Forsaking income for contentment

[Redhides]

So I've recently arrived at the conclusion that I want to pursue a full time career in agriculture. I realized this through chasing my own "why" dynamic. Outside the protection, care, and advancement of my family, my highest pleasure, motivation, and educational interests lie squarely in agriculture. My motivation for working in my existing industry is to compile the funds needed to spend more time chasing cows. And if that's the case......why not just do what it is that I desire. Due to some fortunate circumstances, my overhead is relatively low.

Where would a guy find a reasonable sales gig where the compensation was tied to performance, but with the liberty to remain in my hometown? I don't mind the travel, I've done a king's lot worth of it over the last 15 years. And I really don't care what segment of the industry would entail.

Thoughts? Encouragements? Discouragement? Dissolution's? Wisdom?

Fire when ready and thank you gents.

 

[M5farm]

what part of Georgia

 

[Redhides]

Midwest.

 

[Richardin52]

Money is a commodity to be bought or not to be bought, a luxury in which we may or may not indulge ourselves in, like any other and there are many other luxuries that we may legitimately prefer to it, such as a grateful conscience, a country life or the woman of our inclination.
Robert Louis Stevenson, Men and Books

To have great capital is not so necessary as to know how to manage a small one, and never to be without a little. It's not large funds that are wanted, but a constant supply, like a stream that never dies.
William Cooper, A guide in the Wilderness, 1810

From earliest childhood to the final steps of old age, those who put the most into life \get the most out of life. This applies to quality of life and quantity of output. Scott Nearing, The good life 1970.

 

[Redhides]

Here here!

 

[Balin' Wire]

Hi Red,
No real advice here but I just wanted to let you know there are others thinking just like you. If I would not have bought a big toy and then the Wife didn't got sick, I would have already done it. My late father told me to do what I love to do and it will never be work. She's getting closer to cured. The notes are almost over. I'm going to listen to Dad's advice. It will be a HUGE pay cut but a HUGE emotional and psychological raise. I think it really depends on what you want out of life and what you consider "Quality of Life". Mine is running cows, raising grass and being part of a community that has morals and standards. My 2 cents.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I wish you and your wife all the best. I know first hand how important good health is and how much most of us take it for granted.

I'm in the same boat on this career vs contentment debate. I make a very respectable living (thanks to The Lord) but also have a 600 acre farm 100% at my disposal complete with barns, tractors, implements, and 120 head of cattle just waiting for me to take the plunge.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[J&D Cattle]

With my current economic status and my wife's continued employment I'd jump ship in a heart beat TT if I had those options. I'm having to try and rent ground to grow, sure makes it tough. Riding this desk just ain't much fun. I was promoted in 2008 at the age of 27 and essentially have climbed the ladder as far as I can in my current organization. That depresses me! My annual review is actually this afternoon, I can't wait.

Good luck Red whatever you decide!!!

 

[Redhides]

If we are the sum of the company we keep, surely we are all better having spent a little time here.

Thank you gentleman for your kind words and encouragement. I hope each of you spends more time at the farm/ranch than you did last year......and put more in your pocket as well.

 

[Bigfoot]

I will retire in 6 years. I will be 48. Plenty of time to enjoy my agriculture endeavors. Infact I am in a meeting now discussing my retirement.

 

[john250]

To those who say you'll take huge pay cuts to be full time farmers I have to question your reasoning or your budgets. Economists say it takes what? 900 cows to be full time/make full time money in ranching. It takes a few thousand acres to be full time in crops. When I was in school in the early 70's the economists said half a million invested in each full time farming job. Half a mil now is your cotton harvester. Don't take a pay cut just to be on your own. Hobos are on their own too. Make sure you can reasonably expect enough income to keep up the Jones in town. And health insurance.

 

[skyhightree1]

I will retire in 6 years. I will be 48. Plenty of time to enjoy my agriculture endeavors. Infact I am in a meeting now discussing my retirement.

I think Bigfoot's idea is great. I honestly have no clue when I will retire I like my business just as much as farming. I have a tree service business that keeps me in the office or out in the field alot giving estimates and talking about tree care. I like cattle and raise those too. My grandfather left me a grain farming operation that I could not fool with a cow or my business and really suffer no major financial loss but as long as my health is good I will continue to do all 3. It makes it easier that we have employees for the row crop operation and all I gotta do is oversee and write checks. I love climbing trees and chainsaws but I guess it all depends on what makes you happy and your preparation for the future cause lets face it nothing is going to get cheaper. I believe in sacrifice and preperation to get where you want to be. I also am realistic in knowing that I could not afford to buy alot of things i like if I were just raising cattle so it will forever be a hobby for me. I really admire those that can just raise cattle full time. I wish you and everyone on here the best in whatever they decide to do with their farming decisions whether hobby or fulltime.

 

[skyhightree1]

Don't take a pay cut just to be on your own.

I think thats a fair statement.

 

[Bigfoot]

I think the op is not talking about farming, but rather a job in agriculture. If that's the case, then go for it. A career change can be very healthy.

 

[skyhightree1]

I think the op is not talking about farming, but rather a job in agriculture. If that's the case, then go for it. A career change can be very healthy.

My mistake I read it a whole different way and assumed it was farming. :hide:

 

[Redhides]

Yeah I'm just looking for the opportunity to be around farming as my life's endeavor. I don't necessarily care what that may entail. I don't need it to be just from cattle. I would love to derive greater income from my cattle operation. My carrying cost is about $350 per head. My limiting factor at this point is cows. I could run another 75-100 brood cows with my existing forage....and that's if we took a turn for the worse on a few years worth of drought. Right now I'm just saving all my heifers and culling tight. It's been a punch in the nose, but I'm now getting upwards of about 88% breed back on a 66 day breeding window with no crutches. I'd like to tighten that up to 45. The good ones are doing that anyway.

Cheers.

 

[john250]

I have cousins by the dozens, and some of them are Monsanto reps and some are seed salesmen and a rare few have started seed companies and later sold them for lifetime security. You can work in ag without owning any land. Probably better if you don't own 3000 taxable acres. Ag grads are highly appreciated by ag business;

 

[cow pollinater]

I'm with John250. My ag related job has bought most of my personal farm and ranch. If I didn't have so much ambition to be completely on my own I could live a very comfortable life and not own anything but my home and a few business related odds and ends and still get a full dose of agriculture.
I do have to recommend that you stick it out as long as you can still focus on the job at hand though. The more prepared you are financially when you make the change the more you can enjoy the change.

 

[cross_7]

To those who say you'll take huge pay cuts to be full time farmers I have to question your reasoning or your budgets. Economists say it takes what? 900 cows to be full time/make full time money in ranching. It takes a few thousand acres to be full time in crops. When I was in school in the early 70's the economists said half a million invested in each full time farming job. Half a mil now is your cotton harvester. Don't take a pay cut just to be on your own. Hobos are on their own too. Make sure you can reasonably expect enough income to keep up the Jones in town. And health insurance.

900 cows, I'd have to see the figures
I guess it would depend on debt.
I think a 1,000,000 investment and bought the land and cattle and without any debt you could live a middle class lifestyle
If you borrowed 75% for land and cattle, it might take 900 cows
I guess it would also depend on where in the US you were ranching, but if you had a million dollars why would get into ranching when there are better investments
You'd have to be dim witted :cowboy:

 

[Isomade]

I believe I was just insulted by Cross7