Something Discouraging...

[ranchwife]

The problem with young people getting involved with farming is the schools. You see they teach math in schools. Kids learn to calculte how many hours you work and how little you make.

I truly hope you're wrong on this because, if you're not, then that tells me that family values, traditions, outlook and history have been tossed by the wayside.

Unfortunately, it IS true!! I have spoken to many a young folk around our parts whose families have ranched/farmed for generations......these kids are scared and worried about their futures and the futures of their future families...these kids wants stability...steady paychecks (not having to count on the beef market, mother-nature, drought, rain, soil conditions, disease, grasshoppers, etc) and benefits...they do not want to have to work til they die..they want to eventually retire! Could explain why my hubby's family (especially his MOM) were so upset when we announced that we had managed to get the lease back on this place!! Bucky--prices around here are much like your place....SKY HIGH!! The average rancher/farmer simply cannot afford to start...only those with the ranches in the family can afford to stay in the business! Those and the wealthy who are simply looking for a tax write-off! Sad...very, very sad!!

 

[L Weir]

I think much of it is that the public school system pushing kids to go to college into liberal arts educations and AG options aren't even presented - I let it happen to me (I have a history degree) - but now I know better ;-)[/quote]


I agree our school district was thicking about making the school year round because 1) there's no reason to be off in the summer because there are no longer farm kids to do summer frm work 2) it would help with education of the students. I'm so glad that idea went by the wayside for now. Our district does excuse students who participate in our local fair and our state farm show.

 

[Bucky]

:cboy:

 

[3MR]

Actually ranchwife I am not that far from you, I grew up in Beaverhead County , and now live in the Bitterroot. ;-)

At 30 -50K an acre, I would move! You couldnt even get that with development prices in Oklahoma. (Thank God!) Who's buying it up there, movie stars?

 

[Bucky]

Yes, Charles Schwaab has put in a big gated community, lots of people have come up from California. Hank Williams Jr. owns a bunch, Hewey Lewis owns a bunch. That is who I know of anyway. It's actually a little cheaper if you buy bigger acerage. Our neighbors spent about $18,000 an acre for 30 acres, but they also spent $50,000 for 1 acre about 4 years ago. They wanted it because it bordered their land and didn't want another house on it. The developers have definately found this place. Population has grown 40% since the early 90's! All these people are building huge houses so it will be interesting to see if it ends up like Sun Valley ID and all of the average guys get taxed out and have to move.

We are landlocked because we live on my husbands family farm that they homesteaded over 100 years ago and we want to keep it how it is(history and roots you know). Problem is is it's to small (200 acres) to make a decent go of it around here-we will see what happens.

Anyhow,
M

 

[backhoeboogie]

When my daughter was 11 she was outside with me all the time knew every cow and calf remembered which lamb belonged to which ewe .loved the horses ; played with baby pigs. Shes 16 now -first boyfriend .-and its as if she went to the can and her brains fell out. the way shes operating right now I wouldn't want to turn a farm over to her

carl

Give her time.

All I had were daughters. I lost mine at about that age too. We've been through it. Everything! They'll come back around.

 

[Hasbeen]

When my daughter was 11 she was outside with me all the time knew every cow and calf remembered which lamb belonged to which ewe .loved the horses ; played with baby pigs. Shes 16 now -first boyfriend .-and its as if she went to the can and her brains fell out. the way shes operating right now I wouldn't want to turn a farm over to her

carl[/quote]

It works both ways. When my oldest son was 12 I took him aside for a heart to heart talk. I told him that right then I was the smartest person he knew of but within a year or so I would start to get dumber and dumber to the point where when he was around 16 I would be a constant source of embarassment for him. But not to worry, by the time he turned 19 I would be getting a little better and by the time he reached his late twenties I would be almost as smart as I was when he was 12. He's 26 now and will be leaving for Iraq in October. He calls me for advise from time to time. As predicted, my senility was temporary. ;-)

 

[msscamp]

My husband and I decided to let our kids have a heifer calf of their own along time ago hoping it would encourage some farm interest. It has helped some. The 11 yr has one hereford cow and says when she gets older she is moving to CA. The 9 yr has at least 5 cows and heifers she owns,plus two goats. She says when she get older she is going to stay here. The farmers on each side of us don't have any one interested in taking over when they retire and there is already one development that is too close for comfort. So I hope she can get to stay here for a long time.

When my daughter was 11 she was outside with me all the time knew every cow and calf remembered which lamb belonged to which ewe .loved the horses ; played with baby pigs. Shes 16 now -first boyfriend .-and its as if she went to the can and her brains fell out. the way shes operating right now I wouldn't want to turn a farm over to her

carl

Do you not remember your first girlfriend? :lol: :lol: Have a little patience and give your daughter a little time, she will probably get it worked out.

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

What are all the young people doing?

Raising cattle and helping with the grain.... why do yo ask? lol.

 

[Bek]

I'm 14 going on 15, and I'm proud to be in the cattle industry, I can't say anything for America, but in Australia there's a slowly growing number of young people taking more of an interest. Saying that the majority of teenagers around here wanna get out of it as quick as they can. I also think the majority of people in my school at least will never do a day's hard work in their life, compared to what we do on farms anyway. I will most certainly be staying in the industry when I get out of school, we've can do a part-time university course as part of our studies in the next 2 years, so I intend to get my Certificate III in Agriculture, so I'll have that by the time I'll leave school, and I was speaking to my Ag. teacher today and he said that I can then go on to do my Cert. IV in ag. and then after 18months-2years at one of the Australian Ag. Colleges I'll have my Diploma in Ag. so needless to say I intend to make my life out of being in the beef industry. A page or two back it was mentioned that farmers would ask a kid to show a calf and they'd get half the money when the calf was sold, I'd kill for sopmeone to give me an offer like that.

 

[flaboy-]

I think my son thinks all cattle with horns are bulls. He doesn't know Deere's are green and MF's are red. Barbed wire is something tattooed on your arm. Hard work is for those that don't know any better. Banding is something girls do to pony tails. He thinks bush hogging is going in the bush looking for hogs. Baling hay is throwing hay out of a bucket.

Things he has no clue on are;

Post holes
Cattle gap
Fluffing hay
Wind rowing hay
Auger
Sweating
Calluses
Blisters
Rope burns
Squeeze chute
Head catch

In his defence, his mom took him to Calif to live when he was a pup but the summers he spent with me did nothing but make him realize that he didn't want to live with his dad. For him it was either too hard or too hot.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I get a kick out of once in a while Boys come by wanting to work, but the first words out of their mouth is "I dont Haul Square Bales", and No post hole diggers. We had a ball hauling squares the other night, had 2 17 year olds, and their 41 year old Uncle, paid em' 10 bucks an hour, and the Uncle kept saying we had to slow down, because he was born with Bronchitis. I asked him if he meant Asthma? He said nope Bronchitis.

There aint no tellin what you'll run across in the world of Hay Haulers. ;-)

 

[MikeC]

Hay Haulers down here usually work for free!

Let me explain.........................

1-Pick them up at 7:00 A.M. on the "Work Hangout Corner".
(Never tell them you're hauling squares)

2- By about 10:00 A.M., and after about 3-400 squares have been put in the barn, they slip off......seen walking down the road and NEVER come back to get their paycheck.

3-Go back to the "Corner" the next morning to pick up a fresh batch of haulers.

 

[rkm]

Flaboy, sounds a little sad, but don't give up. My youngest son was never interested in the farm at all. He was into computers and started working for them when he was a jr. in high school. I never pushed him to do farm work, mom wouldn't let me. He was a self proclaimed computer nerd.

He is 25 now, still working with computers and making more money than he could dream of making on the farm.

But every weekend his truck is parked in my driveway, helping with the cattle, haying, and fenceing. And yes now he has the blisters and cow manure head to toe. He has even bought a couple cows trying to start his own herd.

My wife is not only a good mom but maybe a little smarter than the old man.

The good thing about kids is that they grow up.

 

[3MR]

Hay Haulers down here usually work for free!

Let me explain.........................

1-Pick them up at 7:00 A.M. on the "Work Hangout Corner".
(Never tell them you're hauling squares)

2- By about 10:00 A.M., and after about 3-400 squares have been put in the barn, they slip off......seen walking down the road and NEVER come back to get their paycheck.

3-Go back to the "Corner" the next morning to pick up a fresh batch of haulers.

Hey MikeC - Yeah, I have been meaning to mention that. They all said for you to send their checks to me. 8)

 

[Alice]

When my daughter was 17 I told her that my worst fear was not that the police would call and tell me she was in jail...it was the the police would come to my door to tell me she was dead. My GAWD, but I went thru he11 and 1/2 of Georgia with her.

Today, she teaches school and has a beautiful home, a great husband, 3 smart, wonderful children, and another on the way. :shock:

The way I look at it, if that "bad seed" child of mine can come around on her own and succeed, anybody on this earth can. After all these years, I still wince when I think about what could've been? And, I thank God every day for what she's become...a beautiful person.

Alice

 

[flaboy-]

Flaboy, sounds a little sad, but don't give up. My youngest son was never interested in the farm at all. He was into computers and started working for them when he was a jr. in high school. I never pushed him to do farm work, mom wouldn't let me. He was a self proclaimed computer nerd.

He is 25 now, still working with computers and making more money than he could dream of making on the farm.

But every weekend his truck is parked in my driveway, helping with the cattle, haying, and fenceing. And yes now he has the blisters and cow manure head to toe. He has even bought a couple cows trying to start his own herd.

My wife is not only a good mom but maybe a little smarter than the old man.

The good thing about kids is that they grow up.

Oh, I don't really fault him. Heck who wants to work hard, sweat, get blisters, and callouses for basically minimum wage. Over the generations in my family each has done better for themselves. I suspect he will also. As a teenager I remember thinking when I get out of here this will all just have been a bad dream. Little did know it was in my blood and jumped back in up to my neck and I love it.

 

[rkm]

See, didn't I tell you the good thing about kids is that they grow up. Even Flaboy grew up; I Think. :shock: :?:

 

[flaboy-]

See, didn't I tell you the good thing about kids is that they grow up. Even Flaboy grew up; I Think. :shock: :?:

Naw, ain't gonna happen. It's no fun to grow up. :lol:

 

[dun]

See, didn't I tell you the good thing about kids is that they grow up. Even Flaboy grew up; I Think. :shock: :?:

It's no fun to grow up. :lol:

Truer words were never spoken. Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional

dun