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how you started farming

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smigelski

11-14-2007 05:05:09




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I am the 3rd generation on my family land it is not much, just 50 acres. I feel blessed to have that much since most do not. I started after I got out of the service. The inventory left to me was a 1968 oliver 770 gas, new holland sickle bar, old hay rake on steel wheels, cut harrow without wheels for tansport. When I was in high school my father retired and that is what he kept sold everything else and leased out the farm. So I am basically starting out like a brand new person. So far I bought a case round baler, JD 4040, ford 3910, new holland rake, oliver 4 bottom plow, 14ft transport disk, jd grain drill. I now cover almost 300 acres and I am in debt up to my ears in equipment. I don't understan how a young person could ever start from scratch and be a farmer. The intial investment cost are way higher then income. I have friends that have taken over the family operation, but it was basically a turnkey operation, most everything was there and already paid for.

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Luke Long

01-17-2009 19:42:57




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
It all started in the early eightys when I was about 13 years old. I worked for my dad plowing and cultivating beans in Oklahoma. One day I was helping him and he over did it, and laid down for a little while, little did I know he had just suffered a stroke. That kept him off the tractors and the combine for a couple of years, which in turn made me grow up really fast farming 300 acres and about 275 cows with 13 miles of fence. Which in the winter time my life long best freind helped me feed and chopp ice. I'm sure it didn't get done quit like he would have done it but, I was 29 years younger then him. When he finnally got where he could do it again in 86 we become partners. My Dad past away this last year 08, and what I would give to be farming with him now. But I'm still farming, trying to do my best. Sodbuster

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Dairy farmer in WI

11-14-2007 17:58:52




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
i got started on dairy farming when i was 13 when i started working for the neighbor, doing everything from milking to chopping and baling. i was the most trusted on his farm since my dad tought me quite a bit. then once i got out of collage and saved a few bucks i went and found nice farm with a 175 cow barn. and here i sit today. i aquired most of my equipment from retiring farmers and some at auctions. have had to put a little work into everything since all my tractors are 1980's and older. i'm in my late 20's and figure i got it pretty well off. thinking of expanding though. someone today said i wouldn't make it with my "small" herd in teh future with the price of everything such as fuel. i'll have to think about that one though. prolly gonna leave teh farm to the kids ( when i have them) so it can stay in the family fer generation.
just my 2 cents
DF in WI

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Clint Youse MO

11-14-2007 16:48:31




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
Well depends on when you want to figure I started bought my first bred gilt at the age of 6 put her in to dads sow herd we exghnage of labored the feed and utilities kept expanding my part of the herd then when I was 12 dad went back to driving a truck I tried to keep the 80 sow herd going it worked for about a year but was to much for me while being in school and dad only home on the weekends mean while i was already showing a few calves so I plowed under dads old hog lots cleaned up the buildings and sowed them to grass had 5 cows and a 30 our a week job on a hog farm of a friends then I went off to college and sold the cows for money for school. Started working at the local Case IH dealer there graduated and went in to parts department took about a year and decided I did not like working for the public the hog farm I had worked on in highschool was looking for a manager so I went back there and about a year later my friend and his wife wanted to move closer to the base of his family farm as this was a satelite facility so they offered it to me and I took them up on it went thru all the hoops and jumps to get a begining farmer loan from USDA Now I am 26 years old married and make a living Farming fulltime with 122 farrowing crates that rollover every 3 weeks I ship about 21000 pigs a year and am contracted to a local family owned producer The contract helped as much as any thing because it took out a lot of the risk and capital expense of breeding stock. I have been building my cowherd back up slowly and bought a G900 MM and blade still go get some of dad's old equipment if necessay
Sorry for the lnog story but that is mine to date I like to pay cash if possible but do borrow money and payback quick ASAp

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LAW/MN

11-14-2007 13:58:25




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
In 1966 I applied for a VA loan and purchased the first 80 acres. Got a loan on a H Farmall, plow and disc. Exchanged help for use of planter and pull type combine. Gradually increased inventory of equipment while working full time for a couple of years and then used GI education benefits for 3 years. After 40 years own 160 acres, replaced all the buildings on the home farm. Since 91havefarmed with 1086, 1650 Oliver, all 6 row equipment and 1640 combine. My wife and I have put 3 kids through private colleges. Now at age 71 I would not want to do this again, but it has been fun.

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JTinNJ

11-14-2007 10:18:22




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I rent 50 acres from my mother. I had to buy the tractor from her.It was the only piece of equipment that was left that my dad had.In 2003 the first year I bought 4 hay wagons,a 320 New Holland bailer,1219 JD mower,an old worn out MF hay rake and a hay elevator that lasted long enouph to put 800 bails of hay in the barn.I payed cash for all of it.Now I have a IH 966,a chisel plow,a 14ft disk,a tedder and a Massey Ferguson bull dozer that I useing to reclame some ground that the cedar trees have over run. It is taking time ,but,is worth it.

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Walt Davies

11-14-2007 10:06:12




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I bought 37.58 acres in 1992 and rented the land out to a guy for cattle after my heart attach another person took over the rental and he then sold his cows and I bought 2 from him and built my herd from that. Bought a nice bull that I had rented for $950 (a steal). I have since been working with a neighbor to build up my hay cutting equipment and now we both work together to cut an bale our own hay and some for others to make a few bucks to keep the equipment going.
One thing with only 50 acres unless you want to plant that illegal stuff i would go for Truck Farming (veggies) and sell locally at farmers markets. you just don't have anywhere near enough land for hay we o over 100 acres of hay each year and it barley feeds our cows but out here you get only one cutting per season.
Walt

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philcaseinWPA

11-14-2007 09:38:47




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I inherited it. When I was young and went off to college I couldn't wait to get off the farm. I was never going to be a farmer and maybe I'm not really one now since I work an off farm too. After I was away for a while I met my future wife at college and she was a farm girl. Anyway my way of thinking changed and I decided to farm with my uncle on the farm I grew up on while working other jobs also. I worked some very good jobs and made some money and tried to only farm but didn't make enough to stay in it full time. About the time I was out of all my savings I got the job I have now. It actually uses the education I got in college and pays pretty good and gives me the summers off. My uncle died in 84 and my wife and I took over running the farm alone. We got rid of the cows and concentrated on the retail vegetable end of the business and have made some money every year but one. Before my mother died in 2001 the farm was transferred to my wife and I. I buy very little equipment or supplies unless i can pay cash or pay off the credit card immediately. We do the same thing with any personal items also. Seems to work well. This spring I plan to retire from my off farm job partly just to see what it is like to farm full time. If I knew then what I know now, if I would have had control of the operation, if I would of had the courage to take the risk to try to farm full time 30 years ago maybe I could have succeeded, but it would have been difficult. Now I just want to enjoy it. It's been hard work but worth it (at least I think so).
Phil

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El Toro

11-14-2007 10:57:42




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to philcaseinWPA, 11-14-2007 09:38:47  
That's what should've happened to my late father-in-law when his dad couldn't farm, He took over the family farm in Perry county PA back in the 1920's and farmed it for about 20 years. Then his dad decided to sell the farm instead of willing it to his son. The other kids that never helped on the farm came in and gather up anything that had any value. Several years before my mom died I told to get my sister's name on the deed of the family home since I didn't need it. My late brother's 5th wife tried to talk my mom into letting her have the home. I think I would've burnt it down before she ever got it. Hal

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VADAVE

11-14-2007 09:21:13




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
Sounds like you had an easier start then most. You had 50 acres you didn't have to buy. When I started in '90 on my grandfather's place I had to rent it plus buy equipment as none had been kept. Four years later I bought 100 ac in VA and only buy what I can afford--nothing new.
Good paying job and no kids allowed it to happen. I now have a farm and no kids to enjoy or leave it to.



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Formerly PaMike

11-15-2007 16:07:01




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to VADAVE, 11-14-2007 09:21:13  
I am 27 and still a kid. You can leave it to me :). I am just up the road in PA.



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M Nut

11-14-2007 07:26:17




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I bought my 5th generation family farm from my grandma in 2004 for tax market value. Wife an I both work full time off the farm jobs to pay for it, and we run 50 head of beef cattle in partners with my dad and brother. It works out good for all of us. Expenses are divided 3 ways and income is divided 3 ways. (Just not a lot of income after the expenses are figured in!)Each of us owns one "good usable tractor" and old iron is up to each of us individually. Other equipment is owned by all three of us.

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rrlund

11-14-2007 06:44:04




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I was born in to it and was just too darned lazy to go out and find a real job.



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James22

11-14-2007 06:40:30




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
Grew up on a farm, but had to trek the route myself. A good paying off-farm job was my key combined with a little luck in the equities market. If I hadn't been raised on a farm, would have never began the quest. Only purchased equipment if had the cash. Debt was reserved for purchasing land. Net worth would have been better served to forget the equipment and use all available money to purchase land. However this would have only given the satisfaction quasi-equivalent to accumulating equities, not nearly as satisfying as actual farming.

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Dave from MN

11-14-2007 05:38:44




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
Just inquiring as to how you based your justification for the 4040 and 3910 as well as the round baler? If you borrowed for it all with out them tools earning their keep, it would be hard to justify. What kind of farming are you looking at? I agree with Gary, which is about what I am doing, paying cash for MOST of what I aquire, and I plan on growing slowly. I wouldnt give up, alot of the guys that gave up when the corn was $1.50 are finding it is a heck of a time to get back in the game with land being locked up and trying to replace that equipment they had, with the demand for used stuff now. Good luck, if you havent I would advise taking a small business management course, or work very closely with some one. Ag land is shrinking and the demand for ag products will only increase in demand , along with it, the benifits should increase as well. Hang in there.

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smigelski

11-14-2007 13:45:54




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to Dave from MN, 11-14-2007 05:38:44  
I was trying to do it all with the oliver and 1 day the carb broke. Needed a new one and happen onto this site. That was the only tractor I had with 30 acres of hay to bale and no tractor with rain coming. I swore that would never happen again. My dad told me only buy what you have cash for, that way if things don"t work out you don"t owe money. I sell about 600 round bales a year, but his year was less and had 3 major breakdowns. Also with multiple tractors I can keep my dad on 1 which keeps things moving at a decent pace.

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IaGary

11-14-2007 05:25:46




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to smigelski, 11-14-2007 05:05:09  
I started in 74 with dads machinery.

Plowed 30 acres I rented from the DNR on the Coralville Reservoir. It flooded and was never planted. Learned the first year that you have nothing till the check is in the pocket.

Next year I got out of High School and rented another 40 and got a crop off of that DNR ground as well.

Bought my first piece of equipment that year. Then added equipment every year. And slowly rented more land.

In 81 I bought 75 acres of land and about lost it in the mid 80's, but I went to work in town and hung on. Raising hogs and cattle helped also. Good thing I was young cause them 100 work weeks would kill me now.

By 1996 I owned all the equipment I needed to farm on my own.Before that I would rent or borrow equipment from dad.

Just a slow steady growth to where I am today.

I learned in the 80's the interest only made the bankers rich. So I try to borrow money as little as possible.

Gary

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Stan - Florida

11-14-2007 06:49:10




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 Re: how you started farming in reply to IaGary, 11-14-2007 05:25:46  
Gary,

Good, logical approach to the whole issue. It's not an easy life, as you well know, but it's a satisfying life most of the time.

Stan



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