Satisfied with farm?

[herofan]

Anyone here ever completely satisfied with their farm? I asked once how long it took for people to get the herd they wanted, and regardless of how long anyone had been in the business, everyone said it was ongoing. I wonder if people feel the same way about their farm.

I guess i feel frustrated a lot. The farm I'm on didn't have a lot done for about ten years, so it's kinda grown up, and everything is old. I'm always thinking, I wish I had better fence, a certain area wasn't grown up, the barn boxing was better; however, everything is functional.

Like the row of cedars i mentioned wanting to clear in another thread. They are annoying, but otherwise aren't hurting anything. I'd probably be better off to forget about them and go on.

Does anyone else ever get frustrated over stuff like this. Does your experience tell you it's best to just forget things that don't really matter and go on?

 

[Bigfoot]

I stay in a fizz 24/7 about stuff like your talking about. Time is a big limiting factor. If I had the time, I assure you this place would look more like a golf course, than a cattle farm.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I stay in a fizz 24/7 about stuff like your talking about. Time is a big limiting factor. If I had the time, I assure you this place would look more like a golf course, than a cattle farm.

Bigfoot, you and I must have been separated at birth. I'm the same way.

 

[bigbull338]

you just pick the things you want to work on and do that.im constantly working towards geting something done.ive been buying cows since 2007 and that will never end.i bought a new tractor in late 2010.traded that tractor in mid 2013 for another new bigger tractor.bought alot of equipment since 2012.getting a farm like you want never ends.

 

[Aaron]

Never. But to see progress being made, gives me peace. I focus on being minimalist in my approach to everything I build here, because maintenance will take up a large portion of your life, unless you choose to ignore it - believe me, many of my neighbors have done just that. With fence building, use all new materials and it will last the rest of your lifetime. Avoid building lots of structures on your farm, because all eventually require maintenance and it doesn't take long for neglect to show itself.

 

[dieselbeef]

mostly weigh the cost effectiveness of it vs the cosmetic value of it...

is it worth doing financially? clearing the fenceline for looks or because you need to to get to it to fix it

mow it cuz dog fennel look bad or cuz they bury good grass...how much does it cost to mow it vs buying hay instead...

of course then everything has to be prioritized. The water softener or fix the front end on the car so the dzl doesn't go to town everyday at twice the expense

ocd is a hard thing to overcome as a rancher/farmer..there just isn't time to do it all so prioritze

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I think there is a point where I could be satisfied. But there's still stuff that can keep a person busy daily maintaining and keeping everything at that level.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have said it before about the time you get the herd right and the place you die.
Kids sell off everything the next week.

 

[greybeard]

Never. But to see progress being made, gives me peace. I focus on being minimalist in my approach to everything I build here, because maintenance will take up a large portion of your life, unless you choose to ignore it - believe me, many of my neighbors have done just that. With fence building, use all new materials and it will last the rest of your lifetime. Avoid building lots of structures on your farm, because all eventually require maintenance and it doesn't take long for neglect to show itself.

Emphasis on YOUR lifetime. I used to build things to "last a lifetime" but now, just good enough to last to the end of MY life. In my 'perfect world' everything I have would die, burn up, fall completely down or apart sometime between the minute I draw my last breath and the hour they get me buried in the ground.

 

[Aaron]

Never. But to see progress being made, gives me peace. I focus on being minimalist in my approach to everything I build here, because maintenance will take up a large portion of your life, unless you choose to ignore it - believe me, many of my neighbors have done just that. With fence building, use all new materials and it will last the rest of your lifetime. Avoid building lots of structures on your farm, because all eventually require maintenance and it doesn't take long for neglect to show itself.

Emphasis on YOUR lifetime. I used to build things to "last a lifetime" but now, just good enough to last to the end of MY life. In my 'perfect world' everything I have would die, burn up, fall completely down or apart sometime between the minute I draw my last breath and the hour they get me buried in the ground.

I am hopeful that down the line, someone goes to replace a fence I put in and thinks to themselves, 'he sure did a good job of it'. I often think about previous owners when I am fencing-helps pass time. Sometimes admiring the effort they put into constructing a proper brace with crude tools (I still have some barb-wire fences around that are crowding 100 years old), or cursing their inability to put the bottle down and walk a straight line when putting a boundary fence in.

I could only support having it all burn if the next person in line was ungrateful for what has been done by past generations. If so, then by all means, burn it down.

 

[Jogeephus]

Don't think I'll ever be satisfied. Many times I feel overwhelmed with all the stuff that needs doing that doesn't get done because there is just not enough time. Instead, I work on the big things and address the little things when I can.

 

[slick4591]

Every time I sell a calf I put a some of that money back into the farm. This time it was working pens inside the barn and next will be some scales. I may never get finished tweaking, but I'm not to far from being satisfied.

 

[cow pollinater]

Don't think I'll ever be satisfied. Many times I feel overwhelmed with all the stuff that needs doing that doesn't get done because there is just not enough time. Instead, I work on the big things and address the little things when I can.

That's my life in a nutshell. I will obsess over the big stuff that HAS to happen and so that all stays in operation like clockwork but I place free time for myself to spend with the kids or a few minutes to sit down in front of the computer over all of the small stuff. If the small stuff gets to be overwhelming then I'll treat it like big stuff for a day or two and get it beat back into submission.

 

[skyhightree1]

Never be satisfied cause once i do something then I wish I hadnt and so on and so forth.

 

[Limomike]

you just pick the things you want to work on and do that.im constantly working towards geting something done.ive been buying cows since 2007 and that will never end.i bought a new tractor in late 2010.traded that tractor in mid 2013 for another new bigger tractor.bought alot of equipment since 2012.getting a farm like you want never ends.

Thats the way I do here. Seems like its just a never endding chore to get things done... Always upgrading, fixing things building the herd...etc..

 

[wv mud river]

never satisfied with the pasture field. cant stand weeds, get one type killed out and next year its something else

 

[red angus 2010]

Would be happy with about 3000 acres in grain and 200 mama cows, then I could stop being an architect.

 

[Nesikep]

I don't see myself ever being quite satisfied, The herd has made big improvements in the last 10 years, but it's going to take 20 more to get even close to what I like and have a bit of consistency there... As for buildings, etc.. there is never too much covered space, we have a good hayshed (very very nice), a good shop (also essential).
I'm in the process of slowly replacing fences around here.. I do more cursing of the previous owner than anything else.. with braces that were installed backwards, posts only a foot in the ground, and they cut the tops off to make them look good, etc etc etc...

 

[Dave]

I have things I have been putting off doing for 30 years. I do what I have to and then what I can. And I don't worry about the rest. Life it too short.

 

[herofan]

I have things I have been putting off doing for 30 years. I do what I have to and then what I can. And I don't worry about the rest. Life it too short.

I was wondering if anyone took this attitude; I think it's the one I need to have. I know there are always things that have to be done, but I guess i should let the cosmetic stuff go.