Interesting read about Sheldon Zou, Andy Hu, Maxrop

[Hopperbin]

I can see how someone can fall in love with the comunity of Ogema. Very nice people and community, museum, people. Not sure about the Any Hu guy who is happy about his money, lol. Looks like Ogema is going to be the new China farm, China town china farm.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/seed-capital-how-immigrants-are-reshaping-saskatchewans-farmland/article4610589/?page=all

[Hopperbin]

Some Saskatchewan Humour.


The only province where farmers can pay any amount for their kids education and then when that was done kick them in balls(if have them) hard enough to send them to Alberta or BC. Glad my kids are not in that era.

[Hopperbin]

apparently no one thinks that is funny.

[Hopperbin]

I suck as a comedian

[ajl]

This article was referenced on this
website before. I like how the grope
and flail think the Chinese are so much
smarter than us dumb hicks on the
prairies right now. The Chinese are
going to unlock the riches off the sand
piles of Southern SK yessiree. I hope
for an interest rate increase so they
are holding the bag. Farming is the
ultimate inflationary play and the so
called farm boom was only due to QE 2
and nothing else. Relearning old
lessons.

[hobbyfrmr]

Farming ventures can be successful if you pump
enough money into it. They just require lot of
money at the start.

[newguy]

3 years ago Sask farmland was under valued and was an obvious investment. Since money has flowed into Sask not only young people are staying but coming back from Alberta. This is some comments from Brett the dragon on Dragons Den originally from Sask who also invested in Sask farmland. Not sure he is worth a billion but 100s of million for sure. Interview on Regina CTV.

[Oliver88]

Yeah it looks like Wilson and his venture own a
fair amount of land in Saskatchewan and Alberta:

www.westerninvestor.com/index.php/news/55-
features/764-land-values

[newguy]

He also said the old joke he heard in Alberta was What do you call a Saskatchewan person that moves to Alberta...Boss..He went on to say that the valuable young people are now staying in Saskatchewan . Personally I see more young rural kids interested in making a career in Saskatchewan agriculture than has been in 30 years. Money brings people People bring money.

[farmaholic]

Excerpt from Oliver88's link:

The Enquirica study says that by renting
out farmland to real farmers, "a
Canadian investor in farmland can look
forward to reliable cash-flow on the
order of 6 per cent to 7 per cent,
without operational risk."

"REAL FARMERS"??? Really. No
operational risk, what if one day they
can't find a tenant? What about
investment risk, who's to say land
prices won't correct?

[hobbyfrmr]

Well, just hire a farmer of the year. That is one business model. Sell the land you own and buy good high capacity machinery and then call up the investors. Rent all the land you can, capitalize on efficiencies and economies of scale. Build a massive house on your home quarter.
Then retire a multi millionaire at 45 yrs old. Very smart.
At 45, and a millionaire, a person can now utilize their experience, skill set, and the network they have built for a career change. Maybe board of directors/agronomic consultant/coach, or just plain old manager.

[farmaholic]

Hobby: That is enough sarcasm for a
Sunday morning. Unless you were serious.

[hobbyfrmr]

Farmaholic, at first it was sarcastic, but by the time I finished, there is truth to it.
I think there is a living salary in advising/consulting new immigrant investors to get them up and running.
I also think there is a living in the business model of doing the custom work for these investors. A person owns decent equipment they use the provincial custom rates guide as the fee for service. They can "farm" without land. It was being done. I do think big farmers retire millionaires. Why else would they do it? I see a pattern, that these guys go to it with eyes wide open. Hitter hard for a decade and be cashed up by 45-55 yrs. old. No more of this farming until your 80 baloney like the grandparents. Just like a working man the goal is freedom 55 then enjoy life.

[hobbyfrmr]

I am not for, or against these things. Just an observation of patterns in ag. This is one business model that has been chosen and utilized. I am aware of the end goal, just never been privy to the real end result.

[phoenix64]

hobby, the whole custom idea from preseed burnoff to hauling the grain to terminal (and everyting in between)won't fly to expensive to the investor/landowner. They will continue to rent out to whomever can pay the bill and when that dries up they will sell. Never seen custom work catch on big time in any area with the exception of harvesting on the great plains, though mainly in the u.s.