise.

Sorry if i blabbed on a bit - i think about this so often, its fantastic to see this topic up here. God, i hope there is more people my age, with my kind of attitude willing to dedicate themselves to sustaining our futures.

S.

 

[rkm]

I'm sorry to hear it [I think] its not just a USA problem.

 

[J&T Farm]

I got so mad when I was in high school at a teacher, I really liked her but she was very negitive about me saying that I wanted to farm. I was raised on a small farm a few cows my parents built a chicken house, and we had horses. I always said I was going to farm. Well this teacher discourged me in every way.. Said there was no money in it, bad idea, that I need to go to college, and become something that had a future. Well I have nothing against college I have pushed my sisters to go. I just said college wasn't for me. I have never regreted my decision. Its not all about money. I feel good about what I do and even though we don't keep alot of money on hand we make it. And have alot of land, which in my opinion is the best investment you can make. We didn't buy new trucks, and toys. We bought land. And all my friends that have the town jobs and drive a new vehicle every year, yeah they make good money but a house and 1/2 acre in a subdivision somewhere was not for me. And now they say how do you afford the land we can't buy any it to expensive. Well when we bought our farm we bought a job and as long as we can scratch out a living and pay for the land I am happy. They will make lots more vehicles but not anymore land.

 

[Gate Opener]

I really wish some more younger people would get into farming. I hate to see it just disappear. Just wondered if this is the case anywhere else?

I talk to my dad quite a lot about this. My generation is so lazy it makes me wild. My friends often say that they feel 'sorry' and 'sad' for me because of the work i do on the weekends, when, according to them - i could be shopping, going to the movies or having parties in town! unbeleivable!.

only this morning when we were mustering, dad was saying that majority of the kids nowadays wouldnt even know where half of their food comes from. Most kids dont even know how to grow their own food - its disgraceful.

Unfortunately even kids i know now who have grown up on properties all of their lives want out - they want to get (and some have already got) apprenticeships and so on with the mines because farming is all thats been pushed at them since they were born - and the mines pay anywhere from $1000 to $3000 (and up to $100 and hour in some trades) a week compared to the $400 or so my next door neighbour used to get for being a jillaroo. - I think to get more young people into agriculture is to send troubled (criminal etc) kids to work on properties - they could do something constructive with themselves and sustain our countries future while they're at it.

I am really glad that this topic was brought up, because i fear for our countries future - this place is full of idiots who are lazy and couldnt care less about anything but themselves (not everyone is like this, mind you) and once the last of our original "cowboys" and bushmen pass away - who is going to teach us the proper ways to farm? One day, agricultural practices will be able to be controlled from some flash office in the city somewhere and the days of working from dawn to dusk and home made machinery will be a thing of the past. I do the best that i can to enjoy everybit of the experience dad and the old bushies that ive grown up around give me - it mightnt last for much longer but i am dedicated to stay within the agricultural industry - no matter who tells me otherwise.

Sorry if i blabbed on a bit - i think about this so often, its fantastic to see this topic up here. God, i hope there is more people my age, with my kind of attitude willing to dedicate themselves to sustaining our futures.

S.

I am happy to hear of your work ethic.

Looking back on my younger years when I was still at home, the things that make me the happiest were the times when I helped others and worked really hard. Sure I remember swinging on the tire swing and exploring the woods but I am most happy about the hard work. Come to think of it I still like accomplishing things and helping out. Its a good thing.

 

[GMN]

I got so mad when I was in high school at a teacher, I really liked her but she was very negitive about me saying that I wanted to farm. I was raised on a small farm a few cows my parents built a chicken house, and we had horses. I always said I was going to farm. Well this teacher discourged me in every way.. Said there was no money in it, bad idea, that I need to go to college, and become something that had a future. Well I have nothing against college I have pushed my sisters to go. I just said college wasn't for me. I have never regreted my decision. Its not all about money. I feel good about what I do and even though we don't keep alot of money on hand we make it. And have alot of land, which in my opinion is the best investment you can make. We didn't buy new trucks, and toys. We bought land. And all my friends that have the town jobs and drive a new vehicle every year, yeah they make good money but a house and 1/2 acre in a subdivision somewhere was not for me. And now they say how do you afford the land we can't buy any it to expensive. Well when we bought our farm we bought a job and as long as we can scratch out a living and pay for the land I am happy. They will make lots more vehicles but not anymore land.

I know this is how it is around here, my son has Ag in junior high, and wants to take FFA when he gets to the high school (if its still available) Last year the school board was trying to dismiss the FFA classes, so they could put more money into other things like sports, etc... but it got so much oppositition that it still is available. The FFA class has lead at least 2-3 kids that I personnally know into the ag field, one went to college and magored in plant science, and now works at a FSA branch, another is a nutritionist for a MFA, so I think it is a very helpful class for individuals who are raised on a farm, one his Dad still milks, and he still lives at home, and helps out. I know my boys love the farm life, they especially like to tackle problems and help solve them on the farm, its a good life. I think there are many avenues of Agriculture a person can go into nowadays and still be involved in Agriculture, but I do think in 20 years, the number of Dairy farms will be decreased also.

GMN

 

[TheBullLady]

I get calls every week from older folks that want to sell the family farm, because the kids don't want it. The problem is, the kids have grown up, gone on to other careers in other states and have no interest in the farm any longer. When we were in Illinois, the dairy next door was run by one of the five kids.. the other four could care less about it. Seems like a lot of kids that grow up on a farm or ranch can't wait to get away from it.

On the flip side, I think there are probably a fair amount of young'uns that would like to farm or ranch. But lets face it, unless you're wealthy, it's pretty hard to get just buy up a place and get to work. Land prices have skyrocketed just about everywhere, and you'll be competing with people that have two incomes that can afford the payments. It's a sorry cycle, and frankly I don't know what the answer is.

I didn't grow up on a farm or ranch, but ended up on one because that's where I wanted to be. Husband milked cows when he was growing up, and got away from it as soon as he could leave. He enjoys it now, but not like I do.

 

[- Claireview -]

Land prices have skyrocketed

Too right they have. Just four days ago, a 38,000 acre property around here, went for 16 million.

There is no way that i would ever be able to afford something like that - not even after i go to uni and get a degree and a good-paying job.

S.

 

[GMN]

I get calls every week from older folks that want to sell the family farm, because the kids don't want it. The problem is, the kids have grown up, gone on to other careers in other states and have no interest in the farm any longer. When we were in Illinois, the dairy next door was run by one of the five kids.. the other four could care less about it. Seems like a lot of kids that grow up on a farm or ranch can't wait to get away from it.

On the flip side, I think there are probably a fair amount of young'uns that would like to farm or ranch. But lets face it, unless you're wealthy, it's pretty hard to get just buy up a place and get to work. Land prices have skyrocketed just about everywhere, and you'll be competing with people that have two incomes that can afford the payments. It's a sorry cycle, and frankly I don't know what the answer is.

I didn't grow up on a farm or ranch, but ended up on one because that's where I wanted to be. Husband milked cows when he was growing up, and got away from it as soon as he could leave. He enjoys it now, but not like I do.

This is very true, land here has quadrupled since we bought our 200 acres, but I still say where there is a will there is a way.

Funny what you say about your husband, mine was also raised on a dairy in WI, couldn't get out of there fast enough, but then in his later twenties, couldn't wait to get his own place and wanted to farm again. Ironically, he is only a weekend farmer, and I the city girl, is doing all the milking, chores, etc..., what a switch heh?

I know a few people older, who have retired from milking, too old to run the farm, and they have kids, but they don't want to farm either, so when their health fails, the heirs will probably sell the land to whoever, and make a fortune, the sad thing is that once the land is gone its gone forever.

GMN

 

[bigbull338]

people has their owm opiom of why they farm.as well as why their kids dont want to keep the farm going.an thats ok by me.what i hate seeing is good land being ruined by housing subs.the kids willl regret it 1 day.i grew up on a dairy.an milked cows till i was sick of the low prices.an if my body would let me id go back to milking in a heartbeat.as you can tell im very hardcore about what i beleive in.so hardcore i wont sale land to anyone.dont care how much they offer.