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Something Discouraging...
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<blockquote data-quote="Bez?" data-source="post: 256648" data-attributes="member: 4151"><p>Lots of stories and lots of thoughts. But in the end it usually boils down to one thing.</p><p></p><p>Cash money.</p><p></p><p>For any kid - male or female to get into farming - for anything other than a hobby - it takes more money than most will ever have.</p><p></p><p>Can it be done? Yes - but the fact that it becomes almost impossible to start out and make a living is the detractor.</p><p></p><p>I personally cannot at this moment think of one full time farmer or rancher under the age of 40 who started out on his/her own. Are there exceptions? Of course - but they are also a rarity - and even those who have done the start up on their own will admit it. S/he also likely had a spouse with a good paying job in town.</p><p></p><p>There are a few in my area who had good families and their "transition plan" allowed at least one of the kids to take over without a huge tax bill.</p><p></p><p>But truly and realistically - if you were a young man or a young woman would you willingly go into debt for 100's of thousands of dollars - or more - and not know if you could pay it off in your lifetime - to be a full timer?</p><p></p><p>They think differently than us old folks do - they do not want to work 7 days a week and they do not want to have to sit and worry if commodity pricing will hold for at least one more week. And they do not want to have to go through what some folks have - hoping like heaven that they can hold the farm / ranch for another year due to outside circumstances.</p><p></p><p>Hobby stuff does not really count in my eyes because you can walk to the door and sell everything and still drive to your job wherever tomorrow morning. Do NOT chew on me folks - this is not a slam - it is just a plain fact - and I do not mind it one bit.</p><p></p><p>Most hobby people do it for lifestyle and do not depend upon the cash - if there is any. Our children may become hobbyists when they age - just to catch a bit of the old ways - but most will not likely return to a full time outfit unless it is given to them - and even then it will likely simply be broken up and sold at a profit.</p><p></p><p>Where are the banks that will get in bed with the young farmer unless s/he has a serious co-signor?</p><p></p><p>How many folks do you know that want to put their life savings at risk to co-sign that loan?</p><p></p><p>It all boils down to something other than desire - it comes down to money - and risk of losing all if commodity pricing plunges. These kids are not stupid - there is no protective net for them.</p><p></p><p>Kids are leaving the old farts to ag because they got in when it was cheap and profit was - while not always guaranteed - something that could be had with good management. </p><p></p><p>This is not the always case today - and in truth losses are far more common than profit - with folks hoping the subsidy cheque, grant cheque, various fed / state / prov assistance cheques will cover the next round of bills while the wife works in town AND on the farm/ranch. </p><p></p><p>Especially when the banker wants his money.</p><p></p><p>This is a big issue to me - as many here know - we came very close several times to losing everything due to BSE. My kids love the life - but ask my daughters if they would be willing to do what we had to do to keep the land. </p><p></p><p>Their answer? A resounding no! And in truth I support their decision. They can make more money and have less stress - and the big one - they can use that money to develop their own lifestyle. </p><p></p><p>Heck - when I am dead and gone they will likely rent the land out and use the house as a summer place - or sell it. Their memories will be good ones - but they will easily remember the bad ones as well. And these are good country girls than can run a place without a fellow around. And they enjoy it. But that is because Mom and Dad do the real work - the worry stuff.</p><p></p><p>Neither of my girls want their lifestyle dictated by forward contracting packers, vegetable buyers, grain buyers or that dastardly neighbour who will not sell you hay in a drought unless you pay more than 100 bucks a bale - when your back is to the wall. (We all have at least one of them)</p><p></p><p>Cash folks. Make it pay and more will come. Otherwise they will develop their own lifestyle.</p><p></p><p>Good, bad or indifferent I believe the kids are telling us they do not want to go through what we in my house - and in many other houses - have gone through.</p><p></p><p>Bez?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bez?, post: 256648, member: 4151"] Lots of stories and lots of thoughts. But in the end it usually boils down to one thing. Cash money. For any kid - male or female to get into farming - for anything other than a hobby - it takes more money than most will ever have. Can it be done? Yes - but the fact that it becomes almost impossible to start out and make a living is the detractor. I personally cannot at this moment think of one full time farmer or rancher under the age of 40 who started out on his/her own. Are there exceptions? Of course - but they are also a rarity - and even those who have done the start up on their own will admit it. S/he also likely had a spouse with a good paying job in town. There are a few in my area who had good families and their "transition plan" allowed at least one of the kids to take over without a huge tax bill. But truly and realistically - if you were a young man or a young woman would you willingly go into debt for 100's of thousands of dollars - or more - and not know if you could pay it off in your lifetime - to be a full timer? They think differently than us old folks do - they do not want to work 7 days a week and they do not want to have to sit and worry if commodity pricing will hold for at least one more week. And they do not want to have to go through what some folks have - hoping like heaven that they can hold the farm / ranch for another year due to outside circumstances. Hobby stuff does not really count in my eyes because you can walk to the door and sell everything and still drive to your job wherever tomorrow morning. Do NOT chew on me folks - this is not a slam - it is just a plain fact - and I do not mind it one bit. Most hobby people do it for lifestyle and do not depend upon the cash - if there is any. Our children may become hobbyists when they age - just to catch a bit of the old ways - but most will not likely return to a full time outfit unless it is given to them - and even then it will likely simply be broken up and sold at a profit. Where are the banks that will get in bed with the young farmer unless s/he has a serious co-signor? How many folks do you know that want to put their life savings at risk to co-sign that loan? It all boils down to something other than desire - it comes down to money - and risk of losing all if commodity pricing plunges. These kids are not stupid - there is no protective net for them. Kids are leaving the old farts to ag because they got in when it was cheap and profit was - while not always guaranteed - something that could be had with good management. This is not the always case today - and in truth losses are far more common than profit - with folks hoping the subsidy cheque, grant cheque, various fed / state / prov assistance cheques will cover the next round of bills while the wife works in town AND on the farm/ranch. Especially when the banker wants his money. This is a big issue to me - as many here know - we came very close several times to losing everything due to BSE. My kids love the life - but ask my daughters if they would be willing to do what we had to do to keep the land. Their answer? A resounding no! And in truth I support their decision. They can make more money and have less stress - and the big one - they can use that money to develop their own lifestyle. Heck - when I am dead and gone they will likely rent the land out and use the house as a summer place - or sell it. Their memories will be good ones - but they will easily remember the bad ones as well. And these are good country girls than can run a place without a fellow around. And they enjoy it. But that is because Mom and Dad do the real work - the worry stuff. Neither of my girls want their lifestyle dictated by forward contracting packers, vegetable buyers, grain buyers or that dastardly neighbour who will not sell you hay in a drought unless you pay more than 100 bucks a bale - when your back is to the wall. (We all have at least one of them) Cash folks. Make it pay and more will come. Otherwise they will develop their own lifestyle. Good, bad or indifferent I believe the kids are telling us they do not want to go through what we in my house - and in many other houses - have gone through. Bez? [/QUOTE]
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