Bigger farms?

[cowman]

madcow: It sounds like you guys have about the same problems that we have out here. Same old thing...the end of the family farm.
The fact is today the income from a farm just isn't there? Very prosperous farms two decades ago are having trouble paying the bills?
I guess I saw the writing on the wall in the late seventies. I sort of fell into a better business and it allowed me to continue to own the farm.
I had a young family and I will admit I wasn't used to not having any money and hey I like my toys and living a good life! I never thought too much about economizing...more about how do I make more!
Now that is not to say I don't run a tight ship business wise, but I knew I would never be satisfied just getting by!
The little "business on the side"(later businesses on the side) became the main source of my income, although I could have toughed her through with the farm! I believe if the family type farm is going to survive it needs outside income because farming just doesn't pay enough these days? Get big or get out is still the rule of the day if you want to survive as a full time farmer with a decent standard of living. It is sad but true?

[madcow]

been trying to come up with an argument,just my nature of course,but I haven't got one. I'm not quitting the farm ,yet ,just don't know why for sure anymore!Seems like farms don't matter much to N.S. now .Sad but true.

[cowman]

Actually madcow, they don't really matter out here either! Well other than a place to set down some more drilling rigs!
The farmers here are viewed as sort of a nuisance here? Getting in the way of the oil and gas business! Always having to be bailed out of another jackpot!
I would suspect the agriculture sector is going to be in a real pickle here this year, even if these crops come off? My hog farmer neighbor says he can buy feed wheat for slightly over $1/bu in Saskatchewan! Barley is hanging in there, around $1.80...if you can find anybody to buy it!
Quite frankly it looks pretty grim with the high price of fuel and fertilizer. I guess CAIS will have to bail the farmers out once again!
The cattle business is fairly decent again and the hog business is positive, at least in the short term. After the last few years in cattle, it might take several good years to get back where we were. The hog business has shrunk pretty bad and there are not many who are stupid enough to get back in!

[madcow]

CAIS hasn't worked for the farmers here.Smaller diversified = no payment

[redhen]

I've said this before, but it breaks my heart to think that the family farm is an endangered species. I believe the new small farm is our future! We have been successful with the production of eggs and poultry below the "quota radar." We know there is a "template" that works.

With all the niche markets for grass-fed beef, pork, lamb and poultry, and the tremendous advantage Albertans have over the east in terms of poultry quotas (ie, not needing them unless you go over 300 layers, 2000 broilers or 300 turkeys per year) I can't believe the family farm in Alberta is endangered.

I think we need to get creative, learn how to do more with our land base by matching livestock breeds to available forage or topography, and look at value-added products, better marketing, and farm gate sales.

In another thread, people were talking about using the old breeds of cattle to make grass-fed beef production viable. I agree! And consumers are willing to pay a higher price for "heritage" products. They'd go to the moon for grass fed AND a low-fat heritage carcass.

Anything we can do to cut feed costs by using breeds that thrive on grassland, and by excluding "the middle man," will help to put more money in our accounts.

But we also have to work smarter, not harder. Cowman is right: one person cannot be labourer, accountant and sales person. We need to do what we know best, and hire or barter to get the other jobs done.

I also believe that the success of the family farm will depend on excluding the Department of Agriculture. The moment we stop expecting to be assisted or bailed out, and stop depending on government programs to market our product, we take back our power and become fully accountable for our own success.

Here are some thoughts...

Create a website for your farm and products, and register with PayPal so people can purchase your products on-line. Get the internet working for you 24/7.

Add Saskatoons to your farm. Write them off as a windbreak and, with a little care and water, in about 4 years you can host a U-pick.

Consider Community Supported Agriculture, where consumers pre-pay for your products so your start-up costs are covered and your profits and/or losses are shared.

Sell shares in a couple of dairy cows (or goats). Do you have any idea what people are willing to do for hormone-free raw milk? Teach them how to milk, and set up a schedule. Then you're not only providing a product, you're also teaching the next generation how to be self-sufficient.

Don't want to make cheese? Find someone who does, and trade cow shares for product.

Your location is a factor that can affect drive-by sales, but you have options there too. City folks love to go for a drive in the country. Help make your farm a "one-stop shop" by producing more than one product.

We are so darned lucky to live in a province where we have access to superior custom processors of meat, poultry and fibre (heritage sheep and fibre are in great demand too) that it's a shame we can't make better use of them.

I am interested to know what each of you see as your biggest obstacle in making your farm financially successful. How can you turn it into an opportunity?