Future of farming.....

[tweety]

Two post above with totally different attitudes, one that is extremely positive about his future in farming and feels he can make a go of it, and the other that just ******* and complains about everything and post pictures of his new equipment and his crops and is never satisfied.

I agree with the positive poster's comments, and feel that as a farmer I really have it good compared to so many others trying to make a living. Some don't realize how good they have it.

Like.

[SASKFARMER3]

Yes tweety most farmers are ahead of the city mice. Yes we have it good compared to Oil workers or Mine guys etc. Yes most farms don't get passed three generation. Yes to all but every single BTO since I have started farming is Gone.

I tried yesterday to figure out who was left from the 60s 70s 80s 90s early 2000 to today. Lots of BTOs along the way all gone. Even my favourite big guy the red army is shutting down the Ag side. took the check and exited stage right. If these prices continue to deteriorate and the USA starts to help again the farmer were in for one rough ride. Also don't ever count out the Ukraine or Russia, My grandfathers said those areas are like garden of eden compared to Canada and if they wont communist they would of stayed. So if they ever get there shit together were sunk. China and them are friends. Also throw one more big crop around the world into the equation. Can any one guess the prices next fall. Positive is nice but reality bites and were in a cycle of lower prices. Its just that simple.

[tweety]

Lower prices then the highs as of late, but still pretty good. Prudent fiscal management results in a profitable operation regardless of size, the really big ones have always come and gone.

[binthere]

sk3. big difference between scam artists and progressive, efficient btos. the same as the difference between whiners and optimists.

[freewheat]

I am kind of scared to post this, lest some fellows take it completely wrong. But the future of farming depends on two main things.

1. How much land did your forefathers have in hand?

2. How has your weather been on your farm for the last 8 to 10 years.

Let me explain further, and to the fortunate guys, I do not mean this as a sleight, but you are dealt the hand you are dealt. Some are dealt a full house, some are dealt joker hands.

I have simply come to the realization lately, ( I wish to heck I would have thought it through ten years or more ago), I personally have no chance to compete for land, against the longstanding family farms around. There are way too many young farmers in the market around here. They are ALL funded by long paid for land. It is a hand that enables so much. It is a hand which disables some of the rest.

Guys dealt a good hand, can sneak through bad years easily. They have fewer labor issues. And so on, so their attitudes are extremely positive, farming is good!

Guys dealt tough hands, with tough weather etc., have far different attitudes.

I was dealt a joker hand. I have accepted I will never be one of the expanding farms, because of the impossibility to compete. So I am farming differently. I have to, or I will not be farming anymore.

Yes I have a sour attitude about grain farming and the future of it. They announce a new terminal 20 miles from home? My answer is truly, I could care less. A new butcher moves to town? Now that is exciting news.

I have a very positive attitude about where our farm is heading, provided I can hang on a year or two more to get profitability stronger.

The future of grain farming around here? Well, unless these young guys start marrying and having kids, they will be the final generation, and some kind of a shift will then take place, let me tell you. Foreign investors? Maybe I will buy it up at pennies on the dollar? lol Hard to say, but there is a pile of youngsters going hard, and they have no descendants.

My son says the grain farmers are all gunna get fat, because physical labor is quite rare anymore, and winter times are pretty slow on the beaches of Mexico and Hawaii. lol

But this is the same son who wants to buy my neighbors 95 John deere combine, so take it for what its worth! lol

[cottonpicken]

Free,totally understand you,really believe small and intense is viable,Pars could help.

What i was getting at was a paradigm shift in consumers and then industry like a and w then costco and all the other.

Its only all of you guys here that KNOW.KNOW we need to fertilize and spray a bit,christ i still remember the day i started seeing earth worms in my field again,but how the **** do get through the city slicks head?

[perfecho]

Believe that a simple thing like "don't desiccate for harvest" would help immensely. I have a problem with it....and I use chemicals for most other operations. First reply...trust science...well, science has screwed up quite a number of times. Trust instinct, its been around a lot longer ...kept the caveman alive.

[cottonpicken]

going on a tangent,people don't even know how important meat is to a diet,pregnant women in the south us buy clay in the grocery store,its the god damn minerals......they literally eat clay,who ever figures out the next line of fertilizers(minerals)is going to be a bajillionair.