Farm magazine articles

[Sheepwheat]

So I ate breakfast this morning as I do, iPad in hand, as usual, perusing news and items of interest. Girls got mail yesterday and in it were two farming mags, ‘farming better’ and ‘farming for tomorrow’.

I sighed. I knew from the cover, what would be in the pages. More of the same old, same old.

Which was confirmed upon cracking them open.

X and y farm seven million acres, blah blah blah. Expanded their acres, blah blah blah.

Why can we never see stories about up and coming people doing it differently? I have a friend who is starting out farming, no family backing, no established business, no land. I like what he is doing. I think he will succeed. Raising cattle. Marketing differently. Using old machinery. Using auction sale fence materials.

But no, x and y with their seven million acres takes precedence. Because that is working so well, is revitalizing our communities, putting more folks on the land. Pffft.

We need more ppl on the land, not fewer. We should be encouraging ppl like my friend who are breaking the mould. Instead all we hear is seven million acres, precision ag, fungicide for profit, blah blah blah.

Is size all that we see as being successful? More stuff to take with us when we die?

I’m writing the editors to ask if they are open to other ideas for future mags. Do small farmers have anything to contribute? Does the typical grow bigger farmer somehow have more insight, more sway in their voice?

I know quite a few small and new farmers with some pretty cool ideas, making it on their own without borrowed money, without government money. Can we not learn from them? How about the one quarter farm raising yaks for meat? The one quarter farm putting their meat products on restaurant plates in Saskatoon? The 80 acre farm producing goat cheese? The 40 acre garlic farm? The ten acre market garden?The Berkshire pork farm? The cricket farmer? These stories would encourage new entrants, it would let them see there IS a way to become a farmer, without following the seemingly set in stone, must have millions of acres to farm, with a fleet of machinery worth more than they can imagine.

We need more farmers not fewer. Let’s help the small and different idea ppl get going. Not belittle them and act arrogant towards them. I am letting my friend run cows on my land for free. I am also giving him some feed that I don’t need so he can get a bit of a leg up.

What are you all doing to help out the different thinkers in the industry? Farming and our rural communities will not be revitalized by worshipping and trying to be just like the big and “successful” farms. It will be revitalized by making a way for new farmers to farm. It will be revitalized by different ideas in how to grow and market food and other products. It will be revitalized only if we get more people back on the land. We ‘established farmers’ should be helping them.

If we don’t change our tune, this rural landscape is going to completely empty out of souls. Do we want that?

Thanks for listening...

[GDR]

I did see the other day an advertisement for a seminar and one of the guest speakers had the title of "From 5000 to 50acres" I didnt investigate but gather it was a shift from commercial farming to specialized brewery operation so there is some stories like that.

Nothing wrong with either program, large scale or small scale specialized as long as when you ask yourself why are you doing it this way you are comfortable with your answer.

[Blaithin]

Does the typical grow bigger farmer somehow have more insight, more sway in their voice?

Yes.

I’ve run into few farmers in person whom I can ask different questions of. Such questions are always looked at as silly or dumb and I’m told they won’t work or they just aren’t worth the labour involved. Hell, I’ve been told it’s easier to not rent out a fenced quarter of arable for fall grazing after the crop is off because of the hassle of renting apparently. Much easier to just let the fences disintegrate and not have a second income from that quarter?

According to farmers I speak to, anything out of the norm is just a waste of time. It’s only when I browse online that I can find the odd farmer that’s trying to make a go of it doing something a bit more alternative. I have no idea how io and comers got going and discussed new ideas before the internet let us find each other!

On the topic of seminars, I find it aggravating that “regenerative” or “alternative” or whatever label they use, speakers charge an arm and a leg to see them talk. I’m small, I’m just starting, I sure as hell don’t have thousands of dollars budgeted to go see people talk about how they do things.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Yes.

I’ve run into few farmers in person whom I can ask different questions of. Such questions are always looked at as silly or dumb and I’m told they won’t work or they just aren’t worth the labour involved. Hell, I’ve been told it’s easier to not rent out a fenced quarter of arable for fall grazing after the crop is off because of the hassle of renting apparently. Much easier to just let the fences disintegrate and not have a second income from that quarter?

According to farmers I speak to, anything out of the norm is just a waste of time. It’s only when I browse online that I can find the odd farmer that’s trying to make a go of it doing something a bit more alternative. I have no idea how io and comers got going and discussed new ideas before the internet let us find each other!

On the topic of seminars, I find it aggravating that “regenerative” or “alternative” or whatever label they use, speakers charge an arm and a leg to see them talk. I’m small, I’m just starting, I sure as hell don’t have thousands of dollars budgeted to go see people talk about how they do things.

How else do you expect them to cashflow their regenerative farming operation without charging someone else to tell them how to do it.
Poke, poke.

[Blaithin]

How else do you expect them to cashflow their regenerative farming operation without charging someone else to tell them how to do it.
Poke, poke.

The farm could probably support itself fine.

The obscene fees would help pay for all the people running and working at the farm since the guys have to galavant around the world.

But if one were to use the fees as a judgement for how poorly the farms are really doing... how much extra support they need... there’s a couple big names who must absolutely suck tits at farming.

[fjlip]

"If we don’t change our tune, this rural landscape is going to completely empty out of souls. Do we want that?"

I absolutely hate the way rural is going, but can't stop a freight rain, the old ways are gone, low or stagnant commodity/livestock prices dictate SCALE! HUGE machinery available to cover acres. Maybe easy credit? Certainly my greatest disappointment is with elevator/rail rationalization for savings farmers NEVER got, but costs increased buying super b's and fuel repairs and depreciation for 50 mile hauls. And of course the highways are crap in few short years. I am glad to be near career end because it is not a nice EMPTY DEAD TOWNS future. All the infrastructure build in last 60-80 years will go the way of 1000's of prairie sentinels...into the burning pit! And when there is no population, no votes, gravel roads will be the norm. Feel sorry for young guys, sh*t are they busy/burning out fast.

[farmaholic]

Birds of a feather flock together. I believe people's goals are based on the company they keep.

Relatives and friends have a big influence on each other around here.

Joneses syndrome.

What drives someone to want to manage 20-30,000 acres? 70+,000¿

To each their own....I won't begrudge them if they don't belittle me.

Oh yea, none of those operations are a one man show....you better surround yourself with good managers and operators.

One day we will all return to where we came from.

[the big wheel]

So I ate breakfast this morning as I do, iPad in hand, as usual, perusing news and items of interest. Girls got mail yesterday and in it were two farming mags, ‘farming better’ and ‘farming for tomorrow’.

I sighed. I knew from the cover, what would be in the pages. More of the same old, same old.

Which was confirmed upon cracking them open.

X and y farm seven million acres, blah blah blah. Expanded their acres, blah blah blah.

Why can we never see stories about up and coming people doing it differently? I have a friend who is starting out farming, no family backing, no established business, no land. I like what he is doing. I think he will succeed. Raising cattle. Marketing differently. Using old machinery. Using auction sale fence materials.

But no, x and y with their seven million acres takes precedence. Because that is working so well, is revitalizing our communities, putting more folks on the land. Pffft.

We need more ppl on the land, not fewer. We should be encouraging ppl like my friend who are breaking the mould. Instead all we hear is seven million acres, precision ag, fungicide for profit, blah blah blah.

Is size all that we see as being successful? More stuff to take with us when we die?

I’m writing the editors to ask if they are open to other ideas for future mags. Do small farmers have anything to contribute? Does the typical grow bigger farmer somehow have more insight, more sway in their voice?

I know quite a few small and new farmers with some pretty cool ideas, making it on their own without borrowed money, without government money. Can we not learn from them? How about the one quarter farm raising yaks for meat? The one quarter farm putting their meat products on restaurant plates in Saskatoon? The 80 acre farm producing goat cheese? The 40 acre garlic farm? The ten acre market garden?The Berkshire pork farm? The cricket farmer? These stories would encourage new entrants, it would let them see there IS a way to become a farmer, without following the seemingly set in stone, must have millions of acres to farm, with a fleet of machinery worth more than they can imagine.

We need more farmers not fewer. Let’s help the small and different idea ppl get going. Not belittle them and act arrogant towards them. I am letting my friend run cows on my land for free. I am also giving him some feed that I don’t need so he can get a bit of a leg up.

What are you all doing to help out the different thinkers in the industry? Farming and our rural communities will not be revitalized by worshipping and trying to be just like the big and “successful” farms. It will be revitalized by making a way for new farmers to farm. It will be revitalized by different ideas in how to grow and market food and other products. It will be revitalized only if we get more people back on the land. We ‘established farmers’ should be helping them.

If we don’t change our tune, this rural landscape is going to completely empty out of souls. Do we want that?

Thanks for listening...

When you say mailing it on their own new farmers without loans you mean they were given a land base a house and equipment right? Because anyone with enough cash for that wouldn’t be risking that money on a new farm.

[Sheepwheat]

When you say mailing it on their own new farmers without loans you mean they were given a land base a house and equipment right? Because anyone with enough cash for that wouldn’t be risking that money on a new farm.

No. I mean ppl who are renting land to run a few cattle for example, buying five hundred dollar balers, buying auction sale electric fencers. Thinking outside the restrictive constrictive box kind of ppl.

[the big wheel]

No. I mean ppl who are renting land to run a few cattle for example, buying five hundred dollar balers, buying auction sale electric fencers. Thinking outside the restrictive constrictive box kind of ppl.

Well why don’t you show us some numbers? Your saying they have a ready made barn and corals and fences all rented. 500 baler how much for a tractor truck house and of course living expenses maybe have kids? and oh are they renting the cows too? Show the numbers.