What Happened???

[freewheat]

I have a burning question that has been on my mind a lot lately.

Is there still anyone out there who raises there own meat? Milk? Eggs? Gardens?

I have 4 young kids, 3 quarter horses, and fences. I have struggled with farming, and many of you will remember my trials this year as I had posted specifics earlier. The money just is never there, I have a poorish set-up for farming, limited land, and I am tired of fighting to put the next crop in.
So my question is, what happened to the old ways? Why such a rat race now? Are we too good to raise a couple pigs, chickens and have a decent sized garden? It seems such a lost art. We ALL have land where we could raise some food. What holds us back? Time?

I for my kids sake plan on getting a couple pigs to feed up, some laying hens, some roaster birds, and a steer. Am I out to lunch? Should I not do this? Why did we as farmers quit doing this? It can't be time, because I can feed a pig and chickens in about 10 minutes.

So I guess I want someone to step up and tell me how out to lunch I am, or some such thing.

I must say I am a high input type farmer, I am clean, am smartish, (i think lol) and don't necessarily want to farm with 3020's, but neither do I want ALL the land that is there. i just want good meat, chores for my soon to be lazy kids, an actual farm with animals on it so they can see what farming is to me supposed to be like, and in the process save a little money.

Does anyone follow my thoughts? I want to continue to farm as I have, hopefully catch a lucky break to get me more established, but dang I miss some of the old ways...

Fire Away with your thoughts. And thanks for reading along with my thoughts...

[SASKFARMER3]

Hey good to here from you we do have a large garden all look after from potatos to celery cabage tomatos for salsa etc. My kids enjoy it its there baby with grampas help. Beef and Bizon get from neighbor for cleaning etc. Also we plant a few new fruit trees each year from g****s to apples to cheries. Its fun way to stay conected even if its got a cost.

[Burbert]

The neighbours are leaving each and every day too, gone to the city to retire. The land is empty, except for magpies, crows, ravens, coyotes and a few mice. Big empty spaces everywhere. Nobody talks or waves to each other any more. Global economy rules, get outta my way or I'll run you down. Everbody fer themselves. The only ones doin well, are egg and dairy people, with plenty a marketing power. Grain guys and cow guys, are self destructin, cousin we're so independent. Whats left, hobby farms and acreages, da people all work in town er the city, er drive a truck er have pensions sos to keep agoin. Pig chickens, cows and turkey guys are long gone. Butt we all have gardens. Ever tried to grow a turnip, worms in em, due to pollution from canolie. Yup buyer in the store is all you kin do, cause wife doesn't want to wash dirty veggies...........

[rockpile]

Just a couple of thoughts: first, Burbert I appreciate
and understand your viewpoint, but geez Louise,
sometimes you even wear me down - way too many
negative vibes! Why do you continue to farm if you
are that unhappy?
Freewheat - I see nothing wrong whatsoever in
your approach. When I was growing up a long time
ago, what you describe was actually the 'norm'. And
what's wrong with farming with a 3020 if it
provides you with the ability and means to sustain
your standard of living and achieve your goals? Just
a caution though on the lighter side, I had a friend
from the city who moved to an acreage just so he
could have fresh milk, beef, and eggs. When he sat
down and figured it out, each egg was costing him
about 1 dollar. lol!
The current outcome of todays farm status has its'
roots in a number of historical events, one being
the global economy and the successful
implementation of vertical integration with has
placed the primary producer at the bottom of the
food chain with absolutely no means of pricing in
his cost of production. The second has been
government policy which starting in the eighties
aimed at eliminating two thirds of producers born
on the assumption that bigger was better,
economies of scale would make the remainder
more profitable and thus eliminate all govt support,
and the third event was the brainwashing by agro
business that if you didn't buy the latest and
greatest technology and equipment - why then you
were just a banjo plucker sitting on a bridge
somewhere. Where has this lead to? Rural
depopulation and loss of sustainable resources
(schools and hospitals for example) and even more
social and financial requirements to sustain the few
that are still left. Good luck with your ideals,
Freewheat.
Rockpile

[gustgd]

Good on you for the pigs and chickens although I would think it's not a money saver unless you can butcher yourself.
I am getting some hogs this summer for many of the same reasons,and my wife keeps a garden.

As far as farming the way you have been, if you are not happy with the results now. What makes you think things will change?

[dalek]

Might want to check out www.homesteadingtoday.com

We have a garden, lots of fruit trees and bushes. Lots of wild berries and crabapples. Milk 50 cows on top of crops so we have our own milk and beef. Got a beekeeper with a big yard right in the middle of the farm, he gives us 30lbs of honey a year for rent. Amish neighbours keep us in eggs and baking in exchange for my wife taking them along when she goes for groceries so they can get theirs too. Uncle has pigs, he rents my no-till drill for his winter wheat and pays partially in pork. I don't have much time for hunting myself so I have plenty of people hunting the farm slipping us some wild turkey, venison, bear meat that I've fattened up for them.

[dalek]

Get to know the guys that drive the bread trucks if you can. Our Amish friend introduced us to the guy that has the route here, he has discretion over what bread he pulls off the shelves and "disposes" of so he stops at their house every Saturday. Most of the bread he's dumping hasn't even reached it's best before date, stick it in the freezer and it's good to go. Haven't paid for bread, buns, wraps, sub buns, bagels, English muffins for months now, and the ones that are stale go to the pigs and chickens at her house. Her kids will only eat white bread and a few kinds of buns so that leaves lots of choice for us. (Yeah who woulda thunk Amish kids would grow up picky?)

[btjadenlepp]

we moved our family out of the city to an acreage last summer, in order to have exactly that lifestyle. we got here in time to get the berries and the applese off, pies and some baby food in the freezer. next step is planting the garden and fixing the fence in order to board a friend's horse; after that a few chickens and a 4-h cow.

we don't 'farm' commercially and we probably never will again, but since we were both raised on farms we always felt a pull to the lifestyle. running a winnipeg-based small business means we can't be too far away from the downtown office but the longer commute time is well worth the effort.

our kids already appreciate the fresh air, peace and quiet, freedom and space. with chores and a few animals to tend, we hope not to have to try teaching responsibility verbally anymore. it's been easier to grow a community here too.

if we measure it in $ per carrot there's no question this is costing us something but everyone pays a 'price' for the lifestyle they want. i could also find some other way to measure the move from city to country that shows we're money ahead.

but what's most important is that this is right for us, it is sensible, and consistent with current trends. my vancouver cousins can't believe how we live, it's like a fairy tale to them.

[freewheat]

Hey, I sure appreciate the responses. I think some of you think I farm with 3020's though. LOL It is nice to see many of you "get it". If these loony ideas of mine were soley for financial reasons I would not do it though I do think it can be cost effective to a small extent. Mr. Gust, I plan to butcher myself, I am a hunter and such so I am comfertable with blood and gore. As well, when I say I plan to continue farming how I have been, and expect success, I do not mean that I feel I'm doing much wrong. It is the weather mostly, as well as having to start as a young (16) chap with no dad, no financial aid in any way, and no free labour, advice, etc.. But as I say it has been mostly a weather issue for me since 2004. 2004 frost killed me. 2005 the wet years started. 2006 seeded 110 acres of HRS, rest was too wet. 2007 got in 130 acres of airplane seeded canola, 2008 poorish crop due toexcess moisture and flooding, and finally we had a great crop in 2009 when grain prices crapped. I am in an excellent historical growing area, its just been really crappy for too many years in a row, yet all through the farms history IE my gramps from the late 20's, my dad from the 50's to the late 80's the weather was more certain in this region. Heck, the dirty 30's, the supposed 1988 drought, and the dry 2001-03 years we had excellent crops. Just lately she sucks. Just a clarifier!!! Long winded and such I know, but that is why I feel at some point my fortune will change...

Back to topic, I found a neighbor who bought 300 laying hens and needs some wheat and oats, and will trade me a couple steers for some feed. In return for a finished pork in the fall, of course. Ahhhhh, just such a hillbilly way to deal. I love it. Reminds me, found a receipt dad had from the 1960's for sale of 19 bushels of dumont or some such oat seed. 19 BUSHELS. ROTFLMAO

[Burbert]

It is the land and family that PULL you back to the farm, the life style. Certainly not the hard work, or the chance to be a hard nosed manager, constantly making angribusiness decisions. That part sucks big time. Take the enjoyment that you kin get from the farm. By the way also enjoy watchin the big guys scrapin and chiseling their way through the days. Envy their shiny new stuff and big operations, but not their bills and payments, must be hell, unless they are gettin a very, very, very special deal from their angribusiness friends......

[fjlip]

Deals only last so long, business needs profit. Are you thinking too big for banks to allow you to fail? Every auction calendar has huge near new machinery in large auctions. Must be some stories out there about too big too fast.

[wmoebis]

I don't know, but by the way most talk is that they have just made enough money they can sell thier machinery for 3 or 4 mill and sell or rent out thier land so the next 2 maybe 3 generations can retire on part time jobs. Vacation 2 or 3 times a year in exotic lands, go sking and boating.

[Hopperbin]

New hired man met one retired land lord the other day. When he pulled into the yard with the grain truck he was sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the yard. His wife dragged him to town almost a year ago now.
Actually I thought the wife was crazy when she wanted to raise eggs just for ourselves, but when the fox got the last one I realized really how poor the store eggs are. The city guy with the one dollar cost per egg is really funny. Our eggs cost next to nothing, the chickens fed themselves with all the spilled grain around. Even ate some of the bugs in the garden.
Just now have to take care of the rat that moved into under the chicken coop.

[parsley]

Made enough money on machinery? Ducky.

Well, perhaps.....

But the net income of farmers in Saskatchewan tell adifferent story. A black and white Revenue Canada story.....

Hmmm. Pars

[dalek]

Apparently I'm going to pick up 8 "free" chickens for eggs tomorrow. Kids cooked this up. All have names, had to fill out a stinking adoption application from the retired couple that are giving them up to make sure we're a "suitable home" for their pets.

SO the eggs are going to be closer to home.