It's official

As of today, I'm officially retired - well 80% retired. The farm that I've rented for 42 years is someone else's responsibility beginning today. I'm still gonna farm the 300 acres that we own, but there will be no cash rent payment due ever again. It's been a good run, I've enjoyed almost every minute of it, and we've made a good living at it, but it's time to let the younger guys have their turn. We sold off a good share of our machinery this past week on a Big Iron auction. We were very happy with how things sold. (Check it out on Big Iron - auction results - Feb 26 - Seller - Arvin DeBoef Retirement) It's been a little difficult to watch a lifetime's accumulation of machinery and equipment pull out of the driveway, but several of the items are staying in the neighborhood. The big tractor was bought by the young man who is going to be farming the land I gave up so that tractor is kinda staying home. The 2955 was bought by a young man that worked for me several years while he was in high school - he liked the tractor and wanted to have it. Both made me smile. We kept back a couple tractors, the combine, planter, and a few other pieces of machinery to run our farm here. Really looking forward to becoming a lazy farmer - having time to work on the old '50 Ford pickup in the shed, mowing the lawn without using the headlights, keeping the waterways mowed and the fencerow trees cut, and doing more volunteer work without time constraints. Happy with the past, satisfied in the present, looking forward to the future. Life is good. Thank you God!

Enjoy and congratulations!!!! I hope you have more time to enjoy life and less stress!!

If you don't mind can I ask how old you are? Just fine if you don't want to tell. I am 66 and am thinking of winding down the same way you are. I think I will go a couple years yet then let go the bulk of my rented acres. I will be left with 120 acres of which 80 acres are the custom organic farming I do for the neighbor.

Congrats and good for you.
Just don't make the mistake of getting various livestock ghat requires attention everyday.

Sounds like a great life, Past, Present and Future.
Richard in NW SC

I also am 66. I had always figured I'd stay with it till I was 70, but the rented farm is changing from local management to a large management company. They would have been happy for me to stay but I thought it was a good time to let it go. I worked as a hired man on the farm for 2 years when we were first married. We then moved to my wife's grandparent's farm for 2 years. Then in '78, the elderly couple asked us to rent the farm so we moved back and have rented it since then. When they passed, the farm went into a trust with a local college, their alma mater, as the beneficiary. I've worked with 4 different managers since their passing. It's a good farm and we've done well farming it, but it's just time to turn that much work over to someone who has the energy to do it justice. We bought 300 acres a mile down the road in '03. That's where I'll keep my fingers in the dirt. Wifey wants to teach 3 more years so I'll keep farming our own land till then. And then we'll see what happens.

I don't even have a dog. I've thought about it but I keep thinking just what you said.

Awesome! I love happy endings.

GOOD for you AND your Mrs. Checked your stuff out on Big Iron and glad you are happy with the prices. You had some nice stuff. I hope you have a good tax man and Donald doesn't get 1/2 of it. I quit 6 years ago and haven't had a sale yet. Made a deal with the son who took over on a lot of the machinery but still have some major pieces left. Deere 8130 and 8760 most $$$ pieces. Buddy on the other side of town sold out last year on Del Peterson and said he was happy--the day of his sale it was snowing like hell-the wind was blowing out of the north but the bidders didn't care. Well if you are ever North East of Waterloo 40 mi.--A little town called Maynard stop in. I had to look on your map where New Sharon was--Been through there-A guy at Eddyville did some tractor pull parts for us-GOOD LUCK---Tee

It?s hard to stop or give up what you?ve done for so long but at least it?s on your own terms

Thanks. Less stress is certainly a big part of the decision.

Hey TEE, I just might have to take a road trip up your way now that I have some time. I've been planning with my tax man for a couple years. We pulled income forward last year to take some of the earned income out of 2020 hoping to keep the capital gains rate lower. I've got to write a big check tomorrow for '19 and will write another one next year for '20. Just the cost of living in the good old USA. Who did you do business with in Eddyville? Most of my corn goes down to the Cargill plant there.

Thinking--He pulls a Deere--Has his shop on his Dads place--The sled screwed up at Louisville a few years ago and his Deere went over the wall and landed on its oil pan--He had a temper tantrum--You can see the ethanol plant from their place--His Mom pulled a G--Brice Van-something--Sound right???--Can't remember like I used to---Tee

You and I think alot alike. Did you ever notice how a person toils and toils before making decisions and then once you make it you are almost instantly at ease? Example would be when you are bidding on a big ticket item at an aution. During the bidding you are sweating in your cap and swaying back and forth worrying how high you should go. But once the auctioneer drops his gavel and you own the item you are happy as a kid at Christmas and you wouldn't sell it if someone offered you twice what you paid. I can imagine that's the satisfying feeling you have now.

Congratulations