thought i post just to blow some steam & get others thoughts , heres the story, trying to get back into farming ,grow up on a family farm my dad never took over but i always loved it , grandfather died farm got sold , now 20 years later im trying to start from scratch, talked to a guy who owns about 120 acers in the summer of 2012 told me to get the equipment i need & stop back & will write up a lease even agread on price at that time , so i spent over 15 grand for nice used equipment & lots of aution time & travel to get what i wanted , went back at the begining of last year ( march 2013) & was told ah its to late to plant corn this year come see me in dec. 2013 for a 2014 lease by the land owner ( ya right was my thoughts never went back to him) so all year i spent looking for differant land , in jan. of this year found 20 ac. of land , not much but a start , now i found out the first land owner from last year stole this 20 from out under me & then leased a nieboring farm too , that man has never farmed his own land in my life time , now hes going out of his way to obtain leased land , what the h#ll , ive been sitting on this equipment for more then a year now due to him , im at a loss here , grain price is at rock bottom dont know if it would pay anyway , should i keep looking & hoping or just give up & sell , but if i fail there will be no more farmers come from this family , im the last generation here to keep it going , maybe it shouldnt bother me ,but i always told my grandfather i keep us farming , hate to admit it sorta bring tears thinking about it, what happens to us small guys in the end & family farms , heck im living proof as of now, you cant start from scratch
- Thread starter jasinpa
- Start date
notjustair
Well-known Member
You can start from scratch - I'm proof. Hang in there.
Farming is kind of like being stuck in a room with a dozen junior high girls. Some of them will do anything they can to be hateful or put all of their efforts into pulling others down to their level. I suppose the whole world is like that and so is every job. The difference is that we live our jobs so it is right here in our home. That's why it feels personal. There is also the family connection we feel to keep something going to honor provious generations. If your father and grandfather were bankers you wouldn't take it to heart if you didn't succeed as a banker.
Don't take anyone's word. It always changes when you have a job that relies on the volatility of the markets (animal or plant). In the end we all have to make our own ends meet first. That old boy is just interested in hacking you off to make his. Get things in writing. Prove your worth to one landlord and word will spread.
Farming is kind of like being stuck in a room with a dozen junior high girls. Some of them will do anything they can to be hateful or put all of their efforts into pulling others down to their level. I suppose the whole world is like that and so is every job. The difference is that we live our jobs so it is right here in our home. That's why it feels personal. There is also the family connection we feel to keep something going to honor provious generations. If your father and grandfather were bankers you wouldn't take it to heart if you didn't succeed as a banker.
Don't take anyone's word. It always changes when you have a job that relies on the volatility of the markets (animal or plant). In the end we all have to make our own ends meet first. That old boy is just interested in hacking you off to make his. Get things in writing. Prove your worth to one landlord and word will spread.
Bruce from Can.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Woodville, Ontario, Canada
Your only error that I could see was you were relying on this one land owner to help you into farming on rented ground. Rely on your self only . When the guy blew you off the first time , you shouldn't have given him a second chance to screw you over again. Find some more land for rent, and keep all of your plans a closely guarded secret until they are finalized.
You can start from scratch- I know because I did. When I got out of the Navy in 1973, I started with little, and grew as I could. 2, 3, 5 acres at a time. Be patient- it can take some time. Don't give up a decent day job, andpay your dues as you go. One day you turn around and wonder who the hail made you a farmer. Keep the faith.....
Oliver Doc
New User
I can sympathize with you and Im sure you are frustrated. If you want to start farming its all about the land, equipment does you no good with out the dirt to put it in. I would probably not be farming myself if it had not been for my father and his father before him that homestead the land after immigrating to the US from Germany. I have a good friend that started farming with no land, leased and rented ground about 90 acres total, that's been 4 years ago and he still has NOTHING ! It seems to me that to start farming today from scratch you need a big bank account so land can be bought or you almost need to inherit one, That's just my 2 cents worth. Anyway good luck.
Farming is tough.
Prices are nuts the past few years, everyone is jumpy. Brings out the real character of a person.
Kinda always been that way tho.
Very tough business, very rewarding days.
You can make it work, get your contracts early, don't give folks time to rethink it.....
Paul
Prices are nuts the past few years, everyone is jumpy. Brings out the real character of a person.
Kinda always been that way tho.
Very tough business, very rewarding days.
You can make it work, get your contracts early, don't give folks time to rethink it.....
Paul
Got a friend who started with nothing. Found a 16 acres farmstead with a decent barn and dilapidated house. He had a on farm tire service at the time. He worked days and farmed nights while his wife ran a herd of dairy cow. He started with a IH H and 560 gasser. He's now out of dairy and crops over 1000 acres and is farming full time. When they were making a living on the farm he sold the tire service. It's doable but you have to be willing to make the sacrifices to make it happen. Long gone are the days of a handshake lease. You have to put it in writing. Sure enough if you don't someone will come along and offer more per acre and because there is nothing in writing the land owner will take the higher offer. Gotta remember, money talks and BS walks.
Rick
I've been looking into getting started farming as well and am very discouraged at this point. In my area guy's are willing to pay over $200 an acre to lease land and they will take any acreage no matter how small or how far they have to drive. To buy land within a reasonable distance is $10,000 or more per acre. I figured to get by I would need about 300 acres to start with while still working full time. I can't get the numbers to work at all around here. The guys that have the big payments on their big equipment have ruined it for the guy's trying to start out.
Well your starting out back wards on a few things. You need land before equipment for the first thing. Second your starting out late on things too. Checking in March for that year's crop is too late. It sure is not the beginning of the year. That would have been Jan.1st.
You need to jump on any land you can find and get it under written contract right then. Then keep quiet about it until it is started. The competition is high right now for land.
You need to figure out how to leverage what you have over what you do not have. In your case it is more labor (young) over money/capital. Pure grain farming is very capital intense and very hard to start from scratch in. Some type of livestock farming would utilize your labor better.
Also be patient. With the grain prices falling the rents and values will drop. Just be ready to step in when that happens.
You need to jump on any land you can find and get it under written contract right then. Then keep quiet about it until it is started. The competition is high right now for land.
You need to figure out how to leverage what you have over what you do not have. In your case it is more labor (young) over money/capital. Pure grain farming is very capital intense and very hard to start from scratch in. Some type of livestock farming would utilize your labor better.
Also be patient. With the grain prices falling the rents and values will drop. Just be ready to step in when that happens.
People on here will give you good advice, and will cut you a lot of slack on your posting.
But,
If you are communicating in writing with your potential landlords, do it correctly. I mean capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentences, and paragraphs. Some landlords won't care, others will not do business with someone who looks like they don't care. You need to make a good impression.
Every time you meet with a land owner it's a job interview. Don't overdress, but don't be a slob. Don't smoke or chew, use slang, or use obscenities. Be polite, pleasant, and positive. And make sure that you are prepared to answer questions about what your background is and how you intend to farm.
I wish you all the best and hope you will let us know how things are going. Remember that there are a lot of good people on here who will be happy to give you advice, so ask away.
But,
If you are communicating in writing with your potential landlords, do it correctly. I mean capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentences, and paragraphs. Some landlords won't care, others will not do business with someone who looks like they don't care. You need to make a good impression.
Every time you meet with a land owner it's a job interview. Don't overdress, but don't be a slob. Don't smoke or chew, use slang, or use obscenities. Be polite, pleasant, and positive. And make sure that you are prepared to answer questions about what your background is and how you intend to farm.
I wish you all the best and hope you will let us know how things are going. Remember that there are a lot of good people on here who will be happy to give you advice, so ask away.
mab570diesel
Member
eric that is very good advice i just clicked the like button lol
You CAN do it. But you don't do it by starting out with every piece of equipment you need and then look for land. You start with the land and then get what equipment you can afford.
I think some guys would be better off thinking in terms of "homestead" rather than "farm" when starting out. You can make a lot of money off a few acres of soft fruit pretty quick or by diversifying. I see a lot of guys trying to get 500 or 1K acres and just spinning their wheels.
I think some guys would be better off thinking in terms of "homestead" rather than "farm" when starting out. You can make a lot of money off a few acres of soft fruit pretty quick or by diversifying. I see a lot of guys trying to get 500 or 1K acres and just spinning their wheels.
farmerwithmutt
Well-known Member
Yes you can start farming but dont compete with the big dogs you can get chewed up real quick .use your machinery now look for snow plowing and mowing jobs . then it may not be what you want now but what can happen latter as mentioned start small maybe by a few chickens( look into chicken tractors) i have a few produce brown eggs never went to a farmers market but i can sell every one i got.
I also raise calves on the yard (to cheap to mow grass and still ive got the nicest yard around) works in well with chickens also vegitable gardining huge potental lots of things to do but dont do what everybody does
I also raise calves on the yard (to cheap to mow grass and still ive got the nicest yard around) works in well with chickens also vegitable gardining huge potental lots of things to do but dont do what everybody does
farmerwithmutt
Well-known Member
Your right on most of this and it does bother me to see the way some people do things here. but i dont have fancy equipment and it is maybe difficult for some to post. also i can tell the way he put it together he is upset because i have been there where people will judge you by what you are not who you are.
Also i was lucky to meet a nice older farmer who put 3 kids through college paid for 2 farms and when he passed left the widow well cared for.i was surprised one day when he couldnt tell me what gear the tractor was in turned out he had dyslexia and back then he wasnt able to go to school never learned to read or write
Also i was lucky to meet a nice older farmer who put 3 kids through college paid for 2 farms and when he passed left the widow well cared for.i was surprised one day when he couldnt tell me what gear the tractor was in turned out he had dyslexia and back then he wasnt able to go to school never learned to read or write
Super-H-Mike
Member
That is exactly what happens around here too. The
big guys are willing to outbid anyone just to lock
it in for the future. You have to have an "in"
somehow. To the OP, I would try to make friends
with all the potential land owners around, and not
just suck up to them, get to know them, help em
out, show them who you are. If they like and
respect you, they will naturally want to help you
out when the time comes. Be patient, start small,
dream big.
big guys are willing to outbid anyone just to lock
it in for the future. You have to have an "in"
somehow. To the OP, I would try to make friends
with all the potential land owners around, and not
just suck up to them, get to know them, help em
out, show them who you are. If they like and
respect you, they will naturally want to help you
out when the time comes. Be patient, start small,
dream big.
DaninKansas
Member
5 farmers in my family and not an acre of it was inherited.
Let the doctors buy the land - they still need someone to farm it.
Let the doctors buy the land - they still need someone to farm it.
I'm not going to give advice,just observation. If you want to raise cash grain,know that no land is or will be available where you live,and don't want to quit your job and relocate,I'd say sell what you bought because you aren't going to ever farm.
Can you get started? Probably somewhere. If you're willing to do what some might consider "ranching" instead of farming. I really think most who think they want to farm just want to play in the dirt with big toys though.
Yes,I know pasture land in the Oazarks has gone crazy in price in the last 15 years too,but so has the price of cattle,but buying pasture land that's never seen a plow and running cattle might be about as close to "farming" as any newcomers might ever get.
Can you get started? Probably somewhere. If you're willing to do what some might consider "ranching" instead of farming. I really think most who think they want to farm just want to play in the dirt with big toys though.
Yes,I know pasture land in the Oazarks has gone crazy in price in the last 15 years too,but so has the price of cattle,but buying pasture land that's never seen a plow and running cattle might be about as close to "farming" as any newcomers might ever get.
randallinMo
Member
I'm going to take the other side on this and tell you to sell your equipment and forget about it. If you TRULY think that grain prices are at "rock bottom" then you will be in for an absolute horrible rude awakening. Save yourself a LOT of money and don't even start. I'm hoping the frustration you've written about has not let you clearly think this through yet.
DaninKansas
Member
I think you have a very good point there.
Clodbuster
Member
Well said!
The last few years have made farming very profitable but there have been more years of cash corn hovering right near (or under!) two dollars per bushel since I started farming in 1988 than I want to remember. Granted input costs were not as high then, but it was a very tight budgeting situation and many farmers failed or even retired just to be rid of it all. If I did not have a neighbor retire and rent me a quarter of land, and without trading my labor for using some of my dad's machinery use, there would have not been a way for me to get started farming.
Most of us have gotten a few knives in the back along the way too so you are not alone there either.
Right now in the mid west cattle prices are through the roof so trying to get started in them would be a huge risk too.
Keep saving your money, look for an older farmer to work for who may need some hired labor and provide a chance at renting some land when he retires, and keep your powder dry. If the price of corn tanks again, and it will, there may be opportunities to get started then.
Try not to worry about not keeping your pledge to your grandfather that you would be farming someday. We never know what path our life will take us on, we can't see into the future. The best thing for you may not even be trying to start a farm from scratch. There are many jobs and careers in agriculture related to farming that can pay very well and keep you tied to the memories of working on the farm with your grandfather. Working part time for a farmer now and then can also let you have some of the fun of fieldwork or harvest without all of the worry of paying off operating loans every year!
The last few years have made farming very profitable but there have been more years of cash corn hovering right near (or under!) two dollars per bushel since I started farming in 1988 than I want to remember. Granted input costs were not as high then, but it was a very tight budgeting situation and many farmers failed or even retired just to be rid of it all. If I did not have a neighbor retire and rent me a quarter of land, and without trading my labor for using some of my dad's machinery use, there would have not been a way for me to get started farming.
Most of us have gotten a few knives in the back along the way too so you are not alone there either.
Right now in the mid west cattle prices are through the roof so trying to get started in them would be a huge risk too.
Keep saving your money, look for an older farmer to work for who may need some hired labor and provide a chance at renting some land when he retires, and keep your powder dry. If the price of corn tanks again, and it will, there may be opportunities to get started then.
Try not to worry about not keeping your pledge to your grandfather that you would be farming someday. We never know what path our life will take us on, we can't see into the future. The best thing for you may not even be trying to start a farm from scratch. There are many jobs and careers in agriculture related to farming that can pay very well and keep you tied to the memories of working on the farm with your grandfather. Working part time for a farmer now and then can also let you have some of the fun of fieldwork or harvest without all of the worry of paying off operating loans every year!
Dan T in MO
Member
Only am optimist can be a farmer. If you have a pessimistic attitude, you'll never put a seed in the ground, save back a gilt for breeding or make any investment.
Yep, there are setbacks. Either a drought or too much rain. Livestock prices go up when inventory is low. But just as that next lot gets to market size, the cwt. price tumbles. But through these setbacks, the optimistic farmer plans for the next growing cycle.
Right now, land is tight. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But as corn prices fall, many Johnny-Come-Lately types will be getting out and selling land to cover the note on high priced equipment.
I can't tell you what to do in your situation. But if you can't be optimistic, then perhaps farming isn't the best career choice.
Yep, there are setbacks. Either a drought or too much rain. Livestock prices go up when inventory is low. But just as that next lot gets to market size, the cwt. price tumbles. But through these setbacks, the optimistic farmer plans for the next growing cycle.
Right now, land is tight. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But as corn prices fall, many Johnny-Come-Lately types will be getting out and selling land to cover the note on high priced equipment.
I can't tell you what to do in your situation. But if you can't be optimistic, then perhaps farming isn't the best career choice.
hoosierhog
Member
well i am proof that you can start from scratch. gout out of the army in 2009 bought 5 acres then 2010 bought 5 more then rented 13 then picked up 4 3-5 acre lots. then picked up a few more just breaking 120 now mostly hay but for me the key is to utalize small tracts of land that the bigger farms dont bother with. eventually they will add up and make you enough to pay for the bigger and bigger. sever folks bought 6-10 acres and biult a big house and after a yr or 2 got tired of mowing it all and let me hay it or grain for free for just keeping it looking nice. I found that starting with grain alone was difficult so i started with hay and feeder hogs. wife got into selling eggs and then added veggies at farmers market. start small think diversity!!!!!!!!!!!! until you get big enough to specialize. keep your chin up you can do it! I know several others that started from scratch on now farms 700 acres. another specializes in hay and does 300 acres. keep at it. nothing comes easy.
good luck
good luck
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