Started with nothing. No agriculture in my background. Good day job. Did everything wrong at least once. Sometimes twice. Wish I woulda read more or something. Mighta stayed clean out of it then. Maybe shoulda. At least now I know not to be surprised when they find a new way to die. I've also learned that farmers are as crooked as church people. I always had the mistaken belief that this community operated on a handshake. Ironically there are as many sinners tilling ground as there are in any other profession. So many illusions - so little time.....
Who started from nothing?
- Thread starter Jackson
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IndianCreekcowboy
Active member
Well I started with darn near nothing. Even though I grew up with my parents and Grandfather owning Land & Cattle. In 1998 I completed College and came back home. I owned nothing, no land, no equipment, was leasing a truck (DUMB); and had a student loan to repay. I was given a 4 year old bred cow as gift/incentive for completing college and helping my parents on their farm. She soon had a heifer calf, in fact she had 7 straight heifer calves every January. This is how and where I got my start and was on my own, I believe I had 8 total head, consisting of 3 cows and 2 breeding age heifers and 3 calves. It was time for me to find my own land and move my small herd out of my parents herd. I traded a nice rifle I had for a nice young bull to breed my cows. I married in 2000 and bought an old house that needed work and 40 acres of land, all woods. I also started to lease open land a couple of miles from our new place. I never purchased an outside cow, just breeding bulls. Fast forward -2016 The bank and I own around 300 acres of land. I still Lease the same open land from like 12 years ago. I own a few more than 100 head of cattle, and all but my 3 current breeding bulls are direct descendants of that original cow in 1998. We owe only on land. All cows, bulls, tractor, implements, equipment, tools, etc. are free of any debt. I work a Full-time job outside of farm, as well as my wife. We didn't buy another piece of land until our Original 40 ac. and home was paid for. We took small steps, Paid for a place and then bought another similar size place close by with an old house, which we fixed up and rented that house, which makes the house and land payment as well as Taxes and Ins. on that place. Then bought an adjoining 40, and so on. Best advice I will give is to pay off everything on time or early if possible. In my situation had the 2nd forty with old house been available just a year prior I probably would have had to pass because of still paying on first property. But as soon as we signed loan and fixed it up it was supporting itself, so it was still like having your primary residence paid for and the second property covering its own expenses. Which allowed us to buy additional acreage all the while building our herd slowly on Leased land.
Let me help you out as I am an expert. I've managed to pi$$ off enough over the years to buy the ponderosa 
To get started you have to have land and cattle and both cost money.
So unless you're already wealthy you're going to need capital.
Only way I know to do that is from working a job.
If you can lease some grass then you can you just have to buy cattle and build from there.
I hear lots of young guys say they can't buy a place to get started cause land cost so much but they drive around in a new 60k F-250 have lots of toys.
If it were easy everybody would do it
As far as doing it for a living. It's certainly possible, people do it everyday. It depends on your lifestyle, but it takes quite few cows to make a living and its takes land to feed cows.
Stockers take less land but slimmer margins and more risk.
I'm a numbers and budgets type person.
I want the best return I can get, but I'm a grass guy that doesn't like skinny cows so that hurts the profit per acre, but open cows and buying hay during a drought hurts worse.
Leasing by far is the cheapest way to get in, but it's hard to find grass
It's tough to buy land and make a profit, most times you're doing your best to make your land payment.
It can be done but it can be tough unless you're single, no kids and have a well paying job,
As for me I have a job. No better cattlemen than I am I'd have to live in a little spanish jacal and ride a donkey for transportation if I didn't.
To get started you have to have land and cattle and both cost money.
So unless you're already wealthy you're going to need capital.
Only way I know to do that is from working a job.
If you can lease some grass then you can you just have to buy cattle and build from there.
I hear lots of young guys say they can't buy a place to get started cause land cost so much but they drive around in a new 60k F-250 have lots of toys.
If it were easy everybody would do it
As far as doing it for a living. It's certainly possible, people do it everyday. It depends on your lifestyle, but it takes quite few cows to make a living and its takes land to feed cows.
Stockers take less land but slimmer margins and more risk.
I'm a numbers and budgets type person.
I want the best return I can get, but I'm a grass guy that doesn't like skinny cows so that hurts the profit per acre, but open cows and buying hay during a drought hurts worse.
Leasing by far is the cheapest way to get in, but it's hard to find grass
It's tough to buy land and make a profit, most times you're doing your best to make your land payment.
It can be done but it can be tough unless you're single, no kids and have a well paying job,
As for me I have a job. No better cattlemen than I am I'd have to live in a little spanish jacal and ride a donkey for transportation if I didn't.
Ebenezer
Well-known member
Started with a 4H heifer and father had commercial cows. Still have family land and have bought some from working for SCS/NRCS for 33+ years in 5 locations in SC. Saw and fed cows for years in the dark.
A better question for a young guy to ask and gather info from old guys: what did you do to waste time and money. When they tell you, do the opposite. Like an old man told me one time, "The best way to get out of trouble is to not get into it to begin with".
But one thing is for sure: you had better learn to change when you see the handwriting on the wall because life throws curveballs. That 4H heifer: best that could be had because the manager of the plantation and his wife were life-long family friends with my parents. She was sterile. My brother had a better one and she would not take her calf. Learned that lesson pretty quickly: bloodlines and expensive bulls don't all make great cows.
A better question for a young guy to ask and gather info from old guys: what did you do to waste time and money. When they tell you, do the opposite. Like an old man told me one time, "The best way to get out of trouble is to not get into it to begin with".
But one thing is for sure: you had better learn to change when you see the handwriting on the wall because life throws curveballs. That 4H heifer: best that could be had because the manager of the plantation and his wife were life-long family friends with my parents. She was sterile. My brother had a better one and she would not take her calf. Learned that lesson pretty quickly: bloodlines and expensive bulls don't all make great cows.
I wasn't going to chime in because my situation is different & yet there are a lot of similarities. My husband & I were fortunate enough to retire early and all he wanted was some land to hunt, fish, relax, enjoy - and maybe some cows. Have you ever seen Green Acres (since you're 21 it would probably have been on TV Land)? Spot on! I had never even been near a cow when we said "goodbye to the City life", bought some land, moved to the country & started with a small herd of 33 bred cows, horrible fencing, no real working facilities, no tractors, track loaders, implements . . . nothing but a desire to make it work. And we did! Our "retirement" has consisted of essentially zero vacations, haaaaard work, a ton of education, teamwork, very little profit and a life I wouldn't trade for anything. The point is, you're going to have to give up a lot, be willing to work hard, truly understand your finances, hopefully have/find a mentor that will guide you & if you decide to get married you better find a partner that supports you. And in your case, have a day job with great benefits/insurance
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Dad gave me two acres to start the ponderosa bought timber land for 600 to 850 an acre. Bought the available land around it. Sold the timber to pay for the land and the journey began with a Massey 135 and a rented dozer. Could have bought the 250 acres across the road for 400 an acre, couldn't imagine being a 100k in debt.TexasBred":1nvfa4xc said:
Before that ran my cows on leased Salt Grass.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Legally, nothing on this farm is 'mine', I'm closing in on 40, been here since I was 12.. Worked on the land with my parents since the day we bought it, scratching a living any way we could.. found out education is expensive any way you get it... What paid the mortgage was vegetables, and the markets took a dive right around the time we paid off, but it also coincided with my parents entering retirement.
I spent my 20's doing a few dead end jobs, I lived off the farm for 10 years.. My last job was good, gainful, and interesting, but I gave all that up and came back here... It's one of those things, I tear my hair out here some days but I can't imagine not having cattle in my life.
Everything we have here is paid for by hard work one way or another, there's nothing new here, though a few things are shiny again from restorations... I'd rather own a rust heap outright than a new truck or tractor and owe my left nut.
With any luck, I will be able to continue living a modest life here.. As long as I can get 3 flakes a day for myself I don't need much more.
I spent my 20's doing a few dead end jobs, I lived off the farm for 10 years.. My last job was good, gainful, and interesting, but I gave all that up and came back here... It's one of those things, I tear my hair out here some days but I can't imagine not having cattle in my life.
Everything we have here is paid for by hard work one way or another, there's nothing new here, though a few things are shiny again from restorations... I'd rather own a rust heap outright than a new truck or tractor and owe my left nut.
With any luck, I will be able to continue living a modest life here.. As long as I can get 3 flakes a day for myself I don't need much more.
Kenany Farm
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if you are looking for a success story there are plenty out there, but none of them is yours nor will they apply to your situation. if you want something (Which i assume a big spread with lots of cattle on it) you better get to working, a day job and checking cattle on your leased land at night, save every penny you can, and put it towards a land purchase, or cattle then the rest will come. the secret will be hard work, good management, and above all a good wife that would push you up instead of dragging you down.
RiverHills
Well-known member
I would have to add its getting lot harder every day. Even with a good day job, renting and working day and night. I think it would be a challenge with today's land prices. You would have to really live cheap and the biggest problem with that would be keeping the wife and kids happy.
I may be wrong but nowadays it's going to be next to impossible without some sort of big break of some sort. Atleast if you want to make a living doing it someday to.
I may be wrong but nowadays it's going to be next to impossible without some sort of big break of some sort. Atleast if you want to make a living doing it someday to.
I feel sorry for anybody getting a start in this day and age. Not just land, but the cost of living. Good job or not, the cost of living will eat ya up.
Times were different of course, but bought a farm at 18. Spent my college savings for a down payment. Had few cows, that I had ran on my parents place while I was coming up. Raised tobacco, cattle, and horses. Cut back to just cattle about 10 years ago. Maybe longer, it's hard to remember. I would have to say I had a start, because I already a few head.
Times were different of course, but bought a farm at 18. Spent my college savings for a down payment. Had few cows, that I had ran on my parents place while I was coming up. Raised tobacco, cattle, and horses. Cut back to just cattle about 10 years ago. Maybe longer, it's hard to remember. I would have to say I had a start, because I already a few head.
True Grit Farms
Well-known member
I started with nothing but a chip on my shoulder at 15 years old. Quit school and went to work. Bought some swamp land real cheap and lived in a camper. I sold some of that cheap Florida swamp land for enough to retire on and buy 300 acres in Georgia. Jackson, your young and have a lot of choices coming up, a woman can make or break you. My advice is stay out of trouble, work hard and live cheap. You might just get lucky and be able to live your dream.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Lot of good posts here. You better believe what these folks are saying about a good woman. I had the wrong kind the first time. And a good one now. I can't even explain the difference in words. Find you a good one that will support you or do without.
I started with nothing but the knowledge on how to get by with what you had and I still don't have a lot, but it's more than I deserve. I can add and subtract real well. I know how to work. Best advice I can give you is save what you can and be in a position to jump real quick when an opportunity comes along. The good ones don't last long.
I started with nothing but the knowledge on how to get by with what you had and I still don't have a lot, but it's more than I deserve. I can add and subtract real well. I know how to work. Best advice I can give you is save what you can and be in a position to jump real quick when an opportunity comes along. The good ones don't last long.
millstreaminn
Well-known member
Jackson":20jt1b0o said:
I started in 1988, the year I graduate high school. Nobody in my immediate or extended family was in any way involved in agriculture. My Dad is excellent at managing money and owned a construction business, so he helped me set up my finances and guaranteed my loan to the local bank.
I remember the second winter I was on the farm and the heating system in my house went out. I didn't have the money to fix it. Even though my Dad could have sent some of his employees to fix my boiler, he didn't. He told me to go cut some wood- it's gonna get cold this winter. He is a no non sense kinga guy.
Fast forward 5 years, I decided I wanted to do something else to make money and have cattle as a side line. Had a farm sale in 1993, sold all the dairy cattle and equipment. Happiest and saddest day of my life. I took the proceeds from my farm sale and built a car wash. Built a few other businesses after that one and and happily hobby farming 75 acres and running 8-10 momma cows.
So to answer your question, I did not inherit any land, equipment or cattle. I got into farming and learned how to manage money by listening to someone older and much wiser than myself. My Dad.
millstreaminn
Well-known member
skyhightree1":1ssd15bt said:
Don't feel bad, Jackson. I've been on these boards for 10 years and still don't know what Dun did for a living. He's like Robin Masters on Magnum PI.
:lol: :lol:
an old farmer that i have been buying cattle from keeps telling me to get into goats and not cattle. he said he is making alot more on the goats than his beef animals. i just cant bring myself to do it. even if i made more money i know i wouldnt enjoy it.
IndianCreekcowboy
Active member
I have to agree, lots of good advice here.
I'll add this- You have to be stubborn, creative and have a no quit attitude and want it more than anything else if starting with nothing.
There were times I would have to haul big round bales of hay and had no tractor to unload them so had to push them off trailer, or put a strap or chain around them and tie to a tree and drive away from under them. One Winter the clutch went out on a tractor at a lease, I would have to load and unload hay and tractor in the dark while holding a flashlight between my teeth to feed cows after working all day, it was dangerous and sometimes you would get wet and cold or break something or get stuck, but the cows ate before I came in and ate. I told myself there must be an easier way after a few weeks of this. So we started putting a months worth of hay around 24-36 bales out in an area with like 6 bales per spot, and bought 3 more hay rings, we would put in 4-6 different spots and using electric fence to give the cows enough for 1 week 6 -7 bales and would move the electric fence during daylight on weekend along with hay rings, that way I would only need to haul tractor once every 4-6 weeks rather than twice every week and in the dark one of those days.
For the past several years I have had small herds in 3-4 different places on combination of leased and owned land, yet at the end of the day would still look forward to putting my eye on at least one of those groups before going home.
I share this to encourage you (or anyone wanting to start) and challenge you to ask; "How bad do you really want it"?
When I had just 5-8 cows a bull was a big expense but I still wanted quality because I knew I would be building a herd from his daughters, I took advantage of helping neighbors to put 2-3 heifers in their herd just to get bred and then move back with mine after settled, and not to have to buy new bull every 2 years. I'm sure there are many on here that have had many more challenges than I, but I bet ya quitting wasn't an option for them either!
I know 18 years when you are only 21 seems like a very long time... however 18 years ago I owned a single cow, no bull and no land. My wife and I have accumulated around 300 acres some paid for, and some we own along with the bank, none of this was inherited land though. Today my wife and I have over 100 head (all from that one cow from 18 years ago), on the place we call home. I could not wait for the day to have 10, 15 or 20 cows, and when only keeping 2 or 3 heifers a year seemed like it would never come. Last year we kept 14 heifers, this year plan to keep 18-20. 18 years go by really fast when you are busy. Obviously for us to keep most of the heifers, our cows are not paying their own way and supporting keeping heifers. That's why we both work outside jobs and have been fortunate enough to have money to spend to support our cows in the hope that one day they may can support us.
Very doubtful I retire early, yet look forward to the day of staying home on our own place and watching them and playing "cowboy" all day/every day instead of just a few hours in the evening and on weekends and Holidays.
How bad do you want it?
I'll add this- You have to be stubborn, creative and have a no quit attitude and want it more than anything else if starting with nothing.
There were times I would have to haul big round bales of hay and had no tractor to unload them so had to push them off trailer, or put a strap or chain around them and tie to a tree and drive away from under them. One Winter the clutch went out on a tractor at a lease, I would have to load and unload hay and tractor in the dark while holding a flashlight between my teeth to feed cows after working all day, it was dangerous and sometimes you would get wet and cold or break something or get stuck, but the cows ate before I came in and ate. I told myself there must be an easier way after a few weeks of this. So we started putting a months worth of hay around 24-36 bales out in an area with like 6 bales per spot, and bought 3 more hay rings, we would put in 4-6 different spots and using electric fence to give the cows enough for 1 week 6 -7 bales and would move the electric fence during daylight on weekend along with hay rings, that way I would only need to haul tractor once every 4-6 weeks rather than twice every week and in the dark one of those days.
For the past several years I have had small herds in 3-4 different places on combination of leased and owned land, yet at the end of the day would still look forward to putting my eye on at least one of those groups before going home.
I share this to encourage you (or anyone wanting to start) and challenge you to ask; "How bad do you really want it"?
When I had just 5-8 cows a bull was a big expense but I still wanted quality because I knew I would be building a herd from his daughters, I took advantage of helping neighbors to put 2-3 heifers in their herd just to get bred and then move back with mine after settled, and not to have to buy new bull every 2 years. I'm sure there are many on here that have had many more challenges than I, but I bet ya quitting wasn't an option for them either!
I know 18 years when you are only 21 seems like a very long time... however 18 years ago I owned a single cow, no bull and no land. My wife and I have accumulated around 300 acres some paid for, and some we own along with the bank, none of this was inherited land though. Today my wife and I have over 100 head (all from that one cow from 18 years ago), on the place we call home. I could not wait for the day to have 10, 15 or 20 cows, and when only keeping 2 or 3 heifers a year seemed like it would never come. Last year we kept 14 heifers, this year plan to keep 18-20. 18 years go by really fast when you are busy. Obviously for us to keep most of the heifers, our cows are not paying their own way and supporting keeping heifers. That's why we both work outside jobs and have been fortunate enough to have money to spend to support our cows in the hope that one day they may can support us.
Very doubtful I retire early, yet look forward to the day of staying home on our own place and watching them and playing "cowboy" all day/every day instead of just a few hours in the evening and on weekends and Holidays.
How bad do you want it?
Dave
Well-known member
I just remembered how a friend of mine started. He had a full time job and a few cows on rented land. But he took in welding and other side jobs (I can't remember all the different things he did but I remember that he had a lot of irons in the fire) that he did in the evening anon weeked. His object every month was to live on what he made on the side jobs and to bank his entire paycheck. A couple of years of that and he as off and running.
M-5
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Its very possible to acquire what you want at your age. If you want to stop the progress get you a wife and a couple of kids then you will postpone the dream several yrs. Best advise I can give is plan your success and start it before you every look for a helper (wife). doing that will make sure you choose one that fits into your goals. I would not change a thing on how ive done things the hard way because Ive been blessed But the road has been long and rocky. I have a feeling my body will be wore out before I get there but In my mind Im still the 21yr old that is still dreaming , Good luck
