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OT Apology to Marcus

D

David G

Well-known Member
Marcus,

I apologize for being so hard on you.

I would love to see you get an education, but it is your choice.
 
I don't think you were hard on him, just giving him the real world view. I know I would not be where I am with out my education. My dad told me military or collage. I was all set to join the navy till I heard about a diesel tech program sponsored by Deere. Got my 2 year degree and then was able to get another well paying job working on test engines and now 20 years later I am still here making good money and still able to farm a fair amount.
 
David your apology was accepted. I appreciate your help and you have obviously been there and done that and know what us younger people should and shoudnt do. I will continue working on my parents to let me enroll in the Deisel Tech Program. What is your age? Thanks and no you weren't hard on me and I have no hard feelings. You are just trying to help me do whats right and I'm being stupid and not listening! :)
 
I've been following his post and I don't think you need to apologize. Subtle hints certainly weren't getting through. I also believe a good education is the best thing he can do. It sounds like even his parents want him to learn from someone who has already made the mistakes (that doesn't necessarily imply college or trade school, education comes in all forms). As you say, it's his choice.
 
Marcus,

To be frank, once you are 18, it is not your parents choice what you do, they can offer suggestions, but you have to do what is best for you.

I believe the opinion here is overwhelming that furthering your education is in your best interest. Very few firms will hire someone without it anymore, and the pay difference between the small operators and larger firms can be significant. I have seen it time and time again that young people really struggle now without an education. It will also be your choice if you even stay in the area, usually it is best to relocate where the work is. You will make choice in your early adult life that will effect the rest.

I also believe it is impossible to make a living anymore starting out farming anymore, at best it is supplemental income. You could work for a larger farmer part time and learn the ropes, then decide if the capital investment has a return.
 
Marcus, you posted while I was typing. I find it hard to believe your parents won't let you enroll in a Diesel Tec. program unless you are expecting them to pay for it. I came from a family of 13 and my parents pushed all of us to go to college even though they told us at a young age they could not pay for it. Ten of the 13 put themselves through college while the other 3 learned a trade working for someone who learned the hard way. All of us are very successful as we are or are approaching retirement. Save the money your talking about putting into tractors and get the education you want.
 
St Ignatius Montana. And you? There is a John Deere service shop about 10 miles away. it is just a fix it shop not a dealer. Would they participate in the DTP? St Ignatius is about 45 minutes north of Missoula if you know where that's at. There is also a dealer in Missoula.
 
Military was mentioned, I would bet you could enroll @18 and get the training you want, also is paid way to see other parts of the world and meet people who do many different things.
 
I believe that is sound advice and will to my best to try to get the education I need, And you have no need to apologize to me. I should apologize and I do apologize to you for not listening. I want to be friends with yall on the forum.
 
You will find that the posters here really do care about each other, so it is really like family talking to you. The posters here are from all over the world with tons of different experiences to share, sometimes you will get a dozen different opinions and have to sort it out.

Please post anytime you have questions, about anything.
 
Same story for me, my parents did not have any extra money for college, my sister got a music scholarship and I worked.
 
I am from the small town of Independence Iowa, about 20 miles from Waterloo where your 4020 was probably made. My grandfather was a machinist for Hart Parr, then John Deere, then moved to LaPlata Missouri to focus on farming. My dad had an independent repair shop that worked on cars, trucks and tractors. I worked for him through high school, then worked for 2 years building control panels at a shop in Waterloo. I then attended Iowa State University, and graduated with the first computer engineering class in country.

I worked as a mechanic and construction worker the first two years of college, then got part time jobs in my field until graduation.

I took several different jobs after college, working in Chicago, Minneapolis, Albuquerque, St Louis, and Cedar Rapids Iowa.

I ended up settling back in Cedar Rapids to start a family.

I now own a company that does industrial controls, have about 20 engineers, with locations in Iowa and Arizona, and totally love what I do. Being in the automation industry is like getting to play with making things work, a combination of my upbringing and education.

I farm as a way to get solitude.
 
Check into the US Air Force for jobs as a diesel mechanic. A friend of mine went into USAF in the late 70's. Ended up at an AFB in Texas and did his stint as a body shop technician. In 4 years never got tired of the warm weather, just painting everything Air Force Blue.
 
I agree with David. If you are 18 you can do what you want. You cant live your life by what others want you to. You will never be happy. I have 23 years in the military. A very good system of schools there.If you think you would like to join. Whatever you do get an education.
 
(quoted from post at 08:55:39 02/10/17) Marcus, you posted while I was typing. I find it hard to believe your parents won't let you enroll in a Diesel Tec. program unless you are expecting them to pay for it. I came from a family of 13 and my parents pushed all of us to go to college even though they told us at a young age they could not pay for it. Ten of the 13 put themselves through college while the other 3 learned a trade working for someone who learned the hard way. All of us are very successful as we are or are approaching retirement. Save the money your talking about putting into tractors and get the education you want.
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Wow that sounds like our family...we had 14 and the on-going tradition was a set of luggage as a graduation gift. Fortunately being from a big farm family I qualified for grants and cheap student loans. I also had work study the first year and that opened doors with my profs for scholarship recommendations...4.0 first semester helped also :) I got in on a scholarshop/internship with a local machine tool manufacturer and had an office job waiting when I graduated with 3 BS degrees. That being said, I didn't make the real money until I started my own business 10 yrs later. I am not sure a college degree is the same as it used to be...you used to have to be somewhat smart to get in, now they have lowered the standards so all the jocks can get passing grades LOL! If I was to do it over again and had to foot the bill I would choose a trade school.
 
Marcus, your the the one that brought up D.P.T. Try Googling it for your area. Hint, spell diesel DIE instead of DEI. Sometimes proof reading and spelling are useful.
 
I am in Indiana. The program was at a university and worked at dealer on breaks and in the summer. I left the dealer to take a better paying job with Cummins 20 years ago. Check with your local dealer, they may even pay some of your tuition. Even if you can make the deere program there are plenty of good auto/diesel collages out there.
 
I catch flak for posting that kids these days are afraid to get their hands dirty instead of going to college,then you guys turn right around and tell a young guy he needs to go to college. All he needs to do is quit putting the cart before the horse. If he wants to farm,he needs to concentrate on his crops and livestock first and use whatever it takes to produce them instead of wanting a certain tractor to do the job. If he wants to learn mechanics by trial and error,he should get some cheap old wreck that's just for educational purposes only and keep using his 4020 to do what needs to be done until he's successful enough to have the luxury of getting what he wants.
There's nothing like desperation to motivate a person. Take him off the farm and he's going to loose interest and assets.
 
(quoted from post at 08:55:41 02/10/17) St Ignatius Montana. And you? There is a John Deere service shop about 10 miles away. it is just a fix it shop not a dealer. Would they participate in the DTP? St Ignatius is about 45 minutes north of Missoula if you know where that's at. There is also a dealer in Missoula.
Click to expand...

Wow you are in the sticks! I am just east of Spokane...
 
(quoted from post at 10:01:44 02/10/17) Ill be going right by you tomorrow! Headed to Pasco!
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When you pass the weigh station on I-90 I am a mile north of you....I plan on going to Pasco tomorrow also...on my way to pick up a Deere east of John Day, Oregon.
 
That shows how deep this go to college hoax has infiltrated. And we wonder why there are so many help wanted ads going unanswered. He'd be so much better off with $50-100,000 in student loan debt.
 
Marcus,

You are getting good advice here, but YOU must OWN the process if you want it to happen. I have never seen it work when others do all the work. We will be glad to answer questions as they are presented. As discussed, google has all the information for you to compare the schools, and make informed choices. I would imagine the schools would welcome the conversations and visits from you to talk with instructors and students. It would also be helpful to contact potential employers and get their feedback on what worked for training. You could also talk to the military recruiter about what your education goals are.

I would expect you will start out with dozens of choices and narrow it down to a handful that are the best for you.

This is not a quick or easy process making these decisions, but the more work you do, the better the choice will fit.
 
It is not a conspiracy, it is a fact, employers want trained employees and expect the employee to pay the cost. Look at the pay rate for the help wanted ads for untrained workers, then look at the pay rates for trained workers. I worked through college, so came out with little debt. It is not unreasonable for others to do the same, but you have to want and work for it. Companies have nothing but trouble with untrained workers anymore, that is why they automate, and will continue to do so.
 
(quoted from post at 10:38:43 02/10/17) Nice! Isnt I 90 closed right now?
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They close it 200 miles west of here at Snoqualmie pass occasionally for avalanche control...usually for just a few hours.
 
(quoted from post at 10:36:53 02/10/17) It is not a conspiracy, it is a fact, employers want trained employees and expect the employee to pay the cost. Look at the pay rate for the help wanted ads for untrained workers, then look at the pay rates for trained workers. I worked through college, so came out with little debt. It is not unreasonable for others to do the same, but you have to want and work for it. Companies have nothing but trouble with untrained workers anymore, that is why they automate, and will continue to do so.
Click to expand...

The sad part is tuition has increased to a level that no part time job will pay for it, so you end up with years of debt....that is why trade schools may be a better choice. The choice depends on your abilities.
 
(quoted from post at 10:53:34 02/10/17) I thin it is closed to us from St Regis to somewhere.
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Lookout pass in Idaho was closed last night due to flooding....maybe it still is, I haven't seen the local news this morning.
 
Your right. Unfortunately spelling was never my strong suit. Because proof and reading were spelled correctly, spell checker did not flag it and no amount of me re-reading will catch it (I did say spelling is not my strong suit). You, on the other hand use neither!
 
Hello Marcus if you are interested you might check into the tech program at Walla Walla community college. Several local kids have attended as they have close affiliation with John Deere and I think that they offer a really high job placement rate. Good luck, Mike
 
For an English exercise, go back and re-read your post in this blog alone and see how many spelling and grammatical mistakes you have made. There is a reason everyone is suggesting you concentrate on education. But hay, it's your career. Mine is over but, I still try.
 
No one can tell you what is best for you without really knowing you and what you are capable. I will say you have got slot of good advice. I never went to college. By the time high school was done I had enough of school. I worked all kinds of jobs until I was 27. I then decided to get into an electrical apprenticeship and have been doing it ever sense. I don't really enjoy it but I can work anywhere and make fairly good money when I do. Had I started right out of high school I would've been much better off. Therefore I think you are wise to get into some sort of training at a young age. I am now 50 and wish I would've went onto college right out of school. I feel I would've benefited from even if I did not pursue what I sent to school for. I think you would meet associates that would later help you accelerate in life. You may even meet a nice lady that will change your life. Regardless it is an experience you will not have a chance at later in life.
 
The guy wants to farm and most of you are trying to steer him away from it. I'm just telling him to concentrate on the product he's producing,not what he's using to produce it. We're on two different pages here. There are farmers and then there are people who just want to play with big toys. I'm trying to tell him that if he wants to farm,forget the toys. This whole thing started with him wanting to buy a tractor that wasn't worth the money just because he wanted to own one to farm with. If he does farm,some day he's gonna figure out what I'm talking about. I'm just trying to get him there a little sooner.
 
(quoted from post at 19:33:32 02/10/17) For an English exercise, go back and re-read your post in this blog alone and see how many spelling and grammatical mistakes you have made. There is a reason everyone is suggesting you concentrate on education. But hay, it's your career. Mine is over but, I still try.
Click to expand...

"But hey, it's......" Just sayin'. Pot. Kettle. Black.
 
marcus, just know that it is different for each person, no path is wrong, you just have to adjust for the decisions you make. And even once you have started down one path, you can back up and try the other one later.

You have proven to be willing to ask questions of knowledgeable people, and have kept a level head when some of them have not been especially nice to you. That puts you ahead of many teens today already!

Good Luck.
 
That's my point. Apparently he wants to farm. He asks a question about a tractor that wasn't worth the money,which was a smart thing to do,and all of a sudden,everybody on this forum is coming out of the woodwork trying to choose a new career for him instead of helping him with the one he's already chosen.
 
I have not read every post him or anyone else read. All I suggested is that college at his age is a once in a lifetime chance. Being he farms or becomes a mechanic or anything else he chooses to do in his life college may help.i know plenty of successful farmers that went to college.
 
Do you need another engineer helping with your business? I'm a retired electronics engineer who is interested in helping a company but not having to travel there on a daily commute. Working from home appeals to me. I'm in southern MN.

PM me if you're interested. email is open.

Thanks Ron
 
Let me bring you up to speed. Young guy,haying operation,worn out 4020,found a decent looking 4320 that was in dire need of an overhaul. He always wanted one,asked if $9500 was too much and if the brain trust thought he could make a good tractor out of it for another $2000. Of course that led to put some money in to the one you have,no,it's not worth that much in that shape,it'll cost way more than $2000 to make it right,questions about his mechanical ability,him saying he'd like to gain some experience by overhauling it,and you know where it went from there. Advice on where to get that experience. Apprentice at a dealership,joing the military,go to college,get a career that had nothing to do with overhauling that tractor...... You've been on here long enough to know how this stuff gets out of hand. Advice on everything except knowing the difference between a want and a need.
 
No one can say what you should do. We can say what happened to us but that is all. My advice has always been do what you have a passion for and if at 18 no passion has developed work and save your money until a passion does develop. Money is not the most important goal but doing what you enjoy is. I know we have to balance the two but here is an old-fashioned idea-pray and ask God to direct your paths. He has promised to do so and proceed accordingly. If we trust in Him He will give us the desires of our heart. Just a thought from an old granddad who was able to go to college through hard work and sacrifice. I never regretted it.
 
Thank you for filling me in rrlund. I don't read all the posts on here especially ones without a descriptive title. You would think college educated guys could come up with a decent title
:twisted: :lol:
 
I think it had 4320 in the title,which was what he was asking the question about. I don't know how so many "helpful" individuals even opened it.
 
Some are not made for edumicating! I got straight Bs in high school, never taking a book home, but could not get better then a D in college, as I had never learned how to study! I am a trim carpenter making decent money now (I'm 52 years old) but had to learn everything the hard way. Until about 10 years ago I never had 2 dimes to my name at the same time. Just learn all you can, where ever you can. If college works for you, go for it! If not, learn somewhere else.
 
Marcus, I wasn't going to get into this, but I say, if that'aswhat you want to do- I'd say go for it. But first, get your education- even ahead of farming. I started to farm as a kid. Then, I went to work for the phone company, and went into the service during the Vietnamese war. I chose to enlist, and got the equivalent of a college edumacation while I was in. I was still farming some, even in the service, got out, went back to work for the phone company and farmed part time and built as I could afford it, and bought a farm- right where I am now. It took a good 15 years before I was actually paying for the farm with farm income, and now it's my retirement keep busy plan. But, the training I got in the service and with the phone company has allowed me to accomplish many jobs that most folks can't tackle without hiring someone to do it for them. The experience and having the basic knowledge I gained has served me well over the years.

As far as farming, it's refreshing to hear someone young who is willing to sacrifice a better life to do it. But is is a huge field and requires more than just a will to farm to survive. So go for the school at night and farm when you have light.....
 
Marcus, forget whatever these old timers are telling you!

They are relishing the 'Old Times' when they could quit one job and walk down the street and have another job in no time.

Those times are long gone. Let alone, good paying ones.

As for my suggestions...I got nuthin'. You can make your own choices and I wish you the best of luck.
 
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