Want to become Farmer/Rancher

MDShelby

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As someone who has been around a farm (currently owned by an uncle) all their life, I can't imagine starting from the ground up. There is a lot of truth to being the millionaire farmer by starting as a billionaire. The capital needed and meeting the required expenses is insane; hence why the XL farms are making it, not the little guys. Start small or change lanes. There is a great deal of satisfaction in farming, but that gets eaten away quickly the frustration of trying to make it work (making money).
 

shurur

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My dad was a dairy farmer as well as a truck driver who picked up milk during the day.

Farming is a romantic idea, but very different in reality...much like "owning' rental property.

You don't own the farm or property; it owns you.



"Moving to Montana soon..gonna be a dental floss tycoon..yes I am."
-Frank Zappa
 
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Blackness03

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That's something people are born into. No body just goes out and buys a whole farm unless they just have a ton of cash to turn into a little bit of cash
 

Blk04L

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As someone who has been around a farm (currently owned by an uncle) all their life, I can't imagine starting from the ground up. There is a lot of truth to being the millionaire farmer by starting as a billionaire. The capital needed and meeting the required expenses is insane; hence why the XL farms are making it, not the little guys. Start small or change lanes. There is a great deal of satisfaction in farming, but that gets eaten away quickly the frustration of trying to make it work (making money).

Yup. The bigger farms even in Florida are taking over the smaller guys. Especially after hurricanes/pests take a huge toll money wise. A lot of the smaller guys can't survive bad years, and they aren't new farms either.

Just north of me quite a few smaller generational farmers recently sold their land to a much bigger company.

Times have been changing.
 

HillbillyHotRod

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If you really want to farm, get about 5 acres of good land and become a self sufficient farmer. With that you should be able to grow your food have some pigs, goats, chickens. At one time I was going to do this. Basically go off grid but got too lazy.
 

lOOKnGO

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It can be done OP. Farmers all around me. The only ones in the black are the ones leasing the land they have inherited. The others who lease the land, lease thousands of acres for crops in a general area. Others lease for pasture, they do good also. The dream of flat out owning the land and running a business, just isn't done nowadays. I come from a farming family and live in farm country, I share in your aspirations, and wish it could be like it once was.
 

Blown 89

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Don't listen to a bunch of farmers telling you that you can't make money because they couldn't. Figure out what they did wrong and do something different. If it's something you really want to do then take an honest look at it and see if it makes sense. If it does then take the necessary steps, if it doesn't then walk away.

FWIW, my ex father in law made a fortune farming amount the same negative comments.
 

noco5.0

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Buy land in Oklahoma or Texas ...

Then get it tested for oil

I live in one of the biggest agricultural counties in the US. It also has a large amount of oil. Our liberal state government is doing their best to keep the people that own the mineral rights from collecting on that, but it's been pretty lucrative for a lot of farmers. There is no lack of "rich" farmers in this area. The biggest complaints I hear from them are the cost of water and lack of labor. We have a huge cheese plant here so there are a ton of dairy farms and farms growing alfalfa to feed all of those cows. This area is also attracting a lot of interest from the industrial hemp industry. A lot of farmers are excited about the possibilities that presents. It would be hard to make it without a background in agriculture, but I think it's a good industry but definitely cyclical and a trade war with China doesn't make it easy to be profitable.
 

ssj4sadie

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Don't listen to a bunch of farmers telling you that you can't make money because they couldn't. Figure out what they did wrong and do something different. If it's something you really want to do then take an honest look at it and see if it makes sense. If it does then take the necessary steps, if it doesn't then walk away.

FWIW, my ex father in law made a fortune farming amount the same negative comments.
Ranching/Farming is not something you just "jump into". It requires extensive knowledge, skill, and connections. That is not even considering the equipment, land, labor, etc. requirements. I wouldn't encourage someone with zero aptitude for math to try and become an engineer.
 

nxhappy

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around here the almond farmers are ****ing millionaires. my old neighbor was BALLER. Had a jet plane and everything. Not saying it's for everyone but if you know your shit....you can make some real cash.
 

T's03GT

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My mothers side of the family is very successful on farming, granted we own everything and don't buy equipment until it can be paid for in cash, aside from a few things. The return on money is very good. Our crops have good yields yearly. I know a good bit amount it from being around it my entire life so if you want to PM me and discuss more thoroughly, feel free to.

I also have a bunch of good friends who were born into it and they are extremely well off. I live in a huge farming community however and everyone who farms, is known to have money. There's a lot of ways to go about doing this and a few mentioned would be a great way to do so. Unless you're sitting on a stack of cash to buy something, start small and make sure you know what you are doing and fully want to invest yourself in it. It's a lot of time, hard work, and money to be spent.
 

Blown 89

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Ranching/Farming is not something you just "jump into". It requires extensive knowledge, skill, and connections. That is not even considering the equipment, land, labor, etc. requirements. I wouldn't encourage someone with zero aptitude for math to try and become an engineer.
You can find naysayers that say that about any profession. With the proper motivation and financial wherewithal anyone can jump into it or any profession and be successful. Funny you should mention engineering. My grandfather had zero, literally zero schooling, entered this country mopping floors for an engineering firm, and ended his career designing fuel systems for jet and rocket propelled engines with 21 working patents to his name. His patents included fuel vaporizers, ignition systems, and combustion chamber tech used by Roll Royce, General Electric, Garrett-Airesearch Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and other turbofan engine manufacturers. I hold his patents and follow them when they're mentioned in current engines development and it's pretty wild thinking that I've flown on modern airlines using his fuel delivery systems. Everyone starts somewhere and if the OP wants to do something he should start taking the necessary steps to learn.

I've yet to see anyone in this thread with actual experience, just a bunch of "I know a guy who knows a guy that farms" B.S. Might be a better idea to find people that actually do it themselves.
 

lOOKnGO

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You can find naysayers that say that about any profession. With the proper motivation and financial wherewithal anyone can jump into it or any profession and be successful. Funny you should mention engineering. My grandfather had zero, literally zero schooling, entered this country mopping floors for an engineering firm, and ended his career designing fuel systems for jet and rocket propelled engines with 21 working patents to his name. His patents included fuel vaporizers, ignition systems, and combustion chamber tech used by Roll Royce, General Electric, Garrett-Airesearch Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and other turbofan engine manufacturers. I hold his patents and follow them when they're mentioned in current engines development and it's pretty wild thinking that I've flown on modern airlines using his fuel delivery systems. Everyone starts somewhere and if the OP wants to do something he should start taking the necessary steps to learn.

I've yet to see anyone in this thread with actual experience, just a bunch of "I know a guy who knows a guy that farms" B.S. Might be a better idea to find people that actually do it themselves.


? You must have skipped over my post! I actually own farm land and have an AGRICULTURAL tax exemption. I lease the land for crops. I'm well aware of what it takes to farm. Fortunately I'm in a position of making more money doing something else. I do have a tentative plan in my retirement of raising a premium breed of cattle. Time will tell.
 

598

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I advise farmers for a living. Each circumstance stands on its own as far as the decision making process of growing, changing, or shrinking a farm. Regional and local differences as close as 10 miles apart affect marketing and growing decisions. I have a friend that wants to start farming right now, with a horticulture degree and a successful landscaping business. And most importantly, a strong work ethic. I have yet to find a scale opportunity for him to break in, without betting everything he has worked his life up to this point for. Even on my largest farms, (8-9000 acres) we are constantly discussing if we need to be moving up or down in production, and every year, what will we produce next year. I am working on certain ideas for next years production pricing as we speak, with this years crop not even all in the bin. One simple line I always have my clients ask themselves, is this decision going to help me more, or just make me a glorified employee of the landlord with some silly bragging rights at the coffee shop. If you are coming into farming with little to no experience, you will be an employee, whether you realize it or not.
 

ssj4sadie

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You can find naysayers that say that about any profession. With the proper motivation and financial wherewithal anyone can jump into it or any profession and be successful. Funny you should mention engineering. My grandfather had zero, literally zero schooling, entered this country mopping floors for an engineering firm, and ended his career designing fuel systems for jet and rocket propelled engines with 21 working patents to his name. His patents included fuel vaporizers, ignition systems, and combustion chamber tech used by Roll Royce, General Electric, Garrett-Airesearch Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and other turbofan engine manufacturers. I hold his patents and follow them when they're mentioned in current engines development and it's pretty wild thinking that I've flown on modern airlines using his fuel delivery systems. Everyone starts somewhere and if the OP wants to do something he should start taking the necessary steps to learn.

I've yet to see anyone in this thread with actual experience, just a bunch of "I know a guy who knows a guy that farms" B.S. Might be a better idea to find people that actually do it themselves.
Good on your grandfather. However, he would be the exception not the rule. Go back and read the OP, it reads as "YOLO, I have a dream, no big deal whatevs". He says farming or ranching, they are worlds apart in operation and knowledge. And the OP clearly identifies the fact that he has no knowledge in either. He is like a college student going to school to find themselves. We ALL know that does not turn out well for a large amount of people.
 

03Sssnake

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Here are some decorative display ideas for your round bales :D....Thinking of trying this at the inlaws ranch :D

these_are_purely_murican_photos_640_18.jpg
 

boduke0220

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I live on a farm. We have Cows, 700 acres of wheat, 700 acres of soy beans, experimental hemp, 180 acres of tobacco and Harvest Hay for the horses.

its a 24/7/365 job.

The biggest thing I can tell you is don't buy fancy new equipment. We have made all of our money by still using our equipment we bought in the 80's and 90's. a $15,000 tractor ( good ole IH or Farmall) will plow just as good as a new John deere that costs 5x as much.

Gotta be a DIY person. learn how to fix basically anything. Plumbing, fencing, tractor repairs, welding, finances, shipping, receiving, etc! You cant call a repair man every time something breaks.

Good luck!
 

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