kinda sad

Some months ago, we noticed a real nice place between our farm and Mt. Pleasant was up for sale.

Nice natural stone house, big barn & equipment shed. Always had a nice herd of black angus.

Saturday, we saw a sign that said auction and all the equipment - stock trailers, tractors, balers, etc, etc. was lined up out front and vehicles were showing up.

Even though we don"t know those people, its kinda sad to know that they"re selling out after all these years.

Might be like the song says"moving on up".

Nancy. What you seen is happening here on a daily basis. Going to housing developments.Cant make a living farming I guess. Some of the proprietors are way over extended.To Much debt. Forced to sell to have a little something to start over with. Dam Shame. LOU.

With land going for 9500-10000 an acre here, there are a lot of happy sellouts.

My Cousin is still farming the farm my mother was born on, been in the family since 1850's. He has no descendants and no one else in the family is interested in farming. one of the barns is late 1800's and the house is 1928, and in nice shape. It will probably all get bulldozed someday in the name of progress, sad.

Dave, Where are you? Nice California commercial irrigarated land is 3k, land that's overgrown an an hour from New York city is 4. What used to be 4k in the southwest is now 400. If you are in a depression proof golden valley, tell us about it, and start packing, there is a whole planet out there- and you can go there with bags of cash... personally, I don't know any one anywhere that bought or sold anything for any price in ages.... I hear stories, and pipe dreams,but it ends there...

Nancy,
Hope there is a "bright side" that they are selling out,because they WANT TO,not HAVE TO,and will enjoy the results of their work,by travel,or being near the kids/grandkids.
That does happen in some cases.

(quoted from post at 04:57:09 05/09/11) Nancy,
Hope there is a "bright side" that they are selling out,because they WANT TO,not HAVE TO,and will enjoy the results of their work,by travel,or being near the kids/grandkids.
That does happen in some cases.

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Germany isn't much bigger than Ohio. One of the guys I buy hay from is 75 and his wife is 65, they went into semi retirement by getting rid of the cows that kept them locked down 2 years ago. Now, she runs the garden, and he does firewood in about 1000 acres of forest and about a 200 acres of crops. Plenty of time for grandkids and travel now. They told me that I had seen more of Germany in the last 10 years than they did their entire life. Their having a well deserved slack time now and still have enough work to keep them sharp.

Dave

tony,..i'm with dave, IL. ground is selling for 7500.00 to 10,000.00 an acre as we speak and they can't get enough of it.....

(quoted from post at 05:36:12 05/09/11) tony,..i'm with dave, IL. ground is selling for 7500.00 to 10,000.00 an acre as we speak and they can't get enough of it.....

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In western, pa we can't get 6000 an acre, you certainly live in a wealthy area.

Eastern Iowa, it is like a feeding frenzy here

Land is similarly price here in western MO. Asking prices are about 15k an acre, and usually sell for around 10k to 12k. I passed on 7 acres last fall for 96k, ended up selling for 98k.

Hope someone moves back in and keeps the place up. Here in Iowa I see so many once-grand, big old farm houses that housed good families, sitting empty with broken windows and holes rotted in the roofs. The rest of the buildings are fallen down and trees have overtaken everything. Sad to look at, but that's what the progression of the times has done to the rural landscape. Jim

Dave, Germany's quite a bit larger: "The area of Germany is 357,021 sq km, or 137,847 sq miles - slightly smaller than Montana." Montana's the fourth largest, three Ohios.

Unsurprising they'd seen little of Germany. We constantly hear the same thing when we visit Italians. And the various Europeans who visit us have seen far more of the US than many Americans.

Travel is good, gives perspective. Taking the time to do it is usually the problem.

Tony, I keep hearing these things but don't see it here. Second property over, a 2300 ac farm was sold to a developer. Sales have not been as brisk as they'd hoped the last two years, but prices are still ~$30,000/ac, most parcels 21 ac. Current construction there is a vineyard/winery and 3 houses. None inexpensive. The developer paid $34m for the farm, plus development costs. Needed to get ~$450k/parcel to break even. It's working.

Other side of the county, Donald nnalert just bought a large vineyard/winery (Kluge) but not yet the 20,000 sq ft house that's also offered by the lender/owner. He obviously can out-bid most, but only wants a deal. Which the vineyard/winery apparently was at $7.5m. Reason for foreclosure? Slumping national wine sales. Though another winery here had their product served at the recent royal wedding.

Location, location, location.

The only way we can afford to stay in the area is through farm taxation, about 10% of fair market value taxation. I'm aware of our options, but really like living here.

People here complain about the economy but very few are unintentionally unemployed. Not very difficult to reach out and snag a little of that money floating around.

Yep Nancy - Kinda sad,

Mom and Dad sold my Grandparent's homeplace last fall. Could have bought the 5 acres with buildings but 50 miles away and kinda busy right now - will prolly always regret it. Kept the farm ground tho.

Say hey to the "other" James!

Holy cow you guys! I guess I better hit the road again and break the piggy bank on something we like before this boom spreads too far. So you folks are losing farms at these prices from developers, not soybean farmers... I didn't think argibiz ethonal was the blame- or blessing- depending on how you see it... its always been that way in the northest. I have two pet peeves with moving- cold winters and tornadoes, and I've learned to pay attention to water issues- so I am limiting myself huh?

Good farmland sells pretty easily here for 2 to 4 thousand an acre. But many, many houses and lots, in town or in the country, can be had if you'll just move in and take over payments...which the loaner will adjust if you like. There must be at least 10% vacancies.