Hobby Farmer or not ?

[Nesikep]

I think the cost of keeping cows is very dependent on area, management, cattle type, etc. Since I know my income will always be limited, I try staying alive by keeping costs down. I buy good used tractors that need some work, but have life left in them. A good example is the MF 165 we bought at least 10 years ago with 1800 hrs for $5500. The only cost we've had on it was a tire, and it's at 3000 hrs now, and we could sell it for what we paid for it easily, so those are pretty darned cheap hours compared to the writedown on a new $50,000 unit even if you don't use it much.

I don't see asking how many cows someone has as indiscreet, though it does depend on the attitude and intent of the person. Same goes for how much land we have.. I usually quote the arable acres, because the 100 acres of bush we have is really worthless.
I think many have summed it up pretty good as to what makes a hobby farmer, though there are some gray zones..
Not hobby farmer... *tries* to make a profit
Hobby farmer... *tries* to make expenses

 

[shaz]

I got called a hobby farmer by a guy with 15 acres and 4 horses that wants me to bale his hay!
I'm not kidding.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Better question how many really know what it cost to keep a cow standing in a pasture a day.

Not sure but I do know it would cost a lot more if they weren't there.

 

[Rafter S]

One hobby farmer we bale for wanted to give us a bullcalf she is sentimental about but I had to promise to keep him forever. Well, I declined. But that is a typical hobby farmer move, in my opinion. Other friends we have treat their cows more like pets and there is no real plan or focus for making them earn a living. Not owning a bull or having breeding plans, the cows simply exist. I'd say hobby farmer.

You're right. That's two prime examples. With that being said, if that's how they want to run things on their places I don't care and don't feel contemptuous toward them (amused, maybe). I don't want them telling me how to run my operation (such as it is), so it wouldn't be fair of me to tell them they're doing things wrong.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Calling someone a "hobby farmer" is nothing more than that person trying to belittle you to make themselves feel better. Nothing about farming is a hobby as far as I'm concerned. Farming is work and a lot of it. We all complain at times, but I know the majority of us would never quit.

 

[Limomike]

Calling someone a "hobby farmer" is nothing more than that person trying to belittle you to make themselves feel better. Nothing about farming is a hobby as far as I'm concerned. Farming is work and a lot of it. We all complain at times, but I know the majority of us would never quit.

:clap: :clap: Well said, Calhoun.

 

[skyhightree1]

I don't care what you call me as long as your money is good.

:clap: :lol2:

 

[TexasBred]

Calling someone a "hobby farmer" is nothing more than that person trying to belittle you to make themselves feel better. Nothing about farming is a hobby as far as I'm concerned. Farming is work and a lot of it. We all complain at times, but I know the majority of us would never quit.

I call myself a hobby farmer and could care less what anyone else thinks. I try to make it a hobby and not "work". Doing the things that need doing doesn't have to be all toil, sweat and a bad attitude. I hope to end up at the end of the year in the black but if I don't it's not panic time.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Better question how many really know what it cost to keep a cow standing in a pasture a day.

But we're just HOBBYists.

Want to say $1.68. Rear tractor tire was expensive. The cows had to pass a hat. Carrying surplus hay. Could sell some to get the cost down. Fertilizer was high. Have not priced wheat seed yet. It's a long time until January. Could even have a vet bill this year.

Using fence wire and surplus T posts from last year. That should actually go for this year but my books aren't cooked that way. So I really can't give a true number CB.

Like I said with out an O Crap looks like they are going to come in at 1.58 to a 1.62 a day.
Actually I am making more % off a resident herd of 10 than I was running 35.

 

[highgrit]

Owning cows is a good thing if you're a deer hunter and a taxpayer. The ag and conservation exemptions is a big money saver for some folks. And our cows carry the burden of paying for the corn, minerals, fertilizer and seed that the deer eat. My cows also pay for the power at the barn, tools, fuel and whatever else I need them to carry. There's a lot of different things to look at when you're trying to figure out how much a cow cost to keep per day. IMO

 

[red angus 2010]

With all this who is a hobby farmer and who isn't .. I have a few questions.

What is a hobby farmer to you? It is a derogatory term, used by someone to inflate their own ego
When are you not a hobby farmer? I have never been a hobby farmer I am a 6th generation farmer some people farm more than me some less
What number of head must you have to not be considered a hobby farmer?Head count matters not I have found that this is used by some to justify how important they are. I can learn just as much from someone running five girls as I can from someone running 500
Is it offensive for someone to call you a hobby farmer?

yes

Went to the John Deere dealership a few years ago to price an attachment for our front end loader while waiting on a salesman the secretary ask how big our farm was. I screwed up and should have said none of your business, but I told her in general terms. When the salesman came up she announced to him "he thinks he is a farmer" I thanked the salesman for his time and told him what I was looking for. I then told him it would be a cold day in h-LL before he received any of my money. I pointed to the secretary and told him the reason I won't be doing any business with you is because the curr bit-h over there (pointing) can't keep her mouth shut and walked out. They were both standing at the window watching me leave with their jaws on the floor.

My wife tells me I should always count to ten before speaking, sometimes I forget to count

 

[Calhoun Farm]

With all this who is a hobby farmer and who isn't .. I have a few questions.

What is a hobby farmer to you? It is a derogatory term, used by someone to inflate their own ego
When are you not a hobby farmer? I have never been a hobby farmer I am a 6th generation farmer some people farm more than me some less
What number of head must you have to not be considered a hobby farmer?Head count matters not I have found that this is used by some to justify how important they are. I can learn just as much from someone running five girls as I can from someone running 500
Is it offensive for someone to call you a hobby farmer?

yes

Went to the John Deere dealership a few years ago to price an attachment for our front end loader while waiting on a salesman the secretary ask how big our farm was. I screwed up and should have said none of your business, but I told her in general terms. When the salesman came up she announced to him "he thinks he is a farmer" I thanked the salesman for his time and told him what I was looking for. I then told him it would be a cold day in h-LL before he received any of my money. I pointed to the secretary and told him the reason I won't be doing any business with you is because the curr bit-h over there (pointing) can't keep her mouth shut and walked out. They were both standing at the window watching me leave with their jaws on the floor.

My wife tells me I should always count to ten before speaking, sometimes I forget to count

I don't blame you, no need for her to act that way. She gets paid to play solitaire and answer the phone. I know around here that if you own less than 15acres you have to pay tax on farm implements including tractors unless you have a tax ID #.

 

[greybeard]

What if you own zero acres but lease and farm/ranch 1500 acres?

 

[Calhoun Farm]

What if you own zero acres but lease and farm/ranch 1500 acres?

That would be a question for your tax person I guess, the only reason I know this is my uncle went to buy a new kubota in the spring. He owns 12 acres and the tractor company told him they had to charge him tax because he owned less than 15.

 

[TexasBred]

What if you own zero acres but lease and farm/ranch 1500 acres?

Your lease expense is deductible. :hide: The landowner would probably call you a farmer. Others don't matter anyway. Most "Big Farmers" lease a he// of a lot more land than they own.

 

[greybeard]

I don't remember anything about minimum acres when I applied for my tax exempt ID #.
Just had to be able to show I was involved in ag production as defined by the state and by my county appraisal district.

 

[skyhightree1]

[Most "Big Farmers" lease a he// of a lot more land than they own.

We raise a fair amount of acreage of crops and I can say that is a very true statement.

 

[TexasBred]

What if you own zero acres but lease and farm/ranch 1500 acres?

That would be a question for your tax person I guess, the only reason I know this is my uncle went to buy a new kubota in the spring. He owns 12 acres and the tractor company told him they had to charge him tax because he owned less than 15.

10:1 odds the tax office never saw a nickel of that "tax". (If he bought the tractor)

 

[Caustic Burno]

What if you own zero acres but lease and farm/ranch 1500 acres?

That would be a question for your tax person I guess, the only reason I know this is my uncle went to buy a new kubota in the spring. He owns 12 acres and the tractor company told him they had to charge him tax because he owned less than 15.

10:1 odds the tax office never saw a nickel of that "tax". (If he bought the tractor)

I know acreage varies by county here in Texas.
Been many a city person bought ten acres here and found out
they were no longer Ag exempt when they build a house. Have to have a minimum of 10 acres in production.

 

[skyhightree1]

Here gotta be 5 acres owned and ag zoned to be considered a farm if not mistaken.. Maybe some other Va people can't give some input.