No way to start the year 2

[carvel minne farmer]

throw this idea at you sv. with the dodge dually and your trailers how about some hot shot work? quite a few guys around here do part time and full time hotshot work, hauling loads that need to get to an oil rig or plant or job site in a hurry. make some calls to local trucking and courier companys let them know what you have for equipment. call equipment dealers, they are always either shipping or waiting on parts that they need in a hurry. sit down and figure up both a mileadge rate and hourly rate. (and don't forget to pay sv.) as you know sv a lot of companys are outsourcing work of all kinds. it's a lot cheaper to call you when they need a quick trip made than having their own truck and paying a driver to sit on stand by till they need a run made.
 

[SVcummins]

The only problem with that idea is the insurance is
the killer I did a little hot shot work for awhile but
insurance is a killer about 900$ a month boy it only
takes a small hiccup and your in real trouble . It is a
good idea if a guy could get a few regular clients it
could be made to work pretty well I think
 

[BarnyardEngineering]

At least they laid you off. They could've sent you to the slaughterhouse with the cows.
 

[larry@stinescorner]

sorry to hear that,,but you are a survivor,its obvious from your pictures over the years..you wont go hungry either,,home butcher a small beef,,and make it till spring ,then things will look up.
 

[Traditional Farmer]

That's tough but my advice is since you're trying to get into farming is not to get a job on a farm.Get an industrial type job they pay better and don't conflict as much with your farming operation as a farm job will.I worked for 25 years off the farm but farmed part time,got into a good enough position to farm full time at age 48 with everything I needed paid for and totally
debt free.
 

[2 9600]

sorry to hear sv . if you don't mind where are you roughly from that all those are closing
 

[ed will]

Hi, I was laid off in about 1965. Our small town had just put in a sewer main and my wife's uncle asked me to hook up his sewer. I dug it by hand, hooked him up.backfill put sod back. Then his neighbor then almost everyone on the street. A few months later I bought a Case 530 construction king lbh. Away I went. I had an employee that was a concrete finisher so branched out. My brother had a paving co. I worked for him off and on it's rare that a door would close behind you without another one opening in front. Good Luck ! And don't worry! Ed Will Oliver BC
 

[rrlund]

I wouldn't worry about it. With those tax cuts and the economy roaring like it is,you should have a job making twice as much money with fantastic benefits as soon as tomorrow.
 

[Steamboat]

Yeh, and you will not have to pay ANY taxes, cause that "makes you smart"!
 

[coonie minnie]

Curious... where are you located?
 

[SVcummins]

S.E Idaho
 

[SVcummins]

Man I sure hope so
 

[coonie minnie]

I need to hire someone with your skills, but SE WI is a bit of a commute!

Good luck- I'm sure you will find something. Ag has plenty of open positions for people that are skilled and willing to work.
 

[ss55]

It sounds like you have both skills and ambition, so you should be able to find other work. Local job markets can vary a lot, especially when a large local employer has a big lay-off. It helps if you are prepared to travel or re-locate.

The dairy's managers was probably aware this could be coming, what are the dairy's plans? Are they running in place for the short term while looking for new markets, are they adding trucks to haul raw milk to a more distant buyer, are they looking at processing their own milk, are they looking to switch to beef cattle and grain production, are they feeding out the herd for slaughter or are they selling out to a larger dairy that has milk contracts?
 

[jddrawbar]

I've kept up with your posts and you have a lot going for yourself. In my area someone with your talent would be in HIGH demand. Wishing you all the best.