Somebody talk me out of this!

A few years ago, I was forced to leave farming.

I have missed the life, with every nerve fiber and every breath of my being, for every second of every single day since then.

After all these years, I still wake up in the middle of the night smelling hay and hearing those cattle. To this day, I can smell the air and tell when it is time to stick the bean cutter in the ground.

It is really amazing that one does not know what he has until it is all gone.

It has been a long hard pull, but now I am all caught up with the world, I am financially healthy again and have a few bucks stashed away.

I'll be 60 in four months and instead of just sitting around waiting to die, my wife and I are seriously thinking of jumping right back in there for another go at it.

This isn't about money; it is about a lifestyle. We wanna farm again and we think that now we have the means to be able to afford to do it without having to "gamble it all" every year.

Is this about the dumbest thing you've ever heard of?

Allan

I'm 64, grew up on a hill farm in Western NC, 120 acres, about14 arable, and worked 30 some years. Tried NC again, but gave up and bought a 150 year old homestead and 20 acres in southern Michigan two years ago. Not really a farm, but my garden, tractors, etc, keep me on the run all the time, and I love it. Went from wondering what to do with myself to wondering where all the time goes. Best of luck, you're doing the right thing,

GH

I grew up on Long Island, in what was a farming community when my family moved there in 1956. By the time I was in junior high school, there was one farm left in the community, but I already had the farming bug. I wanted to move to upstate NY and buy a farm since I was a kid. My wife and I finally suceeded when I was 46. I just turned 50 last month, and we're in the process of establishing a dairy goat herd. We already have an egg business from free range chickens, and we're buying our breeding stock for Berkshire and Old Spot pigs this fall. We're not there yet, but we're well on our way.

People who don't know farming don't understand how it gets in your blood. You need it as much as you need food, water and oxygen. Now that we have a farm, I'd rather die than ever give this up, and I won't. Hopefully, we're making the right choices, and we'll be successful, but I understand how you need to get back to farming. Do it!!!!

Have fun doing it. :)

A fellow Dummy,
--->Paul

Please consider your physical limitations and I hope this can be a hobby and not a financial requirement. My Dad is now 65, has had 2 heart attacks, his shoulders are shot, yet he still can't stop himself from hauling 5 loads of slop every day. You won't be able to do as much nor as hard a work as you did when you left. Please don't let your love of farming kill you. My dad about has. :-(

In my family, one spouse has a paying job and the other gets to farm! My hubby and I are pushing the public job wheel in anticipation when we can both 'retire' early and farm 'til we're too old to garden and too broke to pay attention!

Oops! Time to clock out so I can go home and check the cows for a new baby calf. Even the feedlots smell good to me!

I may never make it full time (but I am going to try damn hard) but if I never get another acre I will consider myself blessed to be able to get to do what little I can.

I wish you the best and know better than to try and offer any advice as I am sure you know what you are getting BACK into much more than I.

The one thing I do know is when I am out looking at MY CORN and beans that I am probably the happiest guy on the planet. Now if someone could get rid of the dang rootworms this year it would be perfect.... :)

Good Luck!

• Documenting my farm

Mark

Looking good out there!! You just gotta be proud of that!

Could you help me understand something please, since I've been out of the loop for 20 years?

But, why are you putting up with the rootworms?

I used to lay down dope at planting time to take care of that problem. Has this stuff been outlawed or something like the DDT has?

Thanks for your help,

Allan

I had my planting done by a buddy (since I can't yet afford a planter) and since I had some white grubs we did put Poncho 250 on...but that does nothing for rootworms.

Even some of the guys who did put down insecticide are having problems-they suspect windy days or long dry spell we had in April didn't get the stuff down where it needed to be.

Of course once you spot the beetles it is too late. :(

Lesson learned for next year for sure!!! I think I will look at Poncho 1250 from Gustafson or something similar-will see this fall what ends up working for those in our area.

Out of the loop for 20 years? Sounds like me 2 years ago. I have been documenting what I have learned so far in a "book"...probably only for my own edification. You can see the first couple chapters on my website. If you are thinking of getting back into farming and it is interesting to you I would be willing to send you a copy in exchange for a little constructive criticism.

Paul

My though is if you can do it and want to might as well enjoy life to the fullest while you can.

Boy, they really worked us over didn't they? lol

But, ya know what? It taught me to look at the value of what I do have and not what I don't have. I think that this is the key.

Without that gut-wrenching, blood splattering, mind-numbing crash, there is no way that I would have ever been able to put together what I have now.

From my view, in a lot of ways, it kinda reinforces the idea of there being a monumental "master plan" out there.

Thanks for the good words and keep looking ahead 'cause I believe there has just simply got to be a reason for everything.

Ya sound like a darned good neighbor and I don't even know ya,

Allan

No, of course it's not the money. You said it all when you mentioned smelling hay. It' all about getting connected again with what is in your blood. It's getting connected again with the sounds, smells, and especially the folks that occupy themselves with farming or quasi-farming. I've found this very hard to explain to someone that has never experienced this.

Best of luck to you. Really wish I were in your shoes. Maybe 12 years or so down the road I'll be there.

Already have my land (small amount but enough for us), barn, chickens, ducks, and a tractor. It is my weekend work. Lots of work but very rewarding as you already know. I can't wait to build my house and do it full time.

Ron - My tractor is a '40 9N. Runs like a champ and handles my light farm work perfectly.

Now what kind of tractor are you thinking about buying!

I'm now on the hunt for either a 966 or a 1466. Got one for sale? :>)

Allan

Dec 31, 04 is the hang up day for me. Then Awwwww the good life.

Wife did it a couple of years ago and time for me to follow. Don't think I'll get bored.

Mark

slim