A Closer Look at Agriculture in 2010 with Gary Pike

[shaney]

Gary Pike is the founder of the Pike Management Group and has a fabulous reputation for helping farmers become more efficient, productive and profitable. I know several farmers that are members of Gary’s group and speak very highly of his data platform and business management advice. As many of you are experiencing, farming has become a business and is no longer just about production. In order to be a successful farmer you must have all the same business and management skills that it takes to run any other business.

I asked Gary what he thinks will happen with cropping intentions, interest rates and the currency in 2010. We also chat about what he is seeing as the characteristics of the most successful farmers.

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[freewheat]

Is this THE Gary Pike? You know the guy who told us that $1200 phos was a bargain? ETC ETC ETC.

[Hopperbin]

Interesting when asked about successful clients he gives only one, Youngs. Then you need 6 to 7 thousand acres min. I suppose he would recommend renting them all I don't know. Then must think about expanding in 7000 acre increments, LOL no explanation needed. Then farming different plots 400 miles apart is the best risk managment. LOL I laugh my ass off.

[shaney]

what are some of your thoughts on what makes farms successful today in Western canada.

[gregpet]

Become a seed grower. Pollute the seed. Then require all farmers to buy certified seed ;-)

[cottonpicken]

Heavy Land

[skhadenuf]

Well according to someone on here, even if you recieved no rain all year, froze june10th and august 15, hailed out 100%, had 24 inches of rain in late august for 5 years straight it wouldn't matter all you'd need is a good accountant, and you can go from a 3 quarter farmer to 7000 acres and have it all paid off in no time as long as your acccountant is a good one and can scam every program available.
Or git yourself suited up with the first nations a banker from ontario scam every program available.
Or get suited up with a provincial government convince the government and farmers to build hog barns for you let the farmers fight amongst themselves whether they want the barns or not convince the government things aren't going so good so get them to help you scam every program available then oneday say you need to expand and that night take out all the money from the corporation, next morning declare bankruptcy screw all those farmers that supported you by not paying them for the grain they delivered. then scam cais because you lost money and convince those that you screwed to keep hauling cause man I've got a deal for you boys.
Oh yeah did I mention scam every program you can!
Finally keep driving your kid to hockey no matter how far or how shitty he really is keep going and driving because you never know those Maple Leafs just may see something that no one in any rink of any province that he's played in may see, that's likely your best shot.

[lesm]

What is Gary Pike's background and where did he acquire his expertize?

[seabass]

Hopper I think he meant being "young" not "the Youngs". Either way I think he has to understand where a farm is situated. Not only geographically but financially when he says 6-7000 acres. Doing the things they promote at Pike means taking on more debt and alot more risk in the short term and by that I mean 10-15 years. If your not into that they're not for you. He has great ideas and points about where Ag is headed but getting there takes the co-operation of mother nature. One or two stumbles in that department and 60 or 70 years of Dads hard work is shot to shit.

[Hopperbin]

Success is
create quality family life.
Generate income enough to live on comfortably.
Eliminate as much stress as possible so live longer.
Securing retirement income.
Leave something for the kids when your gone.

A successful farmer will get his work done on time. Not be expanded beyond his ability to manage. Know his costs.
Know his profits. Understand risk.
Manage his risk. And fire an accountant at least once every 3 years.
But come on this is not rocket science. It is simple adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
How can one not understand cost of production? Selling for profit/loss? Its much harder to learn the new air drill adjustments these days. No doubt Saskfarmer3 farm is a very efficient farm but it is not for everyone.

[furrowtickler]

Shane, you need to get out and away from the "starlight". Gary Pike could not make it farming on his own so now he convinces others how too. Look around you, there are thousands of successfull farms all around that are in no way and never will be involved with Pike or One Earth for that matter.
Successfull farm - Anyone who is still in the game after going a decades battle with mother nature - on their own.
- Farms that consistantly produce high yeilds of top quality grain year after year even when mother nature is not on side.
- Family farms who are three to four generations strong without any investor help of any kind. Think about that real hard.
- Farmers who are community builders and stand up for the right to be a farmer, independent from outside influances.
- Farmers who manage their land base efficiently and maximise their machienery and labour regardless of land base.
I would put up some family run farms against any Pike run farm any day, any where.
Don't get me wrong there are successfull farms under Pike's Utopia, but remember onr thing he will try to convince you of anything to be in the spotlight, that's his job, the more acres under his wing the more money he makes. But do not ever forget to have a look down the road anywhere in Western Canada if you need a lesson on a successfull farm.
Example - Local family run farm - 95% of the crop in the bin with huge yeilds and dry.
- Corperate run farm - only 40% harvested dry, 30-50% less yeilds, 50% of the crop ended up poorer quality - grade loss, heated, spoiled ext. Huge drying costs and full time babysiting "out of condition" grain.
There are many successfully run family farms who would make some of Pike's clients look like third world bannana republic's.
Soory for the rant but many farmers on here and through out Western Canada are far more efficient and successfull than any corperate farm design.

[shaney]

I wasn't suggesting that you have to be a member
of Gary's group to be successful.

I was just looking for someone's opinion on what
makes farms successful and Gary is a highly
successful farm consultant who provides greta
insight. Some stuff I agreed with and some I didn't.

I have some friends that farm 3000 acres and I
would consider them one of the most successful
mixed farm in Western Canada. I do not believe
that you have to be big to make it work. I believe
you have to be smart and willing to adapt to change
to take advantage of opportunities.

[shaney]

Do you think that successful farms in Western Canada
still need to be mixed or one dimensional

[furrowtickler]

Depends on the term one dimensional?
As far as my comments, maybe a little over the top, but I am sick and tired of "experts" telling us that we must farm at least 8 or 10 or 15 thousand or what ever number they arive at, just to be viable - that is B/S.

[Hopperbin]

Perhaps Young Living Farms

http://www.younglivingfarms.com/

Success would be trying that Lavander honey salmon recipe.