Just lazy Sunday pondering

I can't see myself ever quitting farming with a big bang by selling out. It'll be more of a fading away over time. The closer I get to 67 the more I think about how to slow down. I don't know if I want to get out of the cattle business and raise grain and hay,or keep the cows,but fewer of them.

I could give up the rented ground,keep half as many cows and just work my own land,or keep the rented ground and get rid of the cows. Decisions,decisions.

For years,I've thought if I was gonna farm but didn't have to,farming like one of my uncles did,or an old guy to the south of me would be the way to go. Uncle Earl had 67 acres just east of town,that used to belong to my grand mothers family. He had an 8N Ford when I was little,then traded it off on a Massey Ferguson 35 in the early 60s. He traded that one for a Ford 3000 in the early 70s and farmed with that until he passed away. I'd always thought I'd like to have that place and farm it with an Oliver 550.

Joe,to the south of me had a long 80 with a lane down the middle of it and farmed it with an Oliver 70. That one was always my idea of an idyllic farm.

The question too though is,do I just keep farming the old home 80 and rent out the other 160,or keep farming all of my own ground? And the hard part is,which tractors do I keep? If it's just the home 80 that I work,the Oliver 77 would do it,but if I'm going to keep a tractor that size,why not the 1550? It has a 3 point hitch. Why not keep both and have a second tractor? Then there's the FWA 1365. How do you ever get rid of a FWA tractor once you've had one?

If I keep farming the whole 240,ya,it's a no brainer to keep the White 2-105 with the air conditioned cab. But would I still need the 2-135? If I still had cattle,I'd still chop silage. The 2-105 would probably do it,but it'd be slow.

I don't know. It's kinda like Brent's post about moving I guess. If a tractor sits for two years without being used,get rid of it. lol

A man I know sold all of his cows 2 years ago but kept all of his equipment and is making hay and growing corn and wheat. This year and last I bought all of his hay and this year all of his corn as well, the arrangement has allowed me to expand cattle numbers which is what I like doing the most anyway and he can keep his hand in farming while making a few bucks and he does not have to worry about a market for his crops.

Faced the same dilemma myself a few years ago. The milking herd left about 10 years ago due to ongoing but manageable health issues, so I custom fed about 100 dairy heifers from 6 months to calving.Used all the same equipment changed the barns around a bit. At the magic age of 60,almost 3 years ago, I could apply for an early pension, but didn't. At that time, both silo unloaders needed replacing and both silos needed replastering... not cheap. So, I made the decision to let half the heifers go, and quit filling silos, and just feed round bales. My wife said find something to do since I Don't want you hanging around the house all day.....so , I picked up some part time work driving a school bus...fitted into the schedule not to bad. This year, my wife and I decided to do some more things ...such as travel... together away from the farm. So, I share cropped the other farm ... 100 acres... with my nephew and farmed the home 100 acres myself. Worked out pretty good, he does use my equipment, and helps here with my crop. I didn't want to sell all the equipment, for tax reasons, at once, and this gives him a chance to buy equipment in over time and for me to dispose of it as I see fit. The only thing that bugs me is seeing his White 2-105 on my field instead of the Deere,lol! So, as I approach that cash for life age, he has the option of farming all my acres ...200... plus his own 200...in a few years if I want to or have to quit completely. Selling the farms is not an option at this time, my wife and I can live comfortably but not excessively on our potential pensions plus the share crop income, and hope to leave the farms to our three daughters who currently have no desire to farm. It's not easy to wind down after 40 years, but you have to be realistic and know that your ability to farm will likely slow down and that there is much more to life than that on your side of the fence. We only get to go around on this old world once, so do what you can to fill your wants and needs with your significant other, whatever they may be. Good luck with your pondering, there will be lots more, I'm sure! Ben

Farming 100 acres with a 77 is posible, but would suck. That would make it hard work again. Keep the 2-100 either way or you won't likely keep farming long.

If it was split up in to pasture,hay,corn and oats,I don't know that there'd really be much need for any more horse power though. All corn and beans,ya,it would be tedious.

rruland,
I don't know why you are looking here to find the answer to a question that only you (and your family) can answer. When I finally retired from public work, after over 40 years, it was my body and mind that told me it was time to go,(plus, my wife retired from 35 years of teaching on the same date). I can not putter around on the farm, play with my horses and tractors and generally do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. That freedom is very empowering and relaxing. My personal decision was made with economics, physical condition and release from work stress in mind. There is no "cook book" that dictates what parameters to put into that decision, it is YOUR call!

It wasn't really a question. Like I said,just pondering. Sound's like Ben's already been through some downsizing. You never know when a spark might ignite from hearing somebody else's experience or thoughts on their own situation.

Who knows,maybe when the time comes,the boy will be tired of building fast cars and will want to just move me out of here.
The old guy Joe that I mentioned,I remember talking to him in the hardware store one day after he'd had an auction and sold the farm. He said if anybody had every told him,back when he was farming and working at the milk plant,that some day he'd have a new home on the lake and a place in Florida,he'd have told them they were crazy. Life's unpredictable and takes some strange twists sometimes.

I would give up the rented ground, keep half as many or less cows, and just work my own land. If I owned the entire 240 I'd rent out the 160, and keep the 2-105 (the a/c cab in Texas is a must have). Also have a smaller tractor for light work, that's kind of what my dad did, except he didn't have a extra 160 to rent out.

Ya,back in the 80s,I farmed with a 4040 Deere for my big tractor and a 1020 with a loader. The 2-105 and the 1365 front wheel assist with the loader would be an even sweeter combination.

There is a third option and I've heard of a few cases. Find a young guy maybe even on this site someone might know of a guy willing and wanting to start run him as a hired man for a year or two then let him buy in slowly. My choices are different as I don't have an family. At first I rented to a kid who worked with his dad and I was willing to make sacrifices to get him going but he had no real interest just looking for some easy money and had no respect for the land or people. My current renter is in his 30's farms with his dad and uncle and lives beside his grandfather. The are big operators but the family started in the area in about 1860. He respects the land is very polite and bonus a few rug rats along. What I did and he knows it is that when I die he will have a chance to buy the farm below market value. The last renter would have gotten over a million if he had kept it I found out latter he thought he would get it for free. The reason I but that in the rental is they know any improvement will benefit them later on. I always planned on running this farm until I died but my life hasn't been easy hanging on as I did an the damage is done. Does my renter do things I might not like to see done yes but it's a different generation I would like to have fences but he mows the road banks nice and without out fences it looks real nice little things like that. As far tractors go my 1550 is fine it's got plenty of power for the brush cutter had to go like crazy one morning and get the waterways mowed before the renter got there he doesn't give me any excuse to play. It's also got enough power to run small equipment I ran the disk over where I pulled the road fences out to level it and it was muddy so I leveled off where they filled the semi's. A 550 would be nicer on the side hills it used to be fun sliding of sideways but I'm getting over that. Also with the 1550 I've been collecting equipment and related literature to it I wish it had the quick hitch style three points and I'll find one some day did find the front weight for 50 a hydro electric cylinder for 25 that's half the fun the hunt.
AS your thinking you not only have yourself to think about but your family it's been proven that grandkids that grow up around grandparents do better just ask grandma.

We've had this discussion with the kids. The oldest boy wants the place,just not yet. We had pondered selling the home place to my brother and just flat outright selling the rest through a realtor then moving south. That didn't go over at all. I'm here for the duration until he can buy it. His girlfriend has just two more years to go in pharmacy school,then she'll have the potential to make $55-60 an hour. His engine business has great potential. They just bought a house this spring. If it wasn't located where it is,I'd consider taking it as a down payment,move in there and take up tractor pulling or something,but it's out in the sticks on a dirt road and I have no interest in living there at all. I was a little disappointed when they bought it because I was kind of hoping they'd buy something that I would want to take in on trade when the time comes.

Hard choices my biggest reason to let go was my dad. He waited until he was 65 to start traveling I was the real cheap hired man I stuck it out for a few years after school and went downhill fast. I moved out and as soon as I got to where I could start on my own he wanted me back . Three guys warned me not to. I again went backwards because my dad locked it up . I finally blackmailed him into selling it to me he then went to the bank and told them to sell me out. It cost me and him a lot I said I would never do that to someone else. If my dad had helped me I could have built a better life for both of us and he could have done a lot more traveling and enjoying his and my mom's life . He was willing to sacrifice everything for his own needs. It's wonderful to think of the kids and I can see nothing better than to pass it on but what if they get to liking where there at and decide to stay? Don't miss out on your life .

I considered just throwing stockers on the land for the summer rotational grazing them then sell them off in the fall so no cattle to have to worry about in winter, and no row crops to worry about, then get a town job also, but my love of milking cows stands in my way.

If he is going to start farming keep all the rented land you can, once it is gone you will not get any back if he needs more to make3 a go of it.

That's been in the back of my mind the whole time too. If he wants to keep his business going and just farm nights and weekends though,he wouldn't be able to handle it. Given the age and health of most of the landlords,I just hope I can keep it all myself for the next 5 years.

A few thoughts of mine.....

I think you are very wise to be pondering this now, instead of having the decision thrust on you all at once. I like the idea of ramping down, but staying reasonably active as age and ability begin to wear,

We are an itsy operation compared to you and we are only doing small square bales of horse quality hay. What we are finding is that a 3 tractor plan appears ideal. Seems like my JD and MF always have an implement on them that I want to leave on for the next day. It would be handy to have a 3rd for hitching to a wagon, rake, Tedder or bush hog as necessary.

Nice thing about hay (had cattle for generations) is you can walk away from it for weeks or even months at a time. It seemed like we were always committed to dealing with the cattle on one level or another, even if it was patching a section of fence. I've got a day job and the hay - maintaining the fields, reopening new fields, adding appropriate shelters, cutting/baking, marketing, networking and selling the hay keeps me hoppin'. I think once free of the day job, this workload will probably be enough to keep me busy as I would want in retirement.

Unlike me, you've got your infrastructure intact. My guess your fields and equipment are where you need them too. We're trying and will get there as well and some of that race will diminish. I'd like to have drop dead reliable equipment when I retire to minimize standing on my head fixing junk in my retirement years. I'd also like a nice foundation of land and equipment for my kids to utilize without a dime coming out of their pockets when I'm slowing or done - if they choose.

In addition, it's exciting to drive the hay operation from an "it's a nice optional chunk of $$$'s" and one that in my retirement that can keep me reasonably busy. I'm looking forward to using the hay funds as to help whomever as I see fit, i.e. giving my kids an assist, maybe a kitchen remodel or family vacation - the kind where the hay $$$'s pay for everything for my kids, their spouses, and children.

Mostly I want to run as long as I can. Hay farming scratches that itch and I think it can keep me as busy as I want in retirement.

I think you are steaming towards a similar goal/balance between workload and abilities and continue to run as long as possible.

As for your 3 tractor plan......

Oliver 550, Oliver 77 and Oliver 1550...... That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Good luck,
Bill

Randy, I started slowing down last year. I was carrying 80 head and doing close to 300 acres. I carried about a dozen head through last winter, dropped a bunch of ground that was further away from home, and put on a few more head this past spring. They're all gone after a couple of months of stalk grazing.

As far as horsepower, my 'B' stays, along with the 6400 and 2520. Maybe the 4240, also. I may clean the 574 up and paint it, then use it for shows along with the B. The 2-70 is gonna get a face lift, and it can go.

But I'm not fooling with cows and all of their problems through the winter. I'll just buy a bunch of calves in the spring to keep from mowing pasture, or just lease the pasture out. I'm still going to raise some corn and hay, but not at the rate I was a few short year ago.

And if the grandkids want to start farming, they can here- but Granddad is past helping them for much more than advice....

(quoted from post at 11:37:27 11/06/16) rruland,
I don't know why you are looking here to find the answer to a question that only you (and your family) can answer. When I finally retired from public work, after over 40 years, it was my body and mind that told me it was time to go,(plus, my wife retired from 35 years of teaching on the same date). I can not putter around on the farm, play with my horses and tractors and generally do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. That freedom is very empowering and relaxing. My personal decision was made with economics, physical condition and release from work stress in mind. There is no "cook book" that dictates what parameters to put into that decision, it is YOUR call!

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So you want to do away with all forums do you? Maybe you should just stick to watching movies on Netflix.