grants
- Thread starter Earl
- Start date
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Ok I read page 1 and 2 and then skipped to the last page so I haven't read everything, but maybe you guys are a little hard on Earl. Although I do understand what all of you are saying, I am not above saying I would not take a grant if I could get one. I am 22 yrs old and have started my own cattle business. I received a low interest loan from the USDA that I must be paid back in 4 years. I am paying my way through college and struggling every week to make ends meet. I am not being lazy, but it is hard. There are many things I NEED for my operation but can't get or do b/c I don't have the money. A nice little grant sure would be nice right now. Just until I can get on my feet. But I will make it. I will crawl for a couple years, but I will eventually get up and running.
Earl if you want to get started I suggest trying that route. The FSA(USDA) will help you any way they can. The only thing is your loan application must be rejected by 2 other banks. Then if you can, you must refinance your loan with another lender after 2 years.
Josh
Earl if you want to get started I suggest trying that route. The FSA(USDA) will help you any way they can. The only thing is your loan application must be rejected by 2 other banks. Then if you can, you must refinance your loan with another lender after 2 years.
Josh
SF
Well-known member
jcissell":ya6fmhix said:
Earl,
If you look in the direction that Josh has indicated here, it will not be hard to get those two rejection letters. Most of the standard banks will reject your application within a week or so. If you have a good plan for land and cattle (you will have to have some funds of your own), Heritage is bank that will loan money for land and cattle too. Be careful with the debt load though. Quickest way to get into trouble with any business is to acquire too much debt. You are better off to start small and build up.
Good Luck
Greg
Sorry ma'am, gotta agree with Texan on this one. You got that response from Texan because, well, he's a Texan. If your from Texas by birth, then you should know better. I'm just starting off myself in the cattle business and I'll go into debt and work my butt off for everything I want. That's what my granpa did, my daddy did, my brothers did, and that's what I'll do. I got 3 fingers and a good chunck of my side taken out by an RPG in Feb. 68 in VietNam and I could get 100% disability, but I won't do it. My daddy would roll over in his grave if I did that. No sir, no grants for me, if there were any anyway. I'll learn like everyone else, probably the hard way too. I'll build up my herd by sacificing. I'll get off my soapbox now.
Best of luck to ya!!!
Dick
Best of luck to ya!!!
Dick
I walked in my personal bank and walked out in 5 minutes with a denial letter. Then I went to another local bank and got my denial a few hours after lunch. Not long at all.
You really need to be careful though. I don't suggest you try to get your own equipment to bale hay. I did but I also had 23 cows and a bull of my dads to help me make my payment. My 20 cows could never make my 11,500 payment this year. But if I wouldn't have had so much extra cash flow showing they would have spread my loan out over 7 years instead of 4. Also I planned on buying about 30 cows but ended up only buying 20 b/c I paid so much for each cow. But I knew I had my dad's cows to help make my payment too so I didn't have to get as many.
When you apply for the loan, ask for much more than you think you will actually need. You can always just pay the money back on the loan. Don't be afraid the FSA will complain about what you are asking for. They didn't ask a question about anything I wanted. Just as long as my plan showed enough cash flow to pay them and have a little cushion.
Depending the amount of cows you plan to run, I would make sure you build a more than adequate corral system to handle your cows. If you make a system that will kinda work, you will never get those little calves on the trailer for the sale. That is the problem I am running into now. My dad and grandfather used a system that worked ok to take a few calves to sale each year but right now we have over almost 70 to work and a system that was used to work 20 doesn't do the job. And on top of that, it wasn't very well designed either. If you have any questions about the loan process just let me know.
Josh
You really need to be careful though. I don't suggest you try to get your own equipment to bale hay. I did but I also had 23 cows and a bull of my dads to help me make my payment. My 20 cows could never make my 11,500 payment this year. But if I wouldn't have had so much extra cash flow showing they would have spread my loan out over 7 years instead of 4. Also I planned on buying about 30 cows but ended up only buying 20 b/c I paid so much for each cow. But I knew I had my dad's cows to help make my payment too so I didn't have to get as many.
When you apply for the loan, ask for much more than you think you will actually need. You can always just pay the money back on the loan. Don't be afraid the FSA will complain about what you are asking for. They didn't ask a question about anything I wanted. Just as long as my plan showed enough cash flow to pay them and have a little cushion.
Depending the amount of cows you plan to run, I would make sure you build a more than adequate corral system to handle your cows. If you make a system that will kinda work, you will never get those little calves on the trailer for the sale. That is the problem I am running into now. My dad and grandfather used a system that worked ok to take a few calves to sale each year but right now we have over almost 70 to work and a system that was used to work 20 doesn't do the job. And on top of that, it wasn't very well designed either. If you have any questions about the loan process just let me know.
Josh
SF
Well-known member
icandoit":3b8uy216 said:
Thanks for you comittment and sacrifice to our country Dick. Thanks to you and our other military personnel both present and past. I can certainly respect you thoughts on the disability, even though I disagree with you. You've earned it. You made the sacrifice, as have many others.
My 2 cents worth.
Thanks again Dick.
Greg
Josh,
Any information you can share about the loan would be great. There are several pieces of land in TN that I am looking into. I plan on running Dexter cattle, also horses, a couple of goats, sheep and probably chickens.
I have a list of equipment that I will need.
What are your thoughts on fencing anything particular. Some of the property already has bobwire fencing, but I have heard pros and cons about it.
Thanks,
Earl
Any information you can share about the loan would be great. There are several pieces of land in TN that I am looking into. I plan on running Dexter cattle, also horses, a couple of goats, sheep and probably chickens.
I have a list of equipment that I will need.
What are your thoughts on fencing anything particular. Some of the property already has bobwire fencing, but I have heard pros and cons about it.
Thanks,
Earl
Greg,
Is Heritage Bank in Texas only? I live in MD and plan on moving to TN.
The property that I have found seems to be a good price for the amount of acres. I would like to attend some cattle auctions to get an idea of what they are going for, so when I apply for the loan I will have a price to give them. I have also seen where the USDA wil give you a loan for cattle feed, thought I would look into that as well.
Still researching the grant option, my son actually sent me three more sites to look at.
Earl
Is Heritage Bank in Texas only? I live in MD and plan on moving to TN.
The property that I have found seems to be a good price for the amount of acres. I would like to attend some cattle auctions to get an idea of what they are going for, so when I apply for the loan I will have a price to give them. I have also seen where the USDA wil give you a loan for cattle feed, thought I would look into that as well.
Still researching the grant option, my son actually sent me three more sites to look at.
Earl
Earl":28ss26rg said:
If the fence is sound and will do what you need, leave it. You'll find that there is a lot to do in other wasy that adding to the work load by removing and replacing fences is wasted time/money/energy. When you get all caught up with everything else, then you can start tearing out old stuff and replacing it. If you ever get caught up with everything else, pass along the information on how you managed to accomplish it.
dun
SF
Well-known member
Sorry about that Earl. Yes, Heritage Land Bank is only in Texas and only in northeast Texas. If you are looking for commercial cows you can expect to pay between $800 to $1500 each for good quality. Registered purebred cows will cost you more. The cost will depend upon the animal.
Good luck
Greg
Good luck
Greg
Earl,
I wouldn't suggest buying cows from an auction. Go to a reputable breeder and get someone to go with you that knows cattle so they can look at them and let you know what you are getting. B/c unless you get someone that is really honest, anything they have will be worth the BIG dollars.
As Dun said, I would leave the fence if it works. If it has some holes I would just patch them up, b/c it doesn't take much to hold cows in. When you do put up new fence, I would go with 4 strand barbwire. Get good barbwire too. You will regret it later if you don't. What makes you want to go with Dexter cows? I don't know much about them. I would go with an angus cross of some type. Alot of people like black baldies. They're an angus/hereford cross. They sell really well at the sale barns also. Most anything with an angus influence will sell well at the barns though. If I were you I wouldn't go with brangus or anything with brahma influence. They tend to get wild and are pretty mean while calving.
Josh
I wouldn't suggest buying cows from an auction. Go to a reputable breeder and get someone to go with you that knows cattle so they can look at them and let you know what you are getting. B/c unless you get someone that is really honest, anything they have will be worth the BIG dollars.
As Dun said, I would leave the fence if it works. If it has some holes I would just patch them up, b/c it doesn't take much to hold cows in. When you do put up new fence, I would go with 4 strand barbwire. Get good barbwire too. You will regret it later if you don't. What makes you want to go with Dexter cows? I don't know much about them. I would go with an angus cross of some type. Alot of people like black baldies. They're an angus/hereford cross. They sell really well at the sale barns also. Most anything with an angus influence will sell well at the barns though. If I were you I wouldn't go with brangus or anything with brahma influence. They tend to get wild and are pretty mean while calving.
Josh
Along the same vein as why Dexters, how do you plan on marketing them..The marketing end is going to make a big difference with anyone that will either provide you with a grant or loan you money to buy cows. You'll rarely see Dexters at any auction. They're mostly marketed private treaty (read expensive).
dun
dun
BC
Well-known member
I agree with Texan and the others that if you want to get in, start small. Develop some equity. Build a financial trust with a lender and expand as YOU can pay for it. Grants should be saved for community projects like buildings that everyone can have access to.[/quote]
Texan
Well-known member
At first, I was under the impression that you were wanting to beat the taxpayers out of grant money for a legitimate agricultural enterprise? Now it seems like you want a grant or government-backed loan to start up a barnyard petting zoo. What a winner for the old taxpayer!Earl":1rotn9i0 said:
Oh, yeah! Let's be sure you have every little thing you might need to operate!Earl":1rotn9i0 said:
SF
Well-known member
Texan":3hdbs1lh said:At first, I was under the impression that you were wanting to beat the taxpayers out of grant money for a legitimate agricultural enterprise? Now it seems like you want a grant or government-backed loan to start up a barnyard petting zoo. What a winner for the old taxpayer!Earl":3hdbs1lh said:
Oh, yeah! Let's be sure you have every little thing you might need to operate!Earl":3hdbs1lh said:
How is Earl wanting to beat the taxpayer out of grant money?
If there are grants available, someone is going to take them. Someone is going to get this money. Why not Earl? This money will get spent. Our government (operated by people we elected) is not going to return it to the taxpayer, they are going spend it somewhere.
Who defines "legitimate agricultural enterprise"? Who are you to say that Dexter cattle are not legitimate?
Craig-TX
Well-known member
SF":3c3m4nsa said:
According to that logic Earl could justify robbing banks. Somebody's going to do it. Why not Earl? Or you or me? No harm done, it was going to happen anyway.
SF":3c3m4nsa said:
That's easy. A "legitimate agricultural enterprise" can be defined a couple of different ways. First, it would be an enterprise that was designed to make a profit. And/or, it would be an enterprise where the person hoping for reward is the same person bearing the risk.
Craig-TX
Texan
Well-known member
SF, Craig did such a great job of answering your questions that I won't even attempt to improve upon it.SF":ybikmztj said:
Well, except for this one:
I don't think it's just me, but I could be wrong. Maybe you would like to take a poll of serious cattle producers? Might have to go over to Ranchers to do it, though. Serious cattle producers seem to be getting outnumbered around here.......SF":ybikmztj said:
And just to keep you from feeling left out, I would also include the MiniToyHobby Herefords in my list of laughable "Breeds" that lack legitimacy. However, it's still a free country. You raise what you want. Earl is sure entitled to raise what she wants. But please don't ask me to pay for it!
Campground Cattle
Well-known member
Texan,Craig as usual yall are right on lack of education on some of the younger Ranchers. This is a Republic not a socialist state. Founding fathers wrote you have the right to pursue happiness, never guaranted it you could just pursue it. I never read where we had to pay for it.
IMO another generation of Leaches.
IMO another generation of Leaches.
Tod Dague
Well-known member
Earl":2gvnr5s4 said:
It figures.
