Leaving Cattle for Grain

[Jake]

For all of you that have been around as I have grown up around the boards...

I'll be done at KSU in May and already have several very promising job prospects. In this tough economy I feel very lucky to be recieving the offers I"m getting. But I'm sad to say that I'll be making a switch away from the family farm and cattle to follow the big money in the grain merchandising world. With my Ag Econ degree and my understanding of the markets I have been given many blessings and earned opportunities that far surpass most of my peers. Just wanted to thank everybody for helping me grow up and have the ability to learn, converse, communicate, and argue. Lot of little things that help me be marketable and worth extra $$ came from cold calling many of the board members and annoying them as I got older.

Again Thanks everybody

Jake

 

[ALACOWMAN]

ahh done went and got uppity on us .. remember us lowly angus folks :cowboy:

 

[dun]

Good luck!

 

[Bama]

Heres wishing you the best of luck. You will do well. I've been impressed with your knowledge of cattle at a young age. Keep this attitude in your future plans and you will go far. I'll give some words of advice that has helped me in the past.

As you journey through life, choose your paths wisely. Some are mundane and well traveled, others are destinations to undiscovered opportunities.

BAMA

 

[Angus Cowman]

Congratulations and good luck
just remember where you started and how you were raised and you should go far

be sure and drop by and pay us poor cow folks a visit now and then

 

[jedstivers]

If which ever co. your with sends you to the Delta drop me a line. I'm in Ar. an grow corn an beans.

 

[Jogeephus]

Good luck with your new career and keep in mind that your education is just beginning. :tiphat:

 

[MO_cows]

Congratulations on putting yourself in a position to receive these opportunities. Hope you find success, satisfaction and happiness in your career.

 

[fit2btied]

There's a reason the people who work the hardest seem to always have the best luck. Keep it up!

 

[Poundsy]

Congrats. What company are you going with? Been in the business for 11 years now and love it. It is great way to stay connected to your roots and make a good honest living. Plus bullshi%%ing with farmers all day is a good time.

 

[Jake]

At this moment I'm trying to decide between 5 diffferent companies. I'm one of if not the top prospect coming out of Kansas State this year so I've had a lot of choices.

CGB wanted me to head to the Mississippi River and I wasn't sure how bad I wanted to end up that far east and didn't really know if I wanted to end up in Mandeville, LA. So I haven't chased that option and probably won't. ADM had a plane ticket waiting for me to come to Decatur but I"m not sure that I want to work in a large bearuacracy like that.

Bartlett Grain has an offer on the table and Scoular final interview is tomorrow and I expect an offer from them also. I'm not sure which of these two I want to go with as they are two different cultures and have different opportunities. Bartlett is probably the safer more stable route but if I can excel with Scoular I know of a lot of guys making 300K plus with them.

Since my ultimate goal is to come back and run cows I'd like to have the finances to buy my own ground. The family relationship has become more than strained over the last 8 months and I have realized that volunteer sweat equity really isn't worth anything in the long run. The prodigal son and the family members that show up once or twice a year will still be ahead of me and there is no help available for me to get started. So I've chosen the path of $$$ and buy my own. Good friend of mine on these boards gave me the advise to start buy and start my own. I'm starting to agree more every day and am going to run with that idea.

 

[TexasBred]

Jake sounds like the good friend gave you good advise. "Family" deals just seem to have a way of ruining relationships. Maybe not today nor even next year but eventually. Much safer to find you own way while also keeping the family "one".

 

[ALACOWMAN]

300K thats some serious income.. why would you want to come back and blow it all on cattle :cowboy:

 

[ANAZAZI]

good luck Jake!

 

[bigbull338]

good luck on choosing your new job.

 

[jedstivers]

One of the buyers in use at Schouler is from MN. and he just got sent to IA. When he came by to tell us he was going I ask him why they moved so many in and out he said it was because this was the best place to learn the most the fastest. They like the new guys to come into this area because of the crop mix an the season, we harvest from Aug. till Nov. on diffrent crops.

 

[KMacGinley]

Jake,,, starting from scratch can be done, I have proved that. It takes time and some initiative is all. I think that you will do well in whatever field you go into. Hope to see you April in Palmer.

 

[cfpinz]

Best of luck, Jake.

I really enjoyed meeting you, along with your cousin and grandfather. I can see why leaving that area would be a tough decision. Set your goals, work toward them, and when you've reached your goals money-wise, get out. I see too many folks that have worked their whole lives and either died while still at work or within months of retirement.

You'll do great.