POLL-- BUYING FARMS

by bswillia Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:20 pm

One of the many suggestions that have been discussed is purchasing farms. You need to have assets with your DINAR funds and this is truly one that will grow in the days ahead.

Prophency says none in the South as this area will continue to not have water...but many great farms are in the North...and now for running a farm, how about a job for a VET that needs work.

Grew up on a farm but can't afford to purchase one himself...so this is a WIN-WIN for everyone. There are many excellent farm management companies that will oversee these farms for you - provide the expertise that most of us do not have - and again - YOU NOW HAVE HELPED A VET!!

Give this some thought...!!! Get in touch as I am personally going down this road!!

by 1alaskan Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:30 pm

Good idea!

by czinser Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:35 pm

This is all ready my plan. I love it. My farm will be organic only. I will have the farm send me

fresh food same day FedX during harvest seasons. I will have a home for the vet to live in and a

home built for us to come to just incase it becomes unsafe to live in the city where we now are.

It will have several wells drilled on it and maybe windmills and propane tank kept full, etc. in case our utilities are interrupted.

I would like to have some cows for milk and meat, (grass feed) and chickens for eggs etc. I would have then shipped to me as well.

I have no idea who the experts are that find farms for buyers, do you?

Thanks for posting this. I hope everyone that has enough money will do this.

Blessings, CZ Wink

by **Kevind53** Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:06 pm

Farms are a great idea, however if you are going to try and make a business of it be prepared. It is very, very difficult to make a decent profit on a farm, any farm, although specialty farms do better than say a dairy farm. I plan to have some land, and at least the capacity for substance farming, but having grown up around the business and seeing the plight of farmers today, there is no way I will try to make a business of it.

by SILVERWARE Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:16 pm

I have a working farm. I feel like I had six kids and my husband left me...I spend a lot of money on my farm and I am a terrible business person, I make very little.

by SEBtopdog Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:23 pm

Great minds DO think alike, don't they? bswillia, I confess I hadn't thought about hiring a vet or vets, providing a home for his/her family to farm the land. I had been noodling around how to accomplish the physical labor, as I absolutely no longer have the strength to do that myself.

CZ, your post is loaded with great ideas, too. Personally, I am interested in getting off the grid as much as possible, for me and for my extended family. I'd like to explore some ideas for alternative building materials for homes, and solar power to suppliment the ones you mentioned. My dad was an organic gardener as early as the '50's, and we grew up with the wonderful flavors of healthy, beautiful organic food.

Not looking for a way to make a business of it....Simply interested in providing food and shelter for those I care about. Wanting to grow heirloom fruits and veggies - no genetically modified foods for us! Heirloom seeds can be harvested and grown the following season(s). Genetically modified crops cannot be reproduced.

I hope we'll all find a way to stay in communication, and share ideas and experiences. Thanks so much, bswillia, for getting this conversation started.

by ou812 Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:26 pm

If there is a RV my plan is to live a totally unproductive life AND LOVE IT.

by SEBtopdog Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:29 pm

ou812 wrote:If there is a RV my plan is to live a totally unproductive life AND LOVE IT.

by revenuerog Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:32 pm

ou812 wrote:If there is a RV my plan is to live a totally unproductive life AND LOVE IT.

I"ve been doing that for YEARS NOW !!! IT'S GREAT!!!!!!! groupdance

by PrudenceArt Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:34 pm

I hate liver and brusell sprouts

by 1alaskan Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:37 pm

revenuerog wrote:
ou812 wrote:If there is a RV my plan is to live a totally unproductive life AND LOVE IT.

I"ve been doing that for YEARS NOW !!! IT'S GREAT!!!!!!!

Yea, I was thinking, so our lives won't change much, will it!

by SEBtopdog Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:38 pm

PrudenceArt wrote:I hate liver and brusell sprouts

Well, PrudenceArt, if it's your farm you can plant nothing but strawberries, or apples, if you like them. Does anyone actually EAT liver? Bleahhh! Or orange marmalade? Why is there always lots of orange marmalade on the tables in coffee shops, but they're out of strawberry? Shouldn't that tell them NOT to order orange marmalade? Oh my, I'm sounding like Andy Rooney!

by **rick152** Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:42 pm

This is from Nov 9. Maybe time to bring back up. Please anyone let me know if interested. This is a plan I intend to follow through with. ...rick152

http://dinardaily.forumotion.com/t10897-after-rv-living-partially-off-the-grid

by gp cobb Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:47 pm

SILVERWARE wrote:I have a working farm. I feel like I had six kids and my husband left me...I spend a lot of money on my farm and I am a terrible business person, I make very little.

________________________
Dreamers aren't they, these kids have no AG idea at all, none............. JMO
[We own multiple farms in several states]

by SEBtopdog Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:56 pm

rick152 wrote:This is from Nov 9. Maybe time to bring back up. Please anyone let me know if interested. This is a plan I intend to follow through with. ...rick152

[url=http://dinardaily.forumotion.com/t10897-after-rv-living-partially-off-the-grid

http://dinardaily.forumotion.com/t10897-after-rv-living-partially-off-the-grid[/quote[/url]]

Rick152: I missed your post first time around. I like the idea, but I had been thinking about family and close friends only, plus now considering the idea of hiring vets and their families. It also occurs to me that the logistics of setting up partially communal living could be complicated. It would have to be sort of a self-contained state-within-a-state, and there would have to be mutually-agreed-upon rules (a constitution, if you will), and some means to bounce someone off the farm if they were disruptive or strayed too far from the foundation philosophy of the group. Geez.....it's already starting to get complicated. :shock: Have you had experience with communal living?

gp cobb: I saw your post, too. And yes, if you go off all starry-eyed with some romanticized notion of living off the land, the experiment is destined to fail. But with sufficient capital so it is not necessary to EARN money from the endeavor, it makes good sense to move away from the food provided by agri-business. The quality will be better, and some level of independence can be achieved. I come from farm stock and farm country. I know how hard is the work, and how heartbreaking it can be when mother nature doesn't cooperate. I also know what it's like to have the satisfaction of harvesting, putting by, and consuming healthy food grown on one's own property. Just my perspective.

by **Kevind53** Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:57 pm

Yep I grew up working on farms, and had friends on farms and orchards ... not one of them is in the business now except one who runs a farm stand (direct retail) in the summer months. Even he sold off most of his land when he ditched the cows. ... I have a client who's farm has been in the family for 4 generations, and he is seriously thinking of selling/closing, with fuel costs and all he can't sell his milk for enough to make a profit.

by SEBtopdog Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:12 pm

Kevind53 wrote:Yep I grew up working on farms, and had friends on farms and orchards ... not one of them is in the business now except one who runs a farm stand (direct retail) in the summer months. Even he sold off most of his land when he ditched the cows. ... I have a client who's farm has been in the family for 4 generations, and he is seriously thinking of selling/closing, with fuel costs and all he can't sell his milk for enough to make a profit.

Kevind53: Please don't think I'm trying to start an argument. I was raised in Iowa, and saw plenty of family farms die a sad death, including the farm owned by my grandparents. If we don't have to make a cash profit off the land, can you see the advantages of not being dependent on corporate farming for our needs? With agri-business the food gets less and less nutritious; bio-engineering makes seeds depleted of the ability to reproduce crops the next year; they aren't rotating crops as they should; topsoil is being stripped; aquifers are being drained; toxic chemicals are leaching out of the soil and running into water supplies. All I'm suggesting is people might consider a go at self-sufficiency. I hope folks will consider an alternative to city dwelling. OK.....climbing back off my soap box now.... :geek:

by gp cobb Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:16 pm

Kevind53 wrote:Yep I grew up working on farms, and had friends on farms and orchards ... not one of them is in the business now except one who runs a farm stand (direct retail) in the summer months. Even he sold off most of his land when he ditched the cows. ... I have a client who's farm has been in the family for 4 generations, and he is seriously thinking of selling/closing, with fuel costs and all he can't sell his milk for enough to make a profit.

____________________
I concur, Like I said above, If you are looking for a tax write off farm is it. Remember at what temperature photosynthesis stops working, even if the roots are in ice water. the North American drought is only looking at year two of a seven to nine year cycle.
I still say, dreamers but enjoy. Like the man said, I'm, going to keep on farming till I go broke. I don't learn well either.

by **rick152** Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:24 pm

SEBtopdog, Not i have not experience but the basic Idea to start would be a large tract of land and all working together...Yes there would need to be a "constitution" of sorts. Also there has been some interest in this I dea. I would love to make this come to fruition, and will post RV. Not to sure about "family" being the base...how could you be not in agreement with direct family and end up having to decide if they stay or not?? That could get sticky. But you are right everyone would need to be in total agreement with setup rules so... ...rick152

SEBtopdog said;
I missed your post
first time around. I like the idea, but I had been thinking about
family and close friends only, plus now considering the idea of hiring
vets and their families. It also occurs to me that the logistics of
setting up partially communal living could be complicated. It would
have to be sort of a self-contained state-within-a-state, and there
would have to be mutually-agreed-upon rules (a constitution, if you
will), and some means to bounce someone off the farm if they were
disruptive or strayed too far from the foundation philosophy of the
group. Geez.....it's already starting to get complicated. :shock: Have you had experience with communal living?

Plus there is still MY problem of finding a catcher widget for that little dog!!!

by KathyD Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:01 pm

rick 152, still interested but w/o the the rv not able to do anything right now. Good to see your post again! KathyD

by **rick152** Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:26 pm

KathyD. I have a list of those interested and will (post RV) contact through the site to get e-mail address and the like I have not forgotten anyone Thanks rick152

by **dinarstar** Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:33 pm

Kibbutz work,I guess on a larger scale.
Perhaps one could model something loosely around that.
I like the idea,and would,even just for family,try to develop a small holding to provide for our needs.
I do not know how it works here in the USA,with FDA etc. but I am familiar with some African and Eastern European countries,where farmers are still able to raise and harvest livestock etc. themselves.
Restrictive regulations would determine where I would establish a concern such as this.

by **Kevind53** Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:44 pm

gp cobb wrote:
Kevind53 wrote:Yep I grew up working on farms, and had friends on farms and orchards ... not one of them is in the business now except one who runs a farm stand (direct retail) in the summer months. Even he sold off most of his land when he ditched the cows. ... I have a client who's farm has been in the family for 4 generations, and he is seriously thinking of selling/closing, with fuel costs and all he can't sell his milk for enough to make a profit.
____________________
I concur, Like I said above, If you are looking for a tax write off farm is it. Remember at what temperature photosynthesis stops working, even if the roots are in ice water. the North American drought is only looking at year two of a seven to nine year cycle.
I still say, dreamers but enjoy. Like the man said, I'm, going to keep on farming till I go broke. I don't learn well either.

In an ideal world, I would have 20 acres give or take, some fields, some woodlot, with a water source (stream) on the property. Property would be on a hill with some flat areas suitable for crops. Some fruit trees, vines, berries etc. (Gotta watch hardiness here in Vermont.) Assortment of vegies. Possibly a small sugar bush, firewood, perhaps some saw logs, depending on the land .... in essence sustenance capacity ....

On the other hand, the Lord has been showing us that we will be doing some traveling on missions, so perhaps the ideal would not be the practical ... we will see what the Lord has in store ... Like Bulldog likes to say "Man plans, God decides."

by Herb Lady Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:14 pm

I am keeping an eye out for another farm; if it is meant for me to work and be on another farm, then will be led to it. Until then, I will be where I am at this time, in my house, that I was led to.

by **dinarstar** Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:06 am

Herb Lady wrote:I am keeping an eye out for another farm; if it is meant for me to work and be on another farm, then will be led to it. Until then, I will be where I am at this time, in my house, that I was led to.

by Bcolorad Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:26 am

As far as creating electricity goes.... check into a wood gasifier ran generator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYGKn12Weu4

by 1alaskan Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:45 am

I have a buddy, from Arkansas, but up hear 30+ years, bought and sold apts, house, ect....

A couple years back, ('08-'09), as he sold something up here, he would buy a farm in Akansas on a land warp deal, to save taxes. When I asked him why would he want to go into farming, he said he is not, the farms he was looking at, were in a no grow crop program, just had to keep it ready to grow crops, and then he could lease it out to hunters.

Not much farming in that, just land.

by Bcolorad Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:05 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQT3ya7BCQ

by Cardiac99 Sat Feb 04, 2012 3:34 am

I won't be growing a lot of crops, per se, but I will be growing beef cattle. My brother and I are going to buy about 80 acres, to start, and breed Angus cows to Brahma bulls. Brangus beef has an excellent, taste, color, and texture. I will be interested in raising beef for people that do not want to buy store-bought beef with all the additives and preservatives used in commercial processing. I have a butcher that does on-the-farm butchering and will custom cut for me, any way I want it done.

by bobd Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:42 am

THANKS BCOLORAD GREAT VIDEO. NEVER HEARD OF THAT TYPE OF GENERATOR.

by jubalation Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:54 am

Not to rain on anybody's parade, but how many of you have actually farmed crops, or even raised a garden, had cattle, livestock of any kind, dealt with hired hands (even if one is a vet, he/she is still human and subject to human failings) or lived on a large tract of land? Do you know how to stretch fence, run barbed wire, clean fence row, dehorn cattle/goats/sheep, worm and vaccinate, assist in birth, be on the job 24-7? Or do you expect the "hired help" to do all this for you? How do you feel about going to the chicken coop to find them all slaughtered by a maurading raccoon? How broken hearted will you be when the highly anticipated birth of the calf, goat, sheep, piglets, alpaca, rabbit, goes all wrong and you lose both momma and baby?? It happens more than you think. Have you ever had to feed and care for animals depending on you for care in the rain, snow, mud, scorching heat when you are sick and running fever? And if you are getting close to or in your "golden years" do you really want to bite off this much responsibility?

I do not want to discourage anyone from pursuing your dream, but think about it lest your dream become your nightmare. I am all for raising our own food in a healthy manner. Go ahead and buy your piece of land, but you might want to proceed with caution. Plant a small garden, get a few chickens, a calf or a pig to raise for the freezer. Realize that you are tied down to that garden, calf, pig and can not be gone for long or having to depend on others to care for them in your absence or else they will die. Come home from a week or 2 weeks trip to find your tomatoes dried up, your peas wilted, your animals water tub dry and their flanks caved in from not being fed and watered. Then think about going "big" into farming.

Ya'll just make sure you don't bite more than you can chew. We have a saying here in east Texas......."Don't let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird tail."

It's been pouring for 2 days. I am still in my pajamas at 11:00 am. But I know I have to get dressed, go slip and slide in deep black gumbo clay mud to feed the horses and the neighbors horses (she's in the hospital), feed the chickens and gather eggs, pick the broccoli, collard greens, snatch up a few green onions for supper, play with 3 very large muddy dogs, get soaking wet and filthy--and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I also work 10-12 hours a day at a job. After RV, I will quit and have more time to devote to what I love. I will throw some sheep and muscovie ducks in the mix and have a bigger garden. But I sure won't overload my hummingbird tail!

by Herb Lady Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:56 pm

Have lived and worked farms, raised gardens, horses, goats, cows, dogs, half wolves, and cats and even a few chickens. All have to work together to support each other. A lot of work but also a lot of joy! Getting up and going to bed with the chickens is not just an old expression!!! But it sure can be a lot of fun!!

by 1alaskan Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:00 pm

I don;t know about farming, but I will try to "cultivate" a little R&R

by Herb Lady Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:01 pm

by gp cobb Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:08 pm

Yall need to read up and understand: jubalation
Mileage Junkie.
We are still there and just a notch short of 70 years young. We were 100'+ from June 1 for 60+ days last year, most day 109' and we lost it all but a few Elm and CottonWood trees.

jubalation Mileage Junkie, You know of what you speak.

Kids, get your dinar, go retire, forget about Farming unless you are born and raised to it, just solid advice from my saddle.

Retiring Cowboy Cobb

by **Kevind53** Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:14 pm

jubalation wrote:Not to rain on anybody's parade, but how many of you have actually farmed crops, or even raised a garden, had cattle, livestock of any kind, dealt with hired hands (even if one is a vet, he/she is still human and subject to human failings) or lived on a large tract of land?

Pretty much all those who have been saying "think twice" LOL!

by his4evr2c Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:19 pm

Kevind53 wrote:
jubalation wrote:Not to rain on anybody's parade, but how many of you have actually farmed crops, or even raised a garden, had cattle, livestock of any kind, dealt with hired hands (even if one is a vet, he/she is still human and subject to human failings) or lived on a large tract of land?
Pretty much all those who have been saying "think twice" LOL!

Good Word! Country Living is So different; Think of The Country Mouse & The City Mouse... I WAS Raised both: yet I have a brown thumb def not Green lol. Seriously I love animals Would love Farm Animals yet Too much Work for 50+ yrs olds... I 'll Settle for a House in the Suburb w Land & generator & Solar panels & goood insulation, Storm Windows & Privacy Fence w possible water well. Maybe share land w a Real gardener or Whole Foods lol

by SEBtopdog Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:30 pm

his4evr2c wrote:
Kevind53 wrote:
jubalation wrote:Not to rain on anybody's parade, but how many of you have actually farmed crops, or even raised a garden, had cattle, livestock of any kind, dealt with hired hands (even if one is a vet, he/she is still human and subject to human failings) or lived on a large tract of land?
Pretty much all those who have been saying "think twice" LOL!
Good Word! Country Living is So different; Think of The Country Mouse & The City Mouse... I WAS Raised both: yet I have a brown thumb def not Green lol. Seriously I love animals Would love Farm Animals yet Too much Work for 50+ yrs olds... I 'll Settle for a House in the Suburb w Land & generator & Solar panels & goood insulation, Storm Windows & Privacy Fence w possible water well. Maybe share land w a Real gardener or Whole Foods lol

Nothing wrong with that plan, his4evr2c. The point is, I think, that each of us has to give some very serious thought to how we plan to live the rest of our lives. Everyone should evaluate what truly makes you happy, what lifestyle can you realistically pursue? That answer will be different for each of us. Maybe the key is to move slowly toward your dream. Don't plop down a bundle on land in the middle of nowhere and invest in a bunch of farm equipment and livestock only to find out you don't have the aptitude for rural living. Maybe you're the city slicker type ... Nothing wrong with that either. Maybe, though, you can coop with some of your neighbors to grow some of your own food. It'll be healthier, and you'll all gain a sense of satisfaction, of accomplishment. Teach your kids and grandkids where food actually comes from. And that it's a lot of work, too. Nothing wrong with that......

by **dinarstar** Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:37 pm

Well thought out SEB,farming is hard work,even on a small holding,a 24/7 business for sure.

by **aksafeone** Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:41 pm

Having been born and raised in Iowa I think I will put my farm into wind generators. They are easily cultivated and can be harvested daily. The equipment costs are atrocious to begin with but the profits overhaul the investment in a matter of years. Besides - if i touch the wrong place I get a charge out of life. Truely a win win situation, What?

by SEBtopdog Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:45 pm

aksafeone wrote:Having been born and raised in Iowa I think I will put my farm into wind generators. They are easily cultivated and can be harvested daily. The equipment costs are atrocious to begin with but the profits overhaul the investment in a matter of years. Besides - if i touch the wrong place I get a charge out of life. Truely a win win situation, What?

What part of Iowa, aksafeone? I was born and raised in Iowa, too, in the Council Bluffs area. I've been a Califiornian for more than 40 years, but the Iowa roots run deep.

by SEBtopdog Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:47 pm

Thanks for the nod, DinarStar.

by **dinarstar** Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:51 pm

aksafeone wrote:Having been born and raised in Iowa I think I will put my farm into wind generators. They are easily cultivated and can be harvested daily. The equipment costs are atrocious to begin with but the profits overhaul the investment in a matter of years. Besides - if i touch the wrong place I get a charge out of life. Truely a win win situation, What?

Wow,talk about getting connected with one's business,shocking experience affraid

by **aksafeone** Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:58 pm

Yeah, one would get a buzz out of it for sure!

by drbob Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:24 pm

With all of that fencen, ropin, riden, planten etc., make sure you live next to a good chiropractor. Trade him / her out for some hamberger, onions and eggs.:cheers:

by **Kevind53** Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:02 am

Well I am a country boy born n raised and I guess I always will be. Live in a small city now, but always breath a little easier when I am out ... so I know it'll involve a few acres of land, or at least adjoin a few acres ... the rest, we'll see what the Lord says when the time comes.

by Cardiac99 Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:18 am

I am not going to quote Jubalation's entire post over here, but everyone might want to listen to his/her post. Country/Farm life is not for the inexperiened. I have been around and/or owned horses all my life (47 out of 50 years). My older brother/partner has been around horses and cattle all his life (65 out of 67 years). We know how to build and repair fence, operate tractors and heavy equipment, build buildings such as barns, sheds, etc. We know how to grade new roads and repair existing ones, repair trucks and equipment, raise, cut, and bale hay, and doctor and vaccinate animals. All of these things are a part of day to day life on a ranch. We also know how to do the not so regular things like pull calves and colts, brand livestock, etc. If you are the least bit squeamish, lazy, or like to sleep late or take weekends off, farming and ranching is not for you. The crops won't wait because you want to spend the weekend at the lake or take a vacation. When it's harvest or time for the babies to get here, you are not married to your spouse, you are married to that piece of ground and whatever needs to be done on it. Oh, and don't forget, after the day is done outside (10-15 hours), you have records to update every night so you will know when it's time to start all over again.

by Cardiac99 Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:20 am

Kevin? Your avatar looks like you are fixin to shoot the "rooster"!

by jubalation Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:04 pm

Cardiac99 wrote:I am not going to quote Jubalation's entire post over here, but everyone might want to listen to his/her post. Country/Farm life is not for the inexperiened. I have been around and/or owned horses all my life (47 out of 50 years). My older brother/partner has been around horses and cattle all his life (65 out of 67 years). We know how to build and repair fence, operate tractors and heavy equipment, build buildings such as barns, sheds, etc. We know how to grade new roads and repair existing ones, repair trucks and equipment, raise, cut, and bale hay, and doctor and vaccinate animals. All of these things are a part of day to day life on a ranch. We also know how to do the not so regular things like pull calves and colts, brand livestock, etc. If you are the least bit squeamish, lazy, or like to sleep late or take weekends off, farming and ranching is not for you. The crops won't wait because you want to spend the weekend at the lake or take a vacation. When it's harvest or time for the babies to get here, you are not married to your spouse, you are married to that piece of ground and whatever needs to be done on it. Oh, and don't forget, after the day is done outside (10-15 hours), you have records to update every night so you will know when it's time to start all over again.

AMEN, AMEN AND AMEN!!!!!

by **dinarstar** Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:07 pm

...and Amen! bounce

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