Is it such a bad thing to want to be a farm hand?

[rRandel]

WARNING kind of a long story hope i didnt ramble on to much im on here alot but dont post much


im a young guy (25) grew up on a farm lived in the country all my life except when i was in college. My Dad has always had some cows up to 70-80 when i was little but has cut back to 15 because of his full time job. I have always helped and when i was in high school i worked for a neighbor that had 100 head, during my senior year my Dad started asking what i was going to do. I told him work for so and so and help him, nope he said your going to college for something so since i wasnt in love with the idea of more school and i liked working on stuff i decided to go to college for auto tech 2 year program. Off i went not really thinking anything more about it. Going threw college i got a job at a big dealer because of schooling and i was living it the city, they liked me mainly because i didnt complain, worked hard, was honest and on time, all things i learned working on the farm. Anyways i graduated at the top of my class and started working full time for them and moved back to one of my Dads farms about an hour away from work, after working to the top and getting tired of dealing with city people i decided that i was tired of comuting and wanted to start back with my Dad and cattle. Ran this idea by my Dad he didnt like it and wasnt suporting it at all just thought it would be to tough and thats it, ussually when he says something i listen and dont question, so i told him i was going to apply at a closer dealer. This hole time wondering why he didnt like the idea, I mean my dream has always been to farm, but i didnt really question him i mean hes my Dad i was taught not to back talk or argue. So i got the job at the smaller town dealer that was about 20 minutes away and worked my way up the latter to the top guy lots of the older guys i worked with didnt like me but not trying to tute my own horn but im good at working on cars! So a year ago my Grandpa (Moms Dad) decided that he was going to sell his farm the one right next to my Dads i was living at and the one we had all worked hard on and treated like our own. Long story short this was the hardest thing i have ever watched happen right before my eyes, when the auctioneer said sold i bust into tears and im a grown man. After that i decided i was going to take some money i had saved up and buy some bred heifers (6) and my Dad kinda went along with it but didnt say much after taking care of them and being more active on the farm than i had the previous years i ask my dad if he would rent his pasture to me for next year he said no of course and had a million reasons why so i found some of my own to rent and then he found out and asked what i was up to i told him i was going to buy some more cows and i had been to the bank and i wasnt taking no for an answer this time from him. Anyways Im up to 19 head and will be looking for a bull this spring to bred them to as thats to many for my Dads bull to handle. Now that im doing this and now taking care of all his and mine threw the winter, during the day while im at work i wonder if i could get a job as a farm hand and get more ag knowledge. Seems my Dad has fallen behind the times on some stuff just because his full time job is so demanding, with that in mind working for someone else could get me more knowledge quicker and it would be doing what i love instead of what im good at. You guessed it my Dad thinks thats a bad choice and has alot of reasons but none that really add up, i dont know if since he went broke in the 80s he thinks... i dont know what he thinks and when i ask him he just doesnt say much. soooo what im asking is, is it such a bad thing to be a farm hand? and possibly farm with my Dad when/if he ever retires or even do it myself as a 5-10 year goal?

 

[cross_7]

I'll give you my 2 cents since I had a similar experience, but I cut it short and to the point
I did the same as you and had money in every pocket, then I over extended myself, the cattle market went south and I was upside down.
I took a job in town and paid back every dime I owed, then I wanted to start again, but the town job paid good and I had a retirement account plus insurance and I couldn't do all that on my own.

Point being you'll face the same thing just being a farm hand unless you get on with a Conagri or the like

 

[HDRider]

I heard someone say once - "Do what you love to do and the money will follow".

I was raised like you, and my Dad quit farming. I have thought about being back in the country every day of my life. I went to college and have been real lucky in my life. I sought the money, moved all around the country, had good jobs and did OK. I bought me a farm, getting it in shape and in two years I am moving back. The old saying is you can never go home again. I'll let you know.

I'll be 54 in January. You have to decide what you want to gain and give up.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Being a farm hand, and taking care of your own ain't bad if you don't set your standard of living to high, but like a wise man once told me "If you do what you love, the money will take care of it's self".
Went to school as a Mech Draftsmen like my parents wanted, and now i'm working in a pig barn like I wanted. (alright I actually wanted to work at a feedlot, but no jobs were around).
I say keep the job you got till all of your finances are all in line, and you have a part time job at someone else's farm to help keep the cash flow going in the time between each trailer load of calves.

Good luck either way.

 

[cow pollinater]

In my early 20's I was working as a cowboy and was to dumb to know I was broke. The ranch I worked on loaned me to another ranch for branding time. I was in heaven. I spent all week stirrup to stirrup with my heroes who were all in their forties and fifties and had cowboyed their entire life.
On the last day the owner of the ranch asked me to run up the hill with him to deliver two pairs that we had sorted off back to a neighbor. I thought it was a one person job but he was the boss so I went.
The owner of that ranch, who was in his late thirties, spent the rest of that afternoon lecturing me on why just being a cowboy wasn't good enough for me. He told me that every one of my heroes back down the hill was still doing it because they had run out of other options and that was all they had. He told me that If I really loved to live that way, I had to leave it, go make money, and then come back to it and do it for myself on my terms because I wanted to and not because I had to.
I followed his advice and now fifteen years later he's my neighbor.

I don't want to discourage anyone from living how they want but I feel that if you're willing to stick it out where you're at for awhile and make mechanic wages keep farming on the side some you'll likely get to where you can do it for yourself full time much quicker than you will working for someone else.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I really enjoyed the story. I may have missed part of it though, will the farm hand thing be your only job? If so i see it as a simple math question, if you can make enough money doing it then go ahead.

On the rest of what your doing I am impressed, my parents have always supported me wanting to be in the cattle business, I started when I was 10 and before that my family hadn't been in the business for years, since I was 10 all I have cared about was that I could farm for a living, now I'm 21 and have my own herd and also part of a family herd, were still in another business currently but won't be for a whole lot longer and then I will only be a farmer.

Like I said my parents have always been on board, my grandparent however have not, they would have liked for me to go to college and go do something that I wouldn't like but might make alot of money, If making alot of money is all I'm living for I'm not interested, I may never be rich but I will love what I do for what I do have.

So I guess I'm just saying I kinda know where your coming from and I think it's great for you.

 

[cross_7]

In my early 20's I was working as a cowboy and was to dumb to know I was broke. The ranch I worked on loaned me to another ranch for branding time. I was in heaven. I spent all week stirrup to stirrup with my heroes who were all in their forties and fifties and had cowboyed their entire life.
On the last day the owner of the ranch asked me to run up the hill with him to deliver two pairs that we had sorted off back to a neighbor. I thought it was a one person job but he was the boss so I went.
The owner of that ranch, who was in his late thirties, spent the rest of that afternoon lecturing me on why just being a cowboy wasn't good enough for me. He told me that every one of my heroes back down the hill was still doing it because they had run out of other options and that was all they had. He told me that If I really loved to live that way, I had to leave it, go make money, and then come back to it and do it for myself on my terms because I wanted to and not because I had to.
I followed his advice and now fifteen years later he's my neighbor.

I don't want to discourage anyone from living how they want but I feel that if you're willing to stick it out where you're at for awhile and make mechanic wages keep farming on the side some you'll likely get to where you can do it for yourself full time much quicker than you will working for someone else.

Wise words right there

 

[Rafter S]

Based on the limited information I have my advice would be to keep doing what you're doing, but with one exception. Keep working where you're at, where I assume you have decent income and probably other benefits, and keep your cows on the side. You said you started with 6 heifers that you bought with money you had saved. That's the way to do it.

Now for the one exception. When you got ready to expand you mentioned going to the bank. I assume you meant you borrowed, or were considering borrowing, money to buy more cows. I would strongly recommend you not try to be in the cattle business with borrowed money. The last year or two have been pretty good, but it's generally hard enough to make money for yourself with cattle without trying to make money for yourself and the bank. And you'll sleep better at night. After extensive research I have concluded that 100% of foreclosures and repossessions are on stuff that have money borrowed against them. If you don't owe money on it they can't come take it.

And I know someone will probably come on and disagree with me, and that's OK too.

 

[bigbull338]

my dad tryed the same stunt your dad pulled on you.except my dads stunt to get me to go to collage didnt work.i got out of school an started working on the farm.an been at it ever since going on 30+yrs now.but you know what you want so keeping working at it an never give up.

 

[Simmental7]

I'm trying to figure out where is all this money in the city?

 

[highgrit]

Rafter S, if you don't pay your taxes someone will come and get your land. Even if it's paid for.
You're right someone would disagree.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I'm trying to figure out where is all this money in the city?

It's all imaginary, but people who want you to go that way want to think it's there.

 

[bigbull338]

your dad wants you to work in the city because youll get paid a certain amount every week an know the amount.where as running cattle you get paid whatever the market is when you sell the calves.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

your dad wants you to work in the city because youll get paid a certain amount every week an know the amount.where as running cattle you get paid whatever the market is when you sell the calves.

Having plenty to live on and pay your bills is important, but past that I say that money isn't everything, could be because I've never had alot though, if I was wealthy I might decide money was a big deal, but I doubt it.

 

[Rafter S]

Rafter S, if you don't pay your taxes someone will come and get your land. Even if it's paid for.
You're right someone would disagree.

You're right of course. I meant someone would probably disagree with me about avoiding debt.

 

[Rahe Family Belties]

If you are able to get some retirement options and health insurance at your job you are already ahead.

I am a teacher (56) and would love to retire to my farm and raising more cattle, but am scared about leaving my insurance behind. It is about $450/month under my group plan and would be about $750/month if purchased separately.
Also will be real hard to live on just my retirement which will be about $2000/month before taxes. I have a son to put through high school and college, so it looks like I will be working a while yet.

Farming and having a few cows on the side gives me the taste of being a cowboy I seek. I chore in the dark most days now, but nothing relaxes me more than scratching the head of a calf or one of my son's show heifers.

None of this would have been possible if I didn't put in 30+ years in the classroom.

Sometimes you just have to wait to get the good things in life.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Rafter S, if you don't pay your taxes someone will come and get your land. Even if it's paid for.
You're right someone would disagree.

You're right of course. I meant someone would probably disagree with me about avoiding debt.

I disagree about avoiding all debt, now yes there's alot of things that money should not be borrowed for, but I can't agree with anyone who says that having any kind of loan is bad. yes it's a risk but if your starting with nothing and want to get to where you want to be before your 60, your probably going to have to enter a bank.

 

[highgrit]

DM, I think he was talking more about land. I had great relief and felt free once I had my land paid for. Once you are debt free it's hard to owe money. I don't think I would ever use my land as collateral again.
Unless one of my kids needs something really bad. Living free is living good.

 

[Brute 23]

Im roughly your same age and went through a some what simular thing. There is money in the city... but there is the same money in rural America. Its just a little tougher to find.

I would challenge you to find a market for services that allow you to take care of your own cattle but generate some extra income. For example in our area we have oil and gas. There are jobs like a contract gauger that make good money and are flexable. You can make the rounds checking wells and cattle at the same time.

Maybe you can contract for other ranchers in the area on a per job basis to watch there cattle or do other odds and ends. A lot of out of town farmers or small operations can't keep full time guys but are willing to pay good for some one they can get on the phone asap.

What ever you do always transition slowly. It may be a 1... 3... 5 year transitions. Right now you may have a 9-5 job and your cattle. Start building up more side work or hunting another option than the 9-5. Transition from the 9-5 to it. Then as your operation grows, you can cut back on that job, and focus more on your own. That may be a 10-15yr plan.

Diversify your jobs. Be leary of getting heavy in agriculture at first. Things like O&G, even mowing lawns require far less capital and have greater margins. At first you need those high margin jobs to stock pile cash.

My last piece of advice is to dodge debt at all costs. Its a slower path but have much less risk. There are pleanty of ways to earn money that don't require a lot of capital. As a young person look for those options. Don't ever believe the idea that debt is the only way... thats just the only way that person talking to you knows.

Agriculture is a tough game to play. Especially starting out like you are. In all honesty, you are far better off running your own business. No matter if its selling donuts, mowing lawns, ect and once its established and you get some people working for you... you can play with cattle all you want. Cattle are much more fun when your not depending on them to feed your family. :tiphat: This is exactly what I have done.

 

[Brute 23]

In my early 20's I was working as a cowboy and was to dumb to know I was broke. The ranch I worked on loaned me to another ranch for branding time. I was in heaven. I spent all week stirrup to stirrup with my heroes who were all in their forties and fifties and had cowboyed their entire life.
On the last day the owner of the ranch asked me to run up the hill with him to deliver two pairs that we had sorted off back to a neighbor. I thought it was a one person job but he was the boss so I went.
The owner of that ranch, who was in his late thirties, spent the rest of that afternoon lecturing me on why just being a cowboy wasn't good enough for me. He told me that every one of my heroes back down the hill was still doing it because they had run out of other options and that was all they had. He told me that If I really loved to live that way, I had to leave it, go make money, and then come back to it and do it for myself on my terms because I wanted to and not because I had to.
I followed his advice and now fifteen years later he's my neighbor.

I don't want to discourage anyone from living how they want but I feel that if you're willing to stick it out where you're at for awhile and make mechanic wages keep farming on the side some you'll likely get to where you can do it for yourself full time much quicker than you will working for someone else.

Wise words right there

Sure are... :clap: