Diversifying!

[cowman]

Last year one of my friends' kids started up a "environmental consulting" business. He runs it out of a shop on the farm. He has like a degree in environmental science or something.
My friend is what would be considered a "large grain producer"...for this area...about 1500 acres. Maybe another couple hundred in export timothy.
Last week I saw him out on a lease. He told me he had got the crop in, but it would be the last one he put in! He now works with his kid in the "enviro" business!
I asked him what gives? He told me' When the kid can make five times as much money as the farm...well what can you say? I'll let someone else farm it!
Now this is a guy who doesn't need the money. The people who diversify into another business usually don't need the money...they just are good business men!
They go where the money is!

[coppertop]

What exactly does your friend do in the business cowman ? Does he have training in environmental relaimation ?

I find that in this area there are far too many people running environmentally related businesses that know absolutely nothing about what they are doing, then when they are hired by an oil company to do a reclaimation on farmland the poor farmer is in for a battle to EDUCATE the people from the environmental firm !!

[cowman]

Not reclamation. They do all the BS for Environment Canada when a well is being abandoned. Soil tests, core tests, satelite imaging, etc.
My friend has no training but his kid has a degree in Environmental Science...and supposedly knows what he is doing!
If you've ever seen the "book" on an abandoned well...it is thicker than the bible! It is a very comprehensive piece of work!
My friend does a lot of the "grunt work"...soil tests, core tests...as well as provided the money to buy the equipment and set up the office/shop! They have two other employees.

[Horse]

Consultant Definition Someone from out of town.