EVERYONE I talk to remembers getting big snowfalls in April and May. NO ONE I
talk to remembers having below zero highs, half the winter snowfall left, and
8 foot treeline drifts still intact in May. That is the difference for you
guys who think it is not too bad. This is unprecedented, so it is hard to
guess when it will be time to seed.
As far as the 100 bucks being a gold mine until the next harvest, remember
this. It is 18 months until the next revenue stream. Rent is more or less half
of that 100 bucks. Other payments, fixing ruts, broken hitches, expensive tow
straps, leached nitrogen, cost of tillage, herbicide etc. to keep the land in
shape for the year, cuts that original 100 dollars down to nothing. Nothing to
live on. So then you pretend like you are an old established farmer with grain
in the bin, but wait there is none, cuz you never farmed in the 70's or 80's.
All I am saying, is that 100 dollars disappears and fast. As I have said
before, I am a frugal bugger. I can tighten my belt, spend less and get
through. I am not asking for extra government aid.
The part many do not fathom, or seem to care to fathom, is that this is an
ongoing problem, not just a year or two. This has been 7 years of watery hell
on earth. That is what makes it so financially miserable. I personally have
not seeded all my land since 2008. And 2006 and 2007 were also unseeded years.
That is the problem in some of these areas. If it were a single year, it would
be almost fun, and a tiny blip on the balance sheet. But year after year, it
gets financially tough, mentally impossible, and frustrating beyond
understanding.
Sorry about the rant, not looking for sympathy at all. I am hoping to bring
some reality to the situation for those that do not seem to get it.
I am a big boy, I will make do. But many are not big boys yet, and have a lot
of useless iron debt, household debt, etc. So when you hear the screaming for
more aid, it will be them, not me. Please remember that!!!
Any way, I should go and try to move a bit of snow; my favorite thing to try
to do when the ground under it is soft and spongy!!!
talk to remembers having below zero highs, half the winter snowfall left, and
8 foot treeline drifts still intact in May. That is the difference for you
guys who think it is not too bad. This is unprecedented, so it is hard to
guess when it will be time to seed.
As far as the 100 bucks being a gold mine until the next harvest, remember
this. It is 18 months until the next revenue stream. Rent is more or less half
of that 100 bucks. Other payments, fixing ruts, broken hitches, expensive tow
straps, leached nitrogen, cost of tillage, herbicide etc. to keep the land in
shape for the year, cuts that original 100 dollars down to nothing. Nothing to
live on. So then you pretend like you are an old established farmer with grain
in the bin, but wait there is none, cuz you never farmed in the 70's or 80's.
All I am saying, is that 100 dollars disappears and fast. As I have said
before, I am a frugal bugger. I can tighten my belt, spend less and get
through. I am not asking for extra government aid.
The part many do not fathom, or seem to care to fathom, is that this is an
ongoing problem, not just a year or two. This has been 7 years of watery hell
on earth. That is what makes it so financially miserable. I personally have
not seeded all my land since 2008. And 2006 and 2007 were also unseeded years.
That is the problem in some of these areas. If it were a single year, it would
be almost fun, and a tiny blip on the balance sheet. But year after year, it
gets financially tough, mentally impossible, and frustrating beyond
understanding.
Sorry about the rant, not looking for sympathy at all. I am hoping to bring
some reality to the situation for those that do not seem to get it.
I am a big boy, I will make do. But many are not big boys yet, and have a lot
of useless iron debt, household debt, etc. So when you hear the screaming for
more aid, it will be them, not me. Please remember that!!!
Any way, I should go and try to move a bit of snow; my favorite thing to try
to do when the ground under it is soft and spongy!!!
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