Post below of someone wanting to quit farming ,got me to thinking of the other side of the picture.
I own 160 acres, rent 130. Mine is pasture for sheep and milk cows. rented is for hay and a little organic grain for resale. We have 150+ sheep and 3 mil cows, usually a few chickens and pigs. I do custom bale hauling on the side. Hauling is a 3 month thing at best, not steady, about 35 days total.
We have lambed out 50 ewes in the last 2 weeks.
30 in the last 3 days.
We have 9 children, oldest 21, youngest 5. If I ever even talk about I just can't make enough money and it's time to quit, my children all start saying, NO we don't need this or that as long as we can stay on the farm with the little we have.
They even said if we couldn't afford Christmas presents they didn't care, they were happy without.
Sometimes a life style is more rewarding than making just a living.
We love what we do ,and I had a boss tell me once "if you don't enjoy your job ,get out and find a different one. Life is to short not to enjoy it". This I have found to be very true. I am much happier with all this debt and family than I ever was working in a place for 11 years at good money. WE went fishing almost every Saturday this last year and that is something you can't always do when you are to busy making money.
Anyway I'm just rambling as I have to keep going to check sheep. I normally don't get out of bed before 7, but already have 2 sets of triplets since 3 and have to go back out and check soon.
PS lambing is going good so far. We are at 170% lambing so far. 5 sets triples and 1 set quads.
I own 160 acres, rent 130. Mine is pasture for sheep and milk cows. rented is for hay and a little organic grain for resale. We have 150+ sheep and 3 mil cows, usually a few chickens and pigs. I do custom bale hauling on the side. Hauling is a 3 month thing at best, not steady, about 35 days total.
We have lambed out 50 ewes in the last 2 weeks.
30 in the last 3 days.
We have 9 children, oldest 21, youngest 5. If I ever even talk about I just can't make enough money and it's time to quit, my children all start saying, NO we don't need this or that as long as we can stay on the farm with the little we have.
They even said if we couldn't afford Christmas presents they didn't care, they were happy without.
Sometimes a life style is more rewarding than making just a living.
We love what we do ,and I had a boss tell me once "if you don't enjoy your job ,get out and find a different one. Life is to short not to enjoy it". This I have found to be very true. I am much happier with all this debt and family than I ever was working in a place for 11 years at good money. WE went fishing almost every Saturday this last year and that is something you can't always do when you are to busy making money.
Anyway I'm just rambling as I have to keep going to check sheep. I normally don't get out of bed before 7, but already have 2 sets of triplets since 3 and have to go back out and check soon.
PS lambing is going good so far. We are at 170% lambing so far. 5 sets triples and 1 set quads.