Mental Health of Farmers

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Most farmers and ranchers are doing fine..mentally, but some of you, I ain't so sure about.
I've read some really weird stuff posted on CT......
 
pricefarm said:
We all have to be crazy to work as hard and put in as many hours as we do for so little in return.

I guess for most people. Would drive me crazy having to punch a clock for someone else's benefit. To be nothing but an employee number and a paycheck - that would be depression for me.

But to see that my work culminates into a vision for which no one else can take credit for - priceless.
 
Stocker Steve said:
Aaron Absolutely good debt and bad debt - in stable times. Anything happens to upset balance - markets crash said:
What are some examples of 100% sure bets ?

Perimeter fences are sure bet in every way. Surface drainage. Fertilizer. Good genetics in the case of cattle. Heated shop, or at least built to spec and serviced so that heat can be used. Those are the ones that come to mind. Sure bet meaning they not only add production value to yourself, but add to the intrinsic value of the property no matter if the next buyer is a cattleman, cropper or recreationalist. The only reason I don't add cross-fencing is because it only adds intrinsic value to someone who will run livestock on it. Croppers rip out cross fences pretty quick.

Oh another one is water. Especially high-producing drilled wells with high-quality water.
 
Not so cattle orientated here. A third or more of the buyers are recreation orientated. So to add durable property value - - a shop works, windbreaks work, and surface water works.

I think a root issue with farmer mental health is they want to believe that they can keep doing what they always have, and it will be OK, or at least a Federal program will make it OK for a while. Then one day their banker says it is time for a "retirement" auction.
 
Stocker Steve said:
Not so cattle orientated here. A third or more of the buyers are recreation orientated. So to add durable property value - - a shop works, windbreaks work, and surface water works.

I think a root issue with farmer mental health is they want to believe that they can keep doing what they always have, and it will be OK, or at least a Federal program will make it OK for a while.

The root issue is farmers think that they are irreplaceable, and that the world is running out of food.
 
pricefarm said:
We all have to be crazy to work as hard and put in as many hours as we do for so little in return.

Yes, we are all crazy but consider the benefits of farming that don't show up on your tax return.
In my case:
1) Heat with wood - saving around $4000 per year.
2) Drinking on the job
3) Hunting lease that covers the property taxes 2 times over
4) Great fishing - I just don't have time to fish though
5) 500lbs of organic beef in my freezer that I have 1.50/lb and no taxes paid. At least a $2500 benefit there.
6) Land that appreciates at 5% per year. (This is the tax assessor value increase, not my wishful thinking)
7) Exercise I wouldn't get otherwise.
Drinking on the job again :drink:
8) I'll probably get to log the place at some point. Value? Who knows?

Not all that bad when you consider the intangibles.
 
shaz said:
pricefarm said:
We all have to be crazy to work as hard and put in as many hours as we do for so little in return.

Yes, we are all crazy but consider the benefits of farming that don't show up on your tax return.
In my case:
1) Heat with wood - saving around $4000 per year.
2) Drinking on the job
3) Hunting lease that covers the property taxes 2 times over
4) Great fishing - I just don't have time to fish though
5) 500lbs of organic beef in my freezer that I have 1.50/lb and no taxes paid. At least a $2500 benefit there.
6) Land that appreciates at 5% per year. (This is the tax assessor value increase, not my wishful thinking)
7) Exercise I wouldn't get otherwise.
Drinking on the job again :drink:
8) I'll probably get to log the place at some point. Value? Who knows?

Not all that bad when you consider the intangibles.

I'll drink to all of that. :drink: :drink: :drink:
 
pricefarm said:
We all have to be crazy to work as hard and put in as many hours as we do for so little in return.
Like a cattleman here said when he was getting out of the bidness,,the only thing dumber than a cow is the feller raising em..and having more cows then the other guy only means your twice as stupid :cowboy:
 
Anyone with any sense knows you can't afford to row crop unless you were born into it. And most younger farmers don't have enough sense to be able to keep what was given to them. There's been one farm auction after another around here lately.
 
ALACOWMAN said:
pricefarm said:
We all have to be crazy to work as hard and put in as many hours as we do for so little in return.
Like a cattleman here said when he was getting out of the bidness,,the only thing dumber than a cow is the feller raising em..and having more cows then the other guy only means your twice as stupid :cowboy:

Finally I'm made to feel smart among my peers!

While financial problems certainly are a big stressor, there's lots of others.. relationships, continuance of the farm, etc
I started this facebook group especially for farmers mental health, I had seen a really moving video from one of the admins that was spot on.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1522317274503794/


Here's a great video on depression and anxiety by Robert Sapolsky.. if you or anyone around you has any of these problems it's the best hour you'll spend on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOAgplgTxfc
 

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