Posted by Iowa Corn and hogs on August 27, 2010 at 16:32:00 from (75.104.160.54):
In Reply to: Mega farmers posted by flying belgian on August 26, 2010 at 21:28:24:
I do about like Ia Gary as far as talking to landowners.
I have a degree in Ag Economics and another in Agronomy. I took some large--very large--but highly calculated risks early in my career and they paid off. I always do as the numbers say I can do, not what my emotions may want.
I have never had a new vehicle or a new piece of machinery. That's not to say I haven't bought a lot of late-model, low-houred stuff, because I have and still do all the time. I usually buy outright and sell my excess stuff rather than trade.
I do what works for me, not what the neighbors do.
I NEVER go see a family in grief--I know it costs me some opportunity, but I have to live with myself, too.
I send my helpers to the neighbors when they are in a bind, and some of them remember that when the need a tenant.
I raise LOTS of livestock in a mainly cash-grain area. Manure is my main fertilizer.
I do all of the chores myself on Sundays and holidays. I sometimes lay awake at night worrying about the markets, or how to fill a key position when someone leaves abruptly. Sometimes I feel I spend more time managing people more than I actually work at raising crops and livestock. Margins are thin--I need a gross of 2 million to make it all work. I have paid income taxes every year I have farmed except one.
The headaches I have are self-inflicted since I grew my operation to the size it is out of my own free will, but it has been a tremendous amount of work. When you are "at the lake", or just watching tv at night, I am most likely looking at my numbers trying to become more efficient and hopefully more profitable.
I skip that new car, new pickup, nice vacation, etc, and use the money as a down payment on something with a positive ROI.
I have not, or will not ever, inherit anything but a good work ethic.
Try it sometime, it is not as easy as you might think.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Grain Threshing in the Early 40's - by Jerry D. Coleman. How many of you can sit there and say that you have plowed with a mule? Well I would say not many, but maybe a few. This story is about the day my Grandfather Brown (true name) decided along with my parents to purchase a new Ford tractor. It wasn't really new except to us. The year was about 1967 and my father found a good used Ford 601 tractor to use on the farm instead of "Bob", our old mule. Now my grandfather had had this mule since the mid 40's and he was getting some age on him. S
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
