Life on the farm … Is it worth it?

[grassfarmer]

.... cynicism replaced a lot of the blind drive to forge ahead no matter what...

Very familiar thoughts to me farma. To think I used to shake my head at all the old guys in agriculture that were cynical and somewhat bitter at their choice of occupation.

[Hopalong]

Have to wonder why they stayed at it if they did not enjoy it.
Maybe cases of saying one thing and doing another.

[parsley]

Life on the farm, is it worth it?


• there is no better place to raise children.
•there is nowhere you can find better neighbours.
• we are forced to save.
.•Farmer land-ownership Is a sure way to maintain a homogenous culture.
•Farming is interesting; oneness with nature.
•Farming provides a particulary wide selection of agronomic categories (potato, grain, livestock, etc); it also provides a wide selection of farming practices,
• land is a real asset. An enduring asset.
•there are only 127K Producers in Canada. Look at what they accomplish. I am so impressed.
•appreciate the rate at which farmers have embraced technology, education and skill.
•appreciate the general good-character of the farm population, itself.
•farming provides self-satisfaction.
• Good people are raised on farms. Think about that.

Is it worth it? Oh my. It is. Pars.

[grassfarmer]

Have to wonder why they stayed at it if they did not enjoy it.
Maybe cases of saying one thing and doing another.

It's not an easy thing to give up or get out of. Not like a worker at McDonalds that can quit on the Friday and start at Subway on the Monday.
Lots of peer pressure encouraging you to keep farming - to give up is to quit in the eyes of many. There is often an attachment to the land, perhaps multi-generational. You might be the last of a line of farmers, the first to sell out. Deciding to sell the farm is a big, complex decision involving lawyers, accountants potential inheritance squabbles and tax implications. There might be a farm sale to organize and if there is livestock that becomes more complicated. How does the ex farmer adapt to living in town, or even in a house with less acres around him to buffer him from neighbours? What'll happen to the farm dog and barn cats if you move to town? Are you ready to retire or are you looking for another job? Often agriculture is all farmers have ever done. It's often a love/hate relationship you might be glad to give up the stress of farming but have you something to fill the void when it's seeding time or calving time?

There are an awful lot of factors that make it just easier keeping on doing what you're doing because it's what you've always done and it's a lot easier than changing. The decision keeps getting put off for another day.

[fjlip]

But ...... there is still something i like about it
Especially when your out in a field on the spring and you can smell the dirt coming back to life
Or watching a new crop comin thru the ground
Could sell out here in a heartbeat but we are set up pretty good now and its kind of enjoyable
Enjoying our lifes work for a few more years and thatll be it
Hope we can sell the yard intact at the time , to a young fella , full of piss and vinegar
We work hard but its been good to us , cant lie
Sure feel bad for the guys that couldnt get done this year, it hurts , and it hurts all winter, been there to many times. Cant believe the rain and snow days some areas had
but you did your best , thats all you can do
Everyone gets their turn and mother nature proved that here in the NE this fall
She decided to give us a rare break , its luck and nothing more
Everyone works hard and goes any chance they get
Its luck , good or bad, plain and simple
Try and focus on the good stuff, numbnuts will pass
This useless entitled sask party will pass
Maybe someone like grant devine will come again and lead us out of this shitshow
A devine intervention if you will lol

Right about lots, and the NORTHEAST can really grow crops! All drier land farmers should desire our rich land with lots of moisture. You have it made! We are similar, agree the yard has value, hopefully someone needs it. Currently the WORK has never been easier, just the $ and cents are no longer fun for me.

[fjlip]

"Often agriculture is all farmers have ever done. It's often a love/hate relationship you might be glad to give up the stress of farming but have you something to fill the void when it's seeding time or calving time?"

That would be me, same spot on earth for 67 years...scary to stay and leave, one side has to win eventually.

[seldomseen]

I enjoy farming always have. Agree with what Case and Pars said. Would not trade for a job in town anytime.
Thankful I got the chance to farm!

[15444]

Very familiar thoughts to me farma. To think I used to shake my head at all the old guys in agriculture that were cynical and somewhat bitter at their choice of occupation.

That's what happens when your coddled and walk around with rose-colored glasses.

When your old man doesn't even give a shit whether your succeed or fail in life, you quickly realize that the rest of the world doesn't give a shit either! Makes farming a breeze!

[hobbyfrmr]

Reality check … we're all a bunch of nasty, cranky grain farmers. We hate the government, we hate the grain companies, we hate the railroads, we hate immigrants … ffs we even hate dairy farmers who are fortunate enough to get some help from government.
We're carrying too much hatred, too much debt, too much risk and we're not getting paid fairly for the grain we produce.
The whole world is conspiring against us, including turdo, ottawa, china, the united states, europe, chemical companies, seed companies, fertilizer companies, equipment manufacturers, the media, vegetarians, environmentalists, consumers, policy makers and climate change scientists. Even that naive and annoying 16-year-old girl from Sweden has become the target of our hatred.
Any way you dice it, it looks like we are screwed. So here's a solution. If you don't like your situation and its causing you too much stress, then sell out and let some one else deal with the misery. Most of us are sitting on hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars worth of real estate. If its so phucking bad in agriculture, then sell your land, get a job and live like the rest of the country — with a house, a mortgage, a vehicle or two, a paycheck once or twice a month, weekends off and no job security.
When I started farming, I don't remember any guarantees that everything would be perfect.
Being a happy hillbilly ain't easy nowadays. But being a miserable hillbilly for the rest of your life is even harder … it's also bad for your health and personal relationships.
So we can all make the choice. Stay in farming and make the best of it, or get out …
What's your choice?

A safe reliable supply of OxyContin seems to take the sharp edge off the world. Or a glass of red wine at dinner.

[furrowtickler]

Talk about missing the point.

Point is ???