My brother and I use to farm 700 acres and work other jobs. Big farms made rent go sky high in our area. We both tried to keep our family farm going. With loosing money and feeling like a failure My brother took his life. Farming was his life and it was gradually slipping away and he couldn't take it. I'm still trying to keep it going. It's tough. Wish farming was like it was 60 yrs ago when neighbors helped each other out instead of being greedy and bragging that I'm bigger than you. On the other hand I have one neighbor that helped me through this hard time. God bless them. It's a real cut throat In my area. Don't know how long I can keep it going.
Field size would be a better discussion than farm size. Average field size in my area is 3.5 acres. You make it bigger it runs to the bottom of the hillside when it rains. I run all out just to cover 300 acres in a year.
I farm 300 acres pretty much by myself and work a 48+hr a week job also. I would love to just farm but the larger farmers around me have made cash rent prices ridiculous. They are farming at or near a loss just to get the perferd treatment from companies and get a better price on their commodities. And to try and force guys like me out. And be the biggest in the area. I find it funny how you talk like its ok that i have to have a full time job and farm but your sons aren't going to do that. You would pick up more ground, even if it forces guys like me out. I have old equipment and no payments so i can profit some at the end of the year but i cant make enough to support myself and my wife farming, without my job. I do not let my job support the farm, but the farm has had to help support my family. I can't buy new equipment Let alone, pay for new trucks, motorhomes, health insurance, pro275 racecars, ect.. id love the opportunity to sit and talk to farmers like this but it seems im just to small scale for them.
Greed in one hand, jealousy in the other. Try and justify it anyway you want, but you dont have to be a mega farmer to make a living. Spend less than you make. Spreading your income over a loss is the dumbest idea ive heard of to farm more acres
@dwightjackson3180 It may be so but not in my area for sure. Most small farmers around me are going under or have quit to go do other work. With $4.50 corn, how do you pay for land, equipment, inputs, ect to start from Nothing ? I know farmers that are just trying to make monthly payments let alone actually making it profitable.
What a pile of baloney Nice guys but the justification of the extremely common problem of pure greed and pride in farming could not have been exemplified better
I have worked off farm for years, now i farm 350a and farm full time,. Live like a pulpper , nothing new, can't find more land. Big farms purchase there products at a better rate and can sell at a better price due to scale, we diversify and make a living. Size is only get bigger due to economics .
I am not sure why you feel obligated to rent more ground just to give your son/cousin/friend etc. A job. If your son wants to farm , let him go do it. Why would you double your acres just so he could farm? How many acres are you farming to support "you" if you would do away with all the hired help , family , etc. Guessing you wouldnt need NEAR the ground and equipment.
2 or 3 people working together are more efficient than 1, but many more than that someone is spending all their time managing people rather than farming...
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My brother and I use to farm 700 acres and work other jobs. Big farms made rent go sky high in our area. We both tried to keep our family farm going. With loosing money and feeling like a failure
My brother took his life. Farming was his life and it was gradually slipping away and he couldn't take it. I'm still trying to keep it going. It's tough. Wish farming was like it was 60 yrs ago when neighbors helped each other out instead of being greedy and bragging that I'm bigger than you. On the other hand I have one neighbor that helped me through this hard time. God bless them. It's a real cut throat
In my area. Don't know how long I can keep it going.
Expanding acres to employ more family members can be a dangerous planning tool.
You are reasonable guys, but too many guys will farm more just to say they are doing it. They want to justify the big toys and new equipment .
Field size would be a better discussion than farm size. Average field size in my area is 3.5 acres. You make it bigger it runs to the bottom of the hillside when it rains. I run all out just to cover 300 acres in a year.
I farm 300 acres pretty much by myself and work a 48+hr a week job also. I would love to just farm but the larger farmers around me have made cash rent prices ridiculous. They are farming at or near a loss just to get the perferd treatment from companies and get a better price on their commodities. And to try and force guys like me out. And be the biggest in the area.
I find it funny how you talk like its ok that i have to have a full time job and farm but your sons aren't going to do that. You would pick up more ground, even if it forces guys like me out.
I have old equipment and no payments so i can profit some at the end of the year but i cant make enough to support myself and my wife farming, without my job. I do not let my job support the farm, but the farm has had to help support my family. I can't buy new equipment Let alone, pay for new trucks, motorhomes, health insurance, pro275 racecars, ect..
id love the opportunity to sit and talk to farmers like this but it seems im just to small scale for them.
To be honest, the area I’m from wouldn’t have the large farms without government programs.
Greed and technology know ball starts rolling 😂
Greed in one hand, jealousy in the other. Try and justify it anyway you want, but you dont have to be a mega farmer to make a living. Spend less than you make. Spreading your income over a loss is the dumbest idea ive heard of to farm more acres
I know self made farmers farming less than 2k acres that are multi millionares
@dwightjackson3180 It may be so but not in my area for sure. Most small farmers around me are going under or have quit to go do other work. With $4.50 corn, how do you pay for land, equipment, inputs, ect to start from Nothing ? I know farmers that are just trying to make monthly payments let alone actually making it profitable.
What a pile of baloney
Nice guys but the justification of the extremely common problem of pure greed and pride in farming could not have been exemplified better
I have worked off farm for years, now i farm 350a and farm full time,. Live like a pulpper , nothing new, can't find more land. Big farms purchase there products at a better rate and can sell at a better price due to scale, we diversify and make a living. Size is only get bigger due to economics .
I am not sure why you feel obligated to rent more ground just to give your son/cousin/friend etc. A job. If your son wants to farm , let him go do it. Why would you double your acres just so he could farm? How many acres are you farming to support "you" if you would do away with all the hired help , family , etc. Guessing you wouldnt need NEAR the ground and equipment.
2 or 3 people working together are more efficient than 1, but many more than that someone is spending all their time managing people rather than farming...
And this is why we needed Usda meaningful payment limits no LLCs or any other BS
No management matters. But the mega farmers can spread thier mistakes to a shoulder thier mistakes over more acres. But its still bad judgment.