I am NOT retireing!

Several of you indicated you thought I was retireing.Nothing is further from the truth. I am simply takeing a step sideways. Getting rid of the leased ground. I will still be working as 'hard' as always,just not for myself. I will do custom work. I will be working for wages instead of farming my own/leased ground.I will still be working all the hours,only without the risk,or stress.In a year or two I can again pickup some ground to lease and grow corn or beans.The ground is available.We have scraped te bottom of the barrel so long and hard the bottom is worn through.LOL! As I said ,my equipment is paid for. It's old.From the 50s,60s,maybe even 70s.Pd cash for most of it,traded work for some. tractors are IH letter(H/M) and 06/56 series.with the last 'big' tractor(1456,mechanic special),I got a 'cash' advance($1500) from a customer,with the corn crop this year I was able to pay it off. Figured it would take a couple of years,not 6 months. I was able to buy an inline baler a few years ago. 1992 CIH8530.traded work and made payments as I could.A lot has been 'mechanic special' type of equipment.Thank God has blessed(or cursed?LOL) me with the abilitys to fix it all.It's taken me a lifetime to get it put together. I have farmed by the seat of my pants,with no bankers.Made that mistake once. NEVER again!The banker sold me out in 84.Sure,Ive borrowed a bit from time to time,but not to farm with. Started over with the Super M I still own. The next year I was able to buy my (mechanic special) 706. Still have that one too.Bought the 1256 in 2000.It was bigger than I needed at the time,but cheap.Now I'm gladI bought such a 'big' tractor LOL.Borrowed from a bank for that one.Thank God for good local merchants who work with me!I bought equipment,rather than a newer car,fixed my house,traveled.....Thank God I have an understanding wife! So,NOT reireing.I'l probably never retire. I'm just heading in a slightly different direction. Thanks for 'listening'. Steve

Good for you!

I just turned 83 and I haven't even thought of retiring.

I retired at 55 best move I ever made we travel, boating, fishing, bowling pretty much what ever we decide that day I've seen to many people work them self's into a grave never really living there lives just my 2 cents👀

I admire your choice. Step back for a bit. You can always return to the high risk later.
Being debt free is wonderful. Your biggest problem may be getting paid. I will be 64 in 2018.
Factory I have been with for 22 years (laid off for 6 years total) has offered me a generous buyout.
The plan is I will take the buyout and return to the oilfield hauling frac sand. I did this when I was laid off.
My motto is "My retirement party and funeral will be on the same day"

Goose, I am a little older than you and I am not ready to retire yet either.

I'm not entirely 'debt free'. I still have a mortgage. Sometimes(usually!) it is holy h#!! to pay.And we have some credit card debt.But everything else is paid for.......

Steve, A few months ago I posted a new topic entitled "Why read?" it referred to so many threads that go off in a different direction not because of something that someone is reminded of, but simply because people do a quick skim of the original post then immediately write their response. Your initial post was very clear to anyone who took a few seconds to read the whole thing that you were going to keep on working. I don't claim to read all of the responses in a thread completely but so often there is additional very relevant information added in as you read along through, that you often have to wonder why anyone would post what they do. So it just comes down to they don't read, they just post.

Around here in my area you could not get back in once you give up rented land. The 5000 to 30,000 acre operations are starting to circle around, so the bigger family outfits are working hard to keep land and to acquire a bit more for growth too. And so rents are pretty cut throat, and no,one lets go of what they have.

Glad you have options where you are!

From where I sit, if you stop farming, you are pretty much done then, you wouldn't get the opportunity to find new ground again. Not a horse you could remount.

Paul

I would think long and hard about "custom work." 1) Repairs on old machinery used hard can be astronomical 2) Most people won't hire people with old machinery as rightly or wrongly it is perceived as worn out. 3) Bills can be hard to collect 4) Why not do what you can on your land and relax? Devote some time to family, hobbies, and travel. Don't postpone living (like I did) until you are too old to do anything!

I've been doing 'custom work' for years. Almost as long as I've been farming.so I well know the up and the down side.Most customers are ones I've had for years.I have a good reputation in the area.
They know I do quality work,so they don't care what I use. They know they will get a top quality job for a reasonable price.The BTO custom guys with new iron don't care about quality,just quanity.I hear that all the time.They may charge less,but their work reflects that.In fact I,ve had to go clean up after the bto after a crappy job.Several times. I then have a(happy) new customer.I gained two this summer! .I only travel about 10 miles maximum.Usually only 5. There is more than enough work in that radious.I cannot financially afford to slow down,quit/retire/take life easy.....I have to keep working full time to live.Pay the day to day living expences.Bottom line.I really DONT want to go back to the factory again and punch that damn time clock!!

"But,I fairly sure that for now I need to 'quit',or at least take a year or two off.I always said,"I'll continue upon the current path that I'm on till I come to a fork in the road.the road has been getting steeper and rocky however. I think I have come to that fork. With God's guidance,hopefully I will make the right decision.Farming is all I've ever wanted to do. I loved being out there,inspite of the hardships.But maybe now is the time.Thanks for your input. Steve"

sure sounds to me you are hanging it up.

Do you have actual hard proof of BTO's not caring about quality?

I figured what you meant was risk reduction. It makes sense to me to let others take the risk while you do custom work. Renting on speculation is more of a gamble than planting on your own turf. It is not so much stepping back as it is reduction in exposure to the whims of commodity prices and mother nature. Jim/Prescott

BTO?s differ from place to place, his area?s might suck as the ones close to me do.....

I see that in this area. Some guys quit when their landlords sold out to bigger operators. When land does sell, it often never gets publicity, landowners frequently have standing offers from neighbors and family.

i'm 69 i have retired full time job now have some highland cows bale some hay and try to take care of my wife who has ms.
we are both active in our Lions club and church.
Mrs 730 somehow finds time to write poems.
who has time to be retired?

Just what I've noticed or observed,and what customers(their's and mine) have told me.Then when I 'clean up' or do over,that pretty much settles it. Then there is the guy who cuts the hay and doesn't show up to bale for a month because he went 30 miles away to put up a "big" job.I wound up baleing that one.Or rives so fast cutting that it is tripped,not cut.Or he does a crappy job plowing cause they cant be bothered to set the plow right,combines with a 12 row machine on 6 row planted corn................Yep,I have proof.

Agree Griz. Not getting up at 4:30 and sleeping in, reduces the need for blood pressure meds.

(quoted from post at 11:51:23 12/29/17) Around here in my area you could not get back in once you give up rented land. The 5000 to 30,000 acre operations are starting to circle around, so the bigger family outfits are working hard to keep land and to acquire a bit more for growth too. And so rents are pretty cut throat, and no,one lets go of what they have.

Glad you have options where you are!

From where I sit, if you stop farming, you are pretty much done then, you wouldn't get the opportunity to find new ground again. Not a horse you could remount.

Paul

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That's getting to be the way it is around here too.

There is an opening out here, custom haying guy a mile up the road hung it up after many years. There will be quite a few small acreage homeowners scrambling to find someone to put up their hay. Not for me, I prefer to shred up the field, get my check and go home at night not worrying about the weather.

I retired at 75, now just turned 80. My idea was to quit and die the same day but life can be unpredictable. Between heart, prostate and cancer every year we sometimes live a long time after we quit before we die. I had a lot of projects when I retired that I may eventually get to but have to wait and see.

God bless you and your wife.