Young farmers starting, and no one willing to help

[Bruce from Can.]

I don?t think I understand. Why should anyone be made to feel like they are obligated to help a young farmer start into business. If it is your own child, then it would be expected you will help your own. But in a earlier thread there were comments made about no one willing to help young people starting out. I don?t get it !! I started my own farm, got a minimum of help from my dad, as he really didn?t want me to farm. Sure I got plenty of advice from neighbors, but where the rubber hit the road, I had to pay market value for things I bought, or help I hired. I have heard this line from fellas that think that someone who owns land should rent to them for less, and take a loss just because they are looking for a sweet deal, so they can make more profit. Farming is business. It?s my business , my risk , my loss or my profit. And if I want to help my son into the business, that is my choice. But if my kids don?t want to farm, why should I be made to feel guilty if I don?t help some other young person start , the whole while , taking a heavy financial loss to do so?? Yes I understand how tough it is for young farmers to get established, I was one once too, but I worked two jobs for a while to save cash, and went without the finer things in life to achieve long term goals. That?s life for those that have nothing. No point in trying to lay guilt trips on older folks that want full value for rent, or sale price for their farm, maybe they too had to make many sacrifices in their lives to get and hang on to what they have now. Ok flame me for being evil.... Bruce

 

[NY 986]

Maybe I am making myself seem more important than I really am but read my comments below if you have not already. More people with a connection to farming is better for the industry in general. Further consolidation of resources is only going to further more people a greater distance from farming. This will affect consumer and political decisions concerning agriculture in the future. Too many people here think things are indispensable as they currently are in agriculture and that just is not true. Go out and talk to people and see how the thought process varies from the people on this board. People thinking that they have virtually no time for a meal during the day is quite common place. That quite a bit of nutritional value can be had through supplements taken in the form of a pill. That taste does not matter as long as you can swallow it and move on to the next task. We who are still in the industry want our cake in terms of growth of acres or animals and eat it too in terms of willing and able consumers. We can't wind the clock back to 50 plus years ago in a lot of instances but the more connection the general population has to somebody in the industry the more secure our future will be long term.

 

[tomturkey]

I agree with you. I won't flame you. I often heard it said, "Well you bought land when it was cheap". Yes compared to todays prices it was, but not for the time when I bought it. In fact for the time I paid a high price for mostly non-farmable land(wet). Of course I see part of the problem seems to be Corporations "parking" money in land investments. Giving astronomical prices even for "these days". Having professional farm managers arrange for locals to farm it. If someone wants to be generous and give a young person a break/chance that's all well and good, because it is their money, their land to do with as they wish. gobble

 

[Mike M]

I'd say the best way to get into farming would be to marry into it !

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I agree with you 100% and the key as you pointed out is farming is a business and starting any business is tough.I think many people think farming is a religion of some sorts where anyone
that wants to join up should be helped by others into the religion.No its a business and some people just are not cut out for it for whatever reason just like any other business enterprise
then those people can go to work for someone that makes a business a success.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I understand your point about more people in ag the better as far as consumers where food comes from, and what it takes to get it there. The trouble is, there just isn?t enough dollars in conventional ag production for everyone to be able to follow their dreams, and make a living from farming. Commodity corn , soy and wheat production yields slim profit margins, and animal agriculture is not much different. I don?t have an answer to make things change.

 

[NY 986]

That only works when there is a woman there who wants to stay on the farm which is extremely few females today. Heck, when I was a young man back in the 1980's the farmer's daughter wanted out of there as soon as she turned 18. None of the farm girls I knew in high school wanted anything to do with the family farm.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

It worked for my wife , lol

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I think you miss the point that the way things work in our system is each individual makes the decisions,on the production end what they grow,how they grow it,how big the get etc etc.And on the consumer end the same deal each individual makes the choice on what they buy,where they buy it,how much they buy whether they like one thing over another etc etc.Its not a group thing at all.So its up to the individual producer to produce what enough consumers want to make themselves a living at what they do whether its farming,making shoes,cars or whatever.
The side effects of the choices is just what it is and how it pans out.

 

[fixerupper]

Here's another angle; if a land owner is in a small town nursing home in my neck of the woods he or she will be paying $80,000-$85000 per year to the nursing home. If both husband and wife are in the nursing home, double the amount. At a minimum, 400 acres in my part of northwest Iowa is needed to support ONE nursing home resident. That rent from 400 acres would be more than a beginning farmer can pay at current commodity prices. Remember, land taxes have to come out of that rent check too. My dad is in the nursing home and I write the check out every month so it's paramont n my mind right now. In my area 400 acres is a lot of land to own for the average farmer.

 

[Squisher]

How young do you have to be to get this help? I'm 43, probably to old.

 

[farmerwithmutt]

I've helped a few i never had kids but a guy once told me he liked to give things away when he could see what there going to do with them. My gifts are not usually make or break situations but where a little extra can mean a lot.

 

[NY 986]

I do get that everybody gets to make a decision and has a right to do so. I am just saying don't come crying when demand does not favor the current structure of how agriculture is. Part of maintaining the infrastructure was having a number of people connected with agriculture so in turn the consumer has a greater connection. I get that is not how the system works at present which is why I see the possibility for change that does not favor farm commodity producers as they currently exist.

 

[NY 986]

All I can say is do not be surprised if unsavory alternatives arise because the dynamics of demand have changed. It goes back to my earlier premise in that everybody who is a producer wants the world to operate like it did 40 or 50 years ago other than the producer themselves who desire unlimited production and unlimited size. I know guys here are taking this as coffee shop talk and nothing more but this is a looming problem in the next 20-30 years. Buying a quart of milk at the corner convenience store is a mentality that has disappeared with a lot of consumers so don't be surprised at some point when the letter comes from the milk plant or co-op saying they don't need your milk. If enough processors do not need milk or other commodities due to shifting or declining demand then that will have an effect on your property in terms of value as there will be fewer buyers for it as they can not make a return with assets valued as they are at present. Your retirement may not be as you envisioned it.

What can we do about it being easier to enter the business for young people? As the system exists at present not much. I know it won't sit well with the generation at retirement's doorstep but asset prices have to come back in line to where a mid-sized farmer can service debt and take care of their family. We can talk about economic efficiency and so forth but at some point we have to look past economics towards basic freedoms for one thing. Having the food supply concentrated in the hands of a tiny few is how the royals maintained power in feudal Europe. It may not go to that extreme in 100 years from now but if a person lived another 100 years from today they might see very little resemblance to the industry as it exists today.

 

[Goose]

Even that doesn't work.

Even though I was ready, willing, and able to take over from my father-in-law whenever he decided to hang it up, he simply announce one day, with no prior discussion, that he'd leased the entire operation to one of the neighbors. So much for "family" farms.

 

[LarryH]

I have helped several young people and spent thousands in the process and every penny was well spent and I will continue to help

 

[Philip d]

There's a young guy that milks cows up the road from here. He farms with his parents,works very hard and is very careful with money. There's been quite a few times over the years he'd be doing a little barn project or what have you and he'd ask if I had a few old stalls I took out years ago or neck rail or trainers and what have you. Every time he'd ask "what do I owe you for that"? I always said it was just laying behind the building or on a shelf you can just have it. About a year ago he bought a cattle trailer,a couple of times he hauled some for me when he was going to the same place anyhow. Every time id ask him what do I owe you and every time he'd say fifty bucks and want paid. I did him quite a few free favours over the years and that's fine. Next time he asked for something I had I'd put a price on it. He stopped asking lol.

 

[kcm.MN]

One problem these days is, young people want to start at the top.....or at least a good ways up from the bottom. More and more, they're coming to expect this. Bigger, nicer and more expensive homes, newer cars, etc. Remember when a farmer ate lots of beans so they could sell their dollar crop? Yeah, that seems a bit extreme, but is sometimes necessary even today.

Another problem is in trying to get started and competing with the status quo. there's lots of opportunity for specialty growers out there that don't require a huge investment in equipment or land; namely, greenhouse operations. There are specialty crops as well; things that you can make really good money growing, but that don't grow or are not harvested in a way that can yet be done on a giant scale.

The guy in this video is anything but a youngster, but has figured out a way to grow crops year round in his home stats of Nebraska, and can make some darn good money doing so. If he wanted to, he could expand a few more greenhouses and really clean up. Problem here is, many people don't want to stop at producing for their local market and want to grow ever bigger. And to those folks I say fine. But for most, just focus on making a living. Watch this video and get some ideas of how to do "farming" in a more modern way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD_3_gsgsnk

 

[ajl]

I get what you are saying and agree with most of it. I also started from scratch with little or no help. When you and I started, we had a huge tailwind known as inflation which thanks to big government, made debt go away. Without this help neither of us would likely be still in it today. Today there is absolute no opportunity for a young person in ag unless they' like all the millenials are have daddy expand the existing operation to make a place for us. No young person is going out and starting from scratch today and it is not possible whereas it was before the days of non stop central bank money printing. Assets inflate faster than you can save. So if you are a 20 something with dreams of your own farm someday it won't happen thanks to screwed up economics. Can thank the baby boomers for that.

 

[Frantz]

I'd say the best way to get into farming would be to marry into it !

I got lucky and fell to this category. I'd been dreaming of a homestead and small farm and started dating this girl. She really didn't talk much/at all with her dad anymore and after a few months mentioned she grew up on a farm and her dad still lives there. Several years later and her dad and her have made amends, We're married with a daughter and we rent our home from him and he lives next door. I try to help out and he gives me lots of advice (which he doesn't think I listen to), and space for my equipment. I only dreamed of having my own operation at the scale I do at this point, and without him I wouldn't really have ever had a chance to start doing some custom work and get my own thing going. Space and wisdom is his investment (yes, space can be very valuable, I understand that). But if you have an empty bank barn or even just a few bays.. even renting them out to someone rather than storing your old scrap there would be "helping young people" while helping yourself too. You might end up with a friend too, and someone to help with your own chores. Helping doesn't have to be hurting yourself. It should be symbolic. Younger folks are more limber and flexible. We can help you fix things that would be harder for you to do, and we learn in the process. We can rent equipment from you that you're not using, if we've proven to take care of things. That helps both you and I on cash flow. Lots of ways to help that aren't hand outs and well deserved. I wouldn't know what to do with most of what I've got if someone had just given it to me.

 

[Frantz]

*symbiotic

 

[544hydro]

Don't those hard working, driven and motivated young farmers make you mad! They should be on their phones or computers or playing videos games!

 

[Frantz]

It is possible to start from scratch. My first "farm" was a widowed neighbor who needed help with her property. She had horses and hay fields but no equipment. I got a small tractor and rake and rented a baler and haybine and cut 10 acres of hay, sold most of it to her and the rest in field to another farmer I knew. That was 3 years ago I think. Now I have 4 tractors (two small ones and two mediumish ones), all my own small bale equipment and this year paying FIL to round bale 40 acres for me. Next year some of that is going into crop. I make about $1k a year in custom work for a food plot as well (easy with the deer doing the harvest!) It's not good for income just yet, but it's a growing operation from scratch. As I said above, my FIL has been huge with the advice, and I get lots of knowledge from the forums and youtube. I work retail sales for 60+ hours a week and spend time with family and squeeze the farm in when I can. It's not an easy balance, and sometimes not balanced at all. But if someone is willing to work for passion of eventual profits and the pleasures of working the land then it can be done so long as there are little old ladies that need some help and don't like modern ag. The land I have been finding is abandoned because they won't let folks spray. Rather than try to educate them on this or that, I go with their wishes and do the best I can. Tillage equipment is so much cheaper anyhow. You gotta work niche markets where you can. Maybe I'm not successful, after all, I lose money every year. But I haven't failed yet, so that's success in my book.

 

[Moonlite37]

In 1994 I helped a young man get into business and also made some money in the process. Presently I am helping his son-in-law start something on my farm and think I am going to make money on the deal. I aint giving nothing away. my estate goes to institutions and very little to people. The administrator shall be well paid

 

[oldtanker]

(quoted from post at 07:47:26 06/05/18) I don?t think I understand. Why should anyone be made to feel like they are obligated to help a young farmer start into business. If it is your own child, then it would be expected you will help your own. But in a earlier thread there were comments made about no one willing to help young people starting out. I don?t get it !! I started my own farm, got a minimum of help from my dad, as he really didn?t want me to farm. Sure I got plenty of advice from neighbors, but where the rubber hit the road, I had to pay market value for things I bought, or help I hired. I have heard this line from fellas that think that someone who owns land should rent to them for less, and take a loss just because they are looking for a sweet deal, so they can make more profit. Farming is business. It?s my business , my risk , my loss or my profit. And if I want to help my son into the business, that is my choice. But if my kids don?t want to farm, why should I be made to feel guilty if I don?t help some other young person start , the whole while , taking a heavy financial loss to do so?? Yes I understand how tough it is for young farmers to get established, I was one once too, but I worked two jobs for a while to save cash, and went without the finer things in life to achieve long term goals. That?s life for those that have nothing. No point in trying to lay guilt trips on older folks that want full value for rent, or sale price for their farm, maybe they too had to make many sacrifices in their lives to get and hang on to what they have now. Ok flame me for being evil.... Bruce

No one is saying that older guys owe it to a younger guy. Most of what I remember back in the day it was kinda an exchange. Established guy helping out someone trying to get started. Most often with some type of exchange, most often for labor. And a lot of young guys did it because it did give them a leg up. My dad did it with 2 young guys. One is still farming today. The other lost out when his grandmother died. An aunt wanted the money from her share of the land. So he got forced off the land.

Rick

 

[451 CUBES]

All too often I see a small operator quit or retire and the local big shot BTO renting all their ground without a peep said. Maybe at least ask the local start ups if they want to rent? Not saying at a discount but at least ask instead of going straight to the local hero?

 

[Crazy Horse]

OK Bruce, since you asked (and nobody responded so I will) ....... you're an evil guy. One of the worst on the planet. How can you live with yourself? You should inquire about registering yourself into a monastery somewhere and spend the next five years or so repenting for your sins. And of course, a crust of bread and water only six days every week. On day seven, you get nothing to eat or drink. Once you finish up, you will be a different man and never come back on YT asking for someone to call you evil.

 

[Janicholson]

My take on it is effort. If there is concerted effort on the part of a person I encounter, I help them. I do it on this forum, and I do it in life. My response is different to "users". They find comfort letting others do the work or provide the means to get things done. I teach. It is the purpose of teaching to help young get started. I find educating today's youth to be a challenge because a percentage feel entitled to income without the work to learn the ethical and responsibility elements that create a valuable employee, let alone the actual technical content. Who but a solid profit making farmer/rancher should be the teacher/helper of the interested youthful farmer. Show me effort and I am on it. Jim

 

[cjunrau]

I will just say. In 1990 my wage for working for a farmer was $6 HR. Land here was $250-300 acre. Now the highest farm wage I can find is $18 hr. 3X. what is was then. Cheapest land I can find is $3000. and you won't grow beans on it. That is 10X the cost. That makes it 7X harder for me today to start farming as what it did for my brothers who had 10 years up on me. They also got to use all dad's equipment to get started where I could not. Yes I now rely on my children to help me but that is the only way we can farm. No you are not responsible to help some one. But when you give it to the BTO then you are evil lol

 

[JD Seller]

Bruce I am sorry your Father was an obstacle to your farming. Well maybe he was not as his opposition might have made you more driven to succeed at farming. My Father was not a help to me as he was not a farmer and was never around anyway. My Grand Father helped me. It was more of giving me an opportunity to farm rather than inheriting a farm or even being able to buy it at a discount. While he was still farming seriously wall we did was share equipment and labor back and forth. That made us both more money than we would have with out the other.

This is what I was meaning about helping others get into this business. I am not saying hand them some thing for nothing or even a reduced price. Give them an opportunity.

Some examples of this:

1) When my Grand Father decided he was cutting back and not renting any more ground, he took me around to his landlords and introduced me to them. He never asked for any type of discount or anything like that. He did tell them he would back me in treating them just like he always did. Over fifty percent of those farms are still with us. yet today.

2) Several farmers have came to me over the years and asked me to take over their farm when they retired. All of those farms are still with us with market value being paid to them.

3) In 1990 A neighboring farmer's older brother wanted to retire. The trouble was the older brother had always owned the combine and the younger brother never ran it an feared working on it. They came to me with this plan. The older brother sold me the combine at full market value. He carried it on five year note with a fair interest rate. The younger brother hired me to custom harvest his crops at a set rate per acre until the combine was paid for. We all gained by this deal. The older brother got full market value for his combine plus some major tax savings. He also earned a higher than CD rate on his money. The younger brother got his crops harvested at value price. I got a good combine with affordable payments.

These type of things are what I am talking about. Not giving anyone anything for nothing. Most of the time it can be a major benefit to both parties. It also can be little things too. If I am bidding at an auction and see someone I know that is young and just starting out. I will not bid against him/her until after they are out of the action. Nothing wrong with letting them save a little money to help them out.

I had a farm that I had rented for years that was cut up terrible, really hard to farm with larger equipment. A friend's son was wanting to get started farming. They only lived 2 miles away for this farm. I got the landlord and the son together. They made a deal. Both were happy and I was happy to not have the head ache the farm had turned into over time. That did not cost me dime. I no longer have to farm 60 acres that is in 9 different pieces with two creek crossings. The young man is delighted to get a start.

This is what I am talking about being hoggish. There are many farms that are not the best to farm. Why bid the rents way above their true market value just to say you farm so many acres??? Step back and let some of the younger fellows get a start.

Opposite happened to us 3 years ago. One farm I had been renting for 20 years. We where switching that farm over to my youngest son. The landlord was part of this "plan" years before this going on. 265 acres at $350 an acre, spring paid. Old contract, which was in my name, expired Nov. 1st. Landlord out of state until the middle of Nov. He asked for us to just get together the week after Thanksgiving to sign the new contract. No problem on our end. Thanksgiving week he called and told us he had met a fellow at his Doctor's office. That guy was a BTO about 20 miles west of us. They got talking about cash rents and all, plus how we were changing generations on his farm. That fellow smarted off about how any ground in Jones Country was well worth $450 an acre sight unseen. He said he would pay that anytime. So the landlord wanted us to match the price. We declined. The farm is not worth that. The farm looks good from the road. The front 200 acres has about 18-24 inches of pretty good dirt on top of pea gravel. The back 60 or so has about 6-8 inches on top of pure sugar sand. Very shallow tillage and even then we watched the organic matter like a hawk. The average CSR on the entire farm was only a 60. I can't blame the land lord for going after a higher rent. I can blame the BTO for renting ground for way above its actual value just because you can. The first year he farmed it he paid in the spring like the lease was setup. The next year he wanted and got 1/2 spring/1/2 fall. The last year he miss the spring payment and they are in court over that and the fall payment. The landlord came back to us wanting us back but at $400. I told him we had rented better ground for less money. This is totally the truth too. The point being the other fellow just could not stand hearing about some one getting what he thought was deal. So he had to barge in. So hard feeling all around.

So all I am saying is to think of how you can help anyone have an opportunity in anything that improves themselves and yourself. Just taking the easy money is not always the best way for anyone.

 

[Nick m]

I didn't read the other thread. I'm a younger guy that started with nothing. Never expected any sort of help. Still don't. Some people have helped me out. Not monetarily, but gave me a shot at renting land, renting equipment, buying equipment, and doing custom work for me when needed. Just having the opportunity to do those things doesn't seem like much, but it is. More than happy to pay fair market value for anything, and feel a little guilty if I don't. I feel like I owe that person something, even though they don't expect it. I did have a guy give me 500 bales of straw I bought and baled out of the field from him. He flat out refused money. To this day, I sell him beef at a very cheep rate which he appreciates. He also got out of farming, but offered some of his equipment to me before actually putting it up for sale, at fair value. In my mind help isn't hand outs, more of a give-me-a-shot thing.

 

[Nick m]

This is the type of stuff I was trying to express. Good insight.

 

[Nick m]

And too my own point, a young, just out of high school kid asked me to plant 17 acres of corn for him this weekend. You bet I will. I've far from "made" it, but will help whenever I can just like neighbors have done for me.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Crazy horse, I never ask anyone to call me evil, I said go ahead an flame me for being evil. One thing I have discovered about being cynical, I am rarely disappointed. And most people cannot differentiate between someone that is being cynical, and someone that is being realistic. And that is because the two often have to follow in the same track.
Don?t think I?ll be taking your advice any time soon about joining a Monastery any time soon. Too many people relying on me to produce cheap food for them. Somebody else will have to spend the time praying and chanting, as I have hay to make and cows to milk.

 

[Janicholson]

Your words make me smile. Thanks for holding onto what is important. Jim

 

[FC Andy]

I didn't read the other thread, either. I wasn't going to chime in, but here I am speaking my mind. I'm a young guy, 31 now. grew up with friends that farm. My cousins farm. My uncle farms. I do too, but only on the 20 or so tillable acres that I purchased from a family friend. He offered it to me, and I could afford it. Here's what I see, now having lived in 2 farming communities: People offer Opportunity to the BTO farmers. Period. Very few landowners will offer their land to rent, or sell, to a younger, smaller farmer. They see the BTO with technology everything, and think he's the only person who can do a good job. I'm not bashing Technology. In the community I grew up in, where my family had been since the 1850's, nobody would think about renting a farm to me, and I won't knock on doors, since I'd be hurting my cousins and neighbors. I got married a few years ago, and moved 45 miles away. Hardest thing I've ever done. In the new community, a few BTO's run most of the ground. My In-Laws own enough I could quit my job and go full time, but they won't even allow me to rent it at fair market value. Their family lawyer had the gall to look me in the eye, Insult my friends /neighbors /family, and then tell me that the BTO's own a full line of equipment for $5 an acre and I cannot compete with that. Out of touch with reality. But this kind of Ignorance is held by most of the non-active land owners. A few on here know a little about me, so If you don't, I'll share. I started mowing lawns for neighbors when I wasn't even strong enough to pull start a push mower. I got a job when I was 16. I went to trade school in high school, served my apprenticeship, and have been a journeyman machinist for almost a decade now. I save money, I own a mostly complete line of old equipment, and farm a little for fun. I have been helping friends farm for a long, long time. I've worked for the neighbors when they have called me asking for help. I treat everybody kindly and respectfully, even if they don't deserve it. I help others as much as I can. But even my own family will not allow me to have a real start. Everyone gives the opportunity to the Big farmers, but looks down on me. So, I fix things, mow the lawn, haul stuff for neighbors and friends for free, and wait in the workshop for the time I can TRY to make a go at farming. By my math, If I can't make a go by 40, it is not financially possible to pay your loans off before you die. If the next decade goes like my last, I'll never get the opportunity. And the BTO's son will go from 6,000 Acres to 12,000 while I'm mowing and doing favors for friends and neighbors and fixing my machinery and being belittled by company management because I don't have an MBA. All I want is the opportunity to TRY. I'm not asking for anything to be handed to me, just the opportunity to work and succeed. No one will allow me to. With the attitude of many of the "I made it on my own" people, all they care about is themselves and the dollar. When they quit farming, they offer it to their neighbor's son, who already has more than enough to make a living. They'll never notice me, working and waiting.

 

[FC Andy]

Believe it or not Bruce, I'm happy for you. I'm glad that somebody rented you the land, I'm glad you were able to work and save and succeed. You had the opportunity I'll never have. So look down on me, Tell me that you made it with no help, get off my A$$ and work for it like you did. My response: I would if I could. Whether you think so or not, you got a chance. Why not let somebody else have a chance when you're ready to call it quits?

 

[Josh-nhihguy]

Exactly.

 

[Crazy Horse]

You realize of course Bruce that I was simply yankin' yer chain a bit and wasn't at all serious ....... well I hope that you realized that, not sure if you did or not.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

FC Andy , you sound so very much like one of my
own brothers. After I had been farming for several
years he told me one day how lucky I was, and how
he never got the chance. This brother of mine was
13 years older than me, had a University Degree, a
wife with a full time job as a school teacher, and
already had his house paid off. He had been
working in the Police force since I was in high
school. Yet some how he thought that I better
opportunities than he did. He could quit his job, sell
his house, and go full time farming, with a heck of a
lot more equity than I did, but he either couldn?t see
where or how to look for opportunities, or didn?t
want to risk his security. So he tried to make me out
to be ?just lucky?.
I am not looking down on you , or anyone else, if
you want to farm, gather your assets, device a plan
, and work to meet your goal.
Friend of mine recently told me that he feels that he
should just give up on farming, cause every farmer
around him has big new equipment and get so
much more done so much faster than he can. I told
him to stop looking at these BTO guys, you only
have to complete against yourself. So long as you
are improving your farm and your equity and profit
each year. Who cares how you do it.
To be able to expand my own farming operation, I
had to sell my little farm in the community where I
was raised and move to another farm , were we
new almost no one. Why because city speculators,
and foreign land buyers had been grabbing up the
farms, and driving the price out of reach for any
farmers. The cash crop guys loved if, more land to
rent for them. But it destroys livestock farms, and
eroded the farm communities.
You are right when you say that if you don?t act by
the time you are 40 it will be too late. Make a plan ,
set a goal of a time frame to meet that plan, and go
for broke. Even if you have to move to another state
to make it happen. You are just waiting to take the
chance on yourself!! Not waiting or looking for it to
just come your way.

 

[paul]

elderly neighbor, in his mid nineties, passed away a couple years ago. Very good neighbors, first dad, then the son, rented his 180 aces for decades.

The elderly fella had a deal in his will, the young neighbor could buy the farm for a good percent off its aprased value for one year.

Unfortunately, the fella passed at the exact peak in land values, and values already had dropped 20% or so, and looking down....

So, what was a very nice deal for life long friends and neighbors, ended up not looking so good tot he bank... they were only willing to extend for half of the farm, 80 acres.

With only a few weeks to go, the neighbors came to us and asked, if we would buy some acres, they could buy the rest of the 80. Otherwise, it would go up for auction.

Yikes. Wife and I didn't really need more land and debt where we are at..... but wife said she didn't want new neighbors, so go ahead.

So we said ok, and pretty much had to go with the same lender, and just sign papers as they came, with the very very short deadline.

We also agreed to a first refusal clause, if we sell the land they have a right to match the price and buy it back.

Now, the deal made sense and all, but still, it was very fast, kind of a big commitment in a very short time, something I wasn't looking to do at my age, no kids, etc.

Mostly we really hope it helped out the neighbors. They didn't get to buy the whole 160 acres, but they got more with us than they could have without.

And, the many thousand acre vultures didn't get a chance at that 80 acres for now.

Donno how evil that makes me.

Paul

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Not to worry, no offence taken. Though when I got to thinking, 5 years of peace, quite, and reflection, with meals provided, does have a certain appeal, lol

 

[oldtanker]

(quoted from post at 20:46:08 06/05/18) Not to worry, no offence taken. Though when I got to thinking, 5 years of peace, quite, and reflection, with meals provided, does have a certain appeal, lol

OK you evil vile man, you are flamed!

OK, I agree that a lot of folks have let opportunity pass them by and then cry about it. Been going on for eons. Still don't mean you have to or for that matter can't help out. I'm letting my nephew farm my land for free plus doing seat time to help him out. I quit farming after retiring from the army while doing grandpas daycare. Farming was getting in the way of me taking care of the grandkids. I decided on a Thursday that there was a conflict, beef critters were at market on Monday. Personal decision I made. I didn't need the income. The opportunity to help the nephew came later.

Rick

 

[Traditional Farmer]

What type of farming do you look to do? If its growing beans and corn forget it even those I know that have been in that for years are having a hard time making it now.On the other other hand you say say you have 20 acres I know people who are making a living on 20 acres growing high value crops and selling directly to consumers.Look to maximize what you have now not feel sorry for yourself because you don't have what someone else has.The guy that has Honey Bee hives on my farm and is doing really well with them would think he'd died and gone to Heaven if he owned 20 acres,he just signed a contract for 5 acres and he is as happy about it as he can be.BTW instead of waiting for opportunity he surveyed the area and liked the looks of my place for his Bees since I don't spray,use chemicals etc and grow some Bee friendly crops. So he just drove in an started talking one day introduced himself and asked if we could make a deal on him putting some Bee hives here.I was delighted as my wife had tried to get the Bee thing going and never really could.So he now has a bunch of hives here he splits and sells the new ones off and he's shown my wife how to make her couple hives a success.So I'd say you need to expand your horizons some and see where you get maximum return from the land you already own.Think its in the Bible I read it but anyway its great advice "Despise not small beginnings".

 

[Kickinbull]

5 stars to OP

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Well I try to help those that need a boost. I remember when I was young, we had older farmers that loved to boast about how they started from the bottom, worked 17.5 jobs and never had any help. Some were kin, and some were not. But here are some things I have learned from 70 years of living:

1. We all don't get the same opportunities.
2. Some people work their tails off and never get ahead.
3. Just because your successful, doesn't mean you're favored.
4. Just because your not as successful, doesn't mean you're cursed.
5. Many "successful" people have a secret you don't know.
6. Some of these secrets include not paying bills, taxes, help, and swindling.

These are just a few things I have learned among others. If you want to help people do it. If not don't. It is simple really however, if it bothers you that you don't that may be a sign of something. When I was coming up. I encountered a bunch of people that claimed no help. My father-in-law was one. Later I discovered that he had almost endless help. Neighbors that were older would come by and get me and other neighbor boys to help farm. They would promise us a shot at renting their farm, help, etc. But when the end came most all ran to a BTO and for the most part those same BTOs own all those farms.

It is ok I guess. I miss the old homesteads, and the honest people, and some were very helpful. Some of my generation were given great opportunities. Most of these came from their family. In the end it doesn't matter. All we take with us is our experiences and the love given and received.

But I still believe that one should never discourage a young person.
Just My opinion, I could be wrong.