Re: farm size?

Posted by oldtanker on October 05, 2016 at 08:59:07 from (66.228.255.59):

In Reply to: farm size? posted by rd 2n in mo on October 04, 2016 at 19:21:35:

When we moved here in 72 most of the farms were 120-160 acre dairies. Most hired help with haying because back then most put up a large number of idiot cubes as they are known today but did most if not all of the other field work themselves. They had kids 5, 6 and older on tractors when needed too. Today we have 1000 plus acre farms, some grain, some grain and beef, some dairy. One, I know well over 2000 acres id truly a family farm. They own a lot and rent some too. Very large family. Something like 11 kids. The boys are split between farming and earth moving. If the ones farming need extra help the others pitch in. The ones with the earth moving need a little extra help they get it from their brothers who farm. They keep it in the family and don't hire outside help. The ones farming run JD combines, new about 4 or 5 years ago. 3 of them. It's a grain/beef operation. Another local wanted to farm but the family farm just wasn't big enough. He and his wife opened a business and ran it for years. When his parents passed and he got the farm he started farming. He's grown that to the point the last 10-15 years before they sold the business his wife ran that while he farmed. He's running a beef operation. He's well over 1000 acres but has to hire help. I'd call both of those family farms. I know a guy who farms a lot less acers with his parents. Organic. Don't laugh, they are making it work. He's a YT member too. IIRC about 40 acres. Veggies and poultry. I think a few sheep too. So that's a family farm too. If you don't want to work off the farm you either have to find a niche market, live a frugal lifestyle or have a lot of land.

As far as subsidies? Other than crop insurance and maybe disaster relief what subsidies? If it were not for those items a heck of a lot of family farms here today would have gone bust a long time ago.

Here what's normally referred to as a hobby farm is 40 acres or smaller with a few horses. They might even own a tractor that gets used for more than mowing lawn.

My BIL and nephew farm. Little over 1000 acres under tillage with several hundred more in pasture. Dairy, beef and grain. They hire help as needed but the nephew is the 3rd generation on that farm. No one I know suggest that because they hire help they ain't a family farm.

Rick

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