Combines Getting Started

[parttimer]

I think what the guys are telling you is that it is hard to get started and then harder to stay in it. Hard not impossible. If so why do we have so manyIJ I started about 5 years ago. I have an uncle that was_is farming for 17 years and he said the same as the guys above play golf, fish or anything but farming. I made the choice that I wanted to farm not full time but part-time for now. The two pieces of advice to give in my limited time in the game. 1st find an older farmer who may retire in the next five years and help him. I found most, as on this show, will help if asked. May have to work for free, but the experience will payoff. The profit margin is too small to wing it and learn by mistakes. Plus the investment in equipment will eat you up. Maybe have a few acres that are yours and trade him equipment usage for your time helping him. If you are going to do this maybe by the tractor (used) to match his other equipment. If a tractor goes by human error that could hurt the relationship (plows, drills, cultivators are easier and cheaper to repair). The older farmers around here love to talk and teach to someone that wants to learn but the young one must WANT to work hard and be RElIABlE. Good help is hard to find. The 2nd advice would be treating it as a business. You need to watch the cashflow and debt. On anything I do i.e. planting a certain crop, buying equipment, adding acres I pencil it out both is it realistic with the prices and yields to plant that type or another crop. On the debt, make sure you do not overextend oneself. I am not sure what this is but look at the cashflow. I always make may payments for the longest period, because you can payoff early if we hit a good year but it is not good to get behind. Sometimes you find it may pay to plant a cheaper less yielding crop just to help keep expenses low. For example this year beans in N. Texas may yield less and may gross less than corn but look at fertilizer costsIJ One can start farming and get into it slowly and make a go of it and if you can supplement the farm with the outside work $, then you move alittle faster. These low price going to change some day and you have to play the game to get the reward. If I breakeven each year and cashflow I am happy until that day high prices and yields. like I said I have a good full time job and know that the full timers must do better to support their families. It is tough right now, but most would do it again if pressed hard to tell the truth because it gets in your blood and just cannot stop like Buck fever. This is my opinion any other comments. Parttimer

 

[cb]

Good you have a plan. Starting early is good but

 

[chevytruck_fan]

thanks for the advice, will keep it in mind, its nice to have people to give you advice and guide you and I will definantly keep your email and tell you how I do. I have already pruchased some stock and will look into starting an IRA also. And I'll keep driving my 81 Chevy with 332,000 miles to save money too, hehe thanks again Adam

 

[chevytruck_fan]

thanks I will definantly look into this, sounds like a great program, especially that it might keep the farm land out of developers hands, and keep them as agriculture land! thanks again Adam

 

[deerelover]

yes you have too love it ! too do it but what better way of life then too bring children up on a farm IJ my wife is from the city and says she wishes she lived on a farm when she was a kid ! i think farming will get better but it's going too take time ..we just need too figure out how we can stick together and get our prices up ! just don't get in over your head take your time and be small learn all you can thengrow as you learn ! best of luck !!!!!!!!

 

[cb]

Excellent insight... Parttimer I have come to the conclusion that the only I can start is to

 

[erndog]

three comments for what they are worth: 1) dont quit your day job benefits it provides willbe important to you and your family, 2)give up any aspirations you have of ever becoming rich (especially from farming) in a monetary sense, and, 3)compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe (supposedly proclaimed by a fella named einstein).

 

[weber]

All I can really say is good luck to you. It is a very hard business to make it in today. I am 25yrs old and my family has been in the business since 1947, there has been good years and very bad ones also. The one thing what allows me to keep doing it is the clientel that my grandfather and my father have put together over the years. We quit doing the whole wheat run in 82 and just harvested locally untill 97 and have been back out on the road and it has been an uphill battle all the way. We did manage to get 3 jobs back what we had in the past though. I would suggest you try getting with a harvester who is quiting and try to get his equipment and run hopefully you could have a few connections for yourself what would help. All it really takes is being in the right place at the right time the way things are looking for next harvest dont sound to promising. I wish you luck we need people to continue doing it and hopefully younger ones..

 

[Wade]

Did your family run Gleaners through southwest SD in the 70's and early 80'sIJ There was a custom cutter with the last name Weber that used to come through my hometown.

 

[weber]

No that wasnt my family that is Ron Weber out of lone Wolf Oklahoma, he is still in the harvesting business and he still runs Gleaners. My family has always run International now CaseIh. It is kinda funny we both cut in the same stop in Oklahoma and my fathers name is also Ron Weber, some coincedence huhIJ