long winded rant

Anonymous-0 · Oct 11, 2010

Just got back from Rice Lake Wi.(NW Wisc) a farming area. I was noticing the many farms and also the amount of old negelected barns in the area. At one time these were dairy farms that families were raised on. Many were good sized barns that milked 30, 40 and more head. It's a shame that these farms can't make it unless they milk large amounts of cows. I hate to see these barns going to seed just sitting there. I'm ashamed that our gov't can't and won't help the American Farmer. We helped out the auto industry, we give millions to gov'ts that hate us and our way of life. I'm 60 years old and I remember seeing lots of farms out there making a living and raising a family on 200 acres of land. The kids that want to farm can't get in to it very easily today....... Maybe I'm just to old and wish for things the way it used to be. Just to set the record straight I was not raised on a farm or have I ever farmed. I just hate seeing those old barns and a way of life going away....................

kev8n · Oct 11, 2010

Not that long-winded and not much of a rant either but I completely agree. Magnificent country there and it is depressing to see those old places going to pot while so much of the country is fouled by ever more "fast-food" joints, bars and malls. It really reminds me how much America has been sold out for Amerika.

k

IOWA NORTHEAST · Oct 11, 2010

You may want to look at the EWG farm subcities database if you think our government doesn't help the farmer out a little. As with anyting, perhaps the wrong folks get the big dollars.

Life changes, first 40 acres, then 80, 160--now ten farms are normal. Just the way life is. I can't think of any business in the country that was alowed to stay small, and make it.

I'm not here to defend or suggest, just probably the hard facts of life.

I have fixed up many old barns, sticking lots of money into them, to then just sit empty. Many of these projects are to keep their father happy, or themselves --. For the most part, they are throwing away good money.

dhermesc · Oct 11, 2010

I agree. The government should support small farmers. Only the guys using horses should get support and food costs should be 30% of the average man's pay like it used to be. Anything to make your drive more pleasant.

Lamar Fudd · Oct 11, 2010

Nobodys mentioned it yet, but the Amish are able to do that, with no govt. money. They don't have insurance, like health or property, but still manage to pay their bills-granted, some hospital bills may take years to pay, but still, they get 'er done. There are several small dairys around here that market their products to a few stores, but not everyone wants to pay $4.00 for a 1/2 gallon of milk. If you're not near a large city, I don't think the money would pay out. Biggest problem for dairy is it doesn't keep long. Can't afford to process it and truck it to a distant town without semi load capacity.

cadet trooper · Oct 11, 2010

Well Brad and kev and you all I"m 63 years old right now and you don"t know how many times I"ve thought the same thing and even wondered the same thing while vacationing in Wisc. this summer but just like industry and everything else change is a sure thing like the work horse team, steam engine and threshing machine and tractor. I think we have to reserve ourselves to sitting on the porch with our grandkids at our feet listening to us tell stories about watching the the herd of Holsteins grazing in the south pasture at dusk with their neck chains rattling in the mist with a beautiful farmstead background that is if you can keep them from texting and cell phoning. I rest my case. Oh for the good old days!

BANDITFARMER · Oct 11, 2010

I maybe wrong but it seams to me that the government dose not want to help small farmers, only MAGA SIZE FARMS! Its easier to help 1 big guy and not 15 or 20 small farmers. It all boils down to this.... LESS PAPER WORK!!!! Bandit

Erik Ks farmer · Oct 11, 2010

It is not that a guy can't make it from scratch, it is the fact that not all that many people are willing to live this lifestyle. I am 22 and have started from scratch with a little help here and there I will admit. I have older equipment and spend what free time I have maintaining it. Most weekends are spent working, like yesterday I plowed terraces all day rather than sitting on my duff watching football. Mind you I like it and would rather be working. I do not want any more government involvement than is necessary it just makes survival more difficult.

Rusty wheel · Oct 11, 2010

The Gov't doesn't run this country, big business does and big business has moved to foreign shores. OPEC controls the price oil and gas. This congress won't do anything to help the little man or the working class. nnalert or nnalert, doesn't make any difference.

randy47 · Oct 11, 2010

why on earth should the government help ANYBODY out !!! Are we not still a captialist country?? why would you WANT the government to help you with ANYTHING.. I dont care if its the auto industry or farming the less govt involvement the better. DO you think for even a second our grand parents and great grandparents sat around and thought " I sure wish some gov't program would help me pay my bills and feed my family" NO WAY they prayed and worked together as a community

trucker 40 · Oct 11, 2010

The whole world it seems is against small business.Farming is like small business.The seed,fertilizer,fuel,tax,insurance,and a real long list of things come out and prices dont go up a proportionate amount,so the smaller ones get squeezed out.Now its a mess.I dont know whats going to happen,but its not going top stay like this.Plus another bad thing is raising all of these corn and beans all the time.Its too easy with the roundup and roundup ready seed.It will end up hurting the price,already has and put more of them under.
The Mennonites and Amish might be all that left that actually are farmers.The rest will probably be some big company owned crap.

GeneMO · Oct 11, 2010

My dad and I put up a 40', concrete stave silo in 1969. Complete with unloading system and aluminum coated steel roof.

Also put up a farrowing house, on concrete with electricity.

All of this have been setting unused for the last 15 years.

The hog market is gone for the small farmer. A small farmer cannot successfully feed out fat cattle like we did either.

Dad died, and I got a job in town with lots of benefits.

I miss farming also.

Gene

msb · Oct 11, 2010

Its a dynamic world we occupy. Sometimes it reverses motion. Have a friend who owns 700 acres in northern Indiana His family bought 400 acres in the 30s from an insurance company that got it back from the previous owner. Before 1929 it was a 7,000 acre cattle farm. Don't be surprized to see it reverse again in 10 years or less.Could come back to one cow per family.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 11, 2010

Hey There BRAD ,, I FEEL Your Pain and can Relate ,, You may want to read over in Your STORIES ,, about 8 Down the LIST ALL ," LEGACY OF THE FAMILY FARM and THE OLD BARN",. Also About 40 down the list ,, "UELOGY for DAD" ,, I wrote them both during a heartache moment ,, 40 yrs my GOOD neighbor was talked into winning for County Commissioner in the Milk Parlor/ and 8yrs ago the same thing Happened to Me in a much similar situation / Those OLd Barns taught generations of DO-GOODERS , and GIT'rDONERS , And DO IT RIGHT EVERYTIME, MAke USE OF WHAT YA GOT,MIND YOR MANNERS /read Your Bible /pull Your own Weight Philosophy... It will take aMiRACLE to have those Same Values and Virtues bestowed upon AMERICA again .. and THEY TRULY MADE AMERICA GREAT ..

Jake in NY · Oct 11, 2010

On the one hand I agree with you, but as life changes we must change with it. I turn 35 soon and sold my small herd of dairy cows a year and a half ago. My wife and I are working on starting a different kind of farm business...one that is based on selling direct to consumers. The old way of commodity farming is probably gone, at least for the little guys like me. So adapt or get a town job. I tried the town job and hated that life so we are headed back to farming, just with a little different angle.

Jake

Anonymous-0 · Oct 11, 2010

(quoted from post at 20:06:32 10/11/10) one that is based on selling direct to consumers. headed back to farming, just with a little different angle.

Jake

I'm getting this picture.......................

DJM75 · Oct 12, 2010

you are correct that is how you get to collective farms. you can blame Wilson for that he got it started and the progressives have carried it on over the years.

MarkB_MI · Oct 12, 2010

Have you ever known a dairy farmer? The main reason you don't see small dairy farms anymore is that nobody wants to do the work. If I had a choice of being a dairy farmer or a coal miner, I'd take the mine. At least a coal miner gets to go on vacation.

As far as the government helping out dairy farmers, there have been milk subsidies just about forever. In 2009, they totaled over 1 billion dollars, with Wisconsin and California collecting almost a third of the total. Of course, farm subsidies have little to do with protecting the family farm and everything to do with rewarding political constituencies.
Farm Subsidy Database Milk

Traditional Farmer · Oct 12, 2010

The Gov't needs to get out of farming not get more involved.The Gov't farm welfare programs have hurt farmers like myself that want to farm not Farm the Gov't.Barns are just like equipment,tractors and cars they serve their purpose and live out their usefulness and get replaced.

kyplowboy · Oct 12, 2010

Government help is the main problem with farming today.

JML755 · Oct 12, 2010

(quoted from post at 20:36:33 10/11/10) why on earth should the government help ANYBODY out !!! Are we not still a captialist country?? why would you WANT the government to help you with ANYTHING.. I dont care if its the auto industry or farming the less govt involvement the better. DO you think for even a second our grand parents and great grandparents sat around and thought " I sure wish some gov't program would help me pay my bills and feed my family" NO WAY they prayed and worked together as a community

Agree 100%. The problem today is that nobody wants to solve their own problems. Look at New Orleans after Katrina. Porchful after porchful of people sitting doing nothing, complaining that the govt wasn't doing anything. Why didn't THEY clean up their homes and streets instead of sitting on their duffs?

And the politicians LOVE to give YOUR money away. It gives them a real sense of power to decide who gets incentives, subsidies, grants, etc. They use it to buy votes. And then they create regulations that are

In my book, the best government is the least government.

As for the OP, the efficiencies of automation and size of operation in ANY industry keeps prices low. People love to complain about jobs going offshore but that's why the computer you're reading this on probably cost under $1000. If it (and it's components) were made in the USA by union labor it would probably cost double or triple that. My first IBM AT computer cost me $4500 in the early 80's. Close to the price of a car back then. Would you be able to afford a computer today if it cost over $10,000?

So, I guess it's ok to wish for the "good ole days", and I am sure the buggy whip manufacturers 100 years ago were complaining about the horseless carriage, but time marches on and things change. All we can do is try and keep pace with those changes.

kev8n · Oct 12, 2010

Uh, no. I don't however, think that it is right for them to effectively subsidize gargantuan international corporate farms or have them write the regulations either, see? Look how hard it is becoming for individuals to operate small farms with regard to raw milk and produce as they are being taxed and "regulated" to oblivion. The "big guys" due to the economy of scale are all in favor as they can afford the regulations or litigation as a "cost of doing business" to drive out competition. I can guarantee when I see apple juice that says "Product of China" I keep shopping.

My point is that it is saddening to see this loss of independence and a sense of something that transcends efficiency.

Yes, things change. Most of my family has died by now too but I'm not required to be satisfied with it.

k

Poncho Villa · Oct 12, 2010

Government is helping but only those that are already rich getting bigger putting the little guys out to pasture. They pad the pockets of every crooked lobbyist and politician there is to get their way and get bigger and richer. No morals, break all rules whatever it takes for more money evil evil they are and will one day pay when they can't take it all with them what will they do then.

ohiojim · Oct 12, 2010

i'm with jml755,..i always think of the commercial begging for money for the poor countries and they show a litter strewn street and say that they can't afford shoes,...it don't cost anything to pick up the trash....a little off the subject but i feel better now...LOL

mkirsch · Oct 12, 2010

It really reminds me how much America has been sold out for Amerika.

"Amerika" as in communism?

You are SO wrong.

It's the pursuit of the almighty dollar, CAPITALISM, that has put us in this spot.

You think fast-food joints and strip malls are products of communism? Are you serious?

Those are all about someone's dream of getting rich. CAPITALISM.

Crying, "Why doesn't the government support these family farms?" That's communism.

CAPITALISM killed the small family farm...

Capitalist corporations calling themselves "milk cooperatives" maximizing corporate profits by paying the farmers a pittance for their product, and calling it "market price."

Capitalist corporations of all sorts, charging exorbitant prices for feed, chemicals, medication, machinery, fuel, parts, and services. All because they know the farmer has no choice but to pay or go out of business.

Dairy farms operated at a loss of $1000 per head last year, on average. Most years it's barely break-even.

Tell me how is that making a living?

Who wants to work like a dog for 12+ hours a day, only to get screwed from both ends?

I left the family farm because I was sick of working so hard for so little. I went to college to become an engineer, ended up working in computers.

At this stage of the game I almost want to go back, but there is no way. I'd be bankrupt in less than a year, even if Mom & Dad gave me the use of the farm and equipment for free.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 12, 2010

Your right Randy. The more you ask from the government the more rights you're going to give up. If you want to run your own life and farm your own way you can not ask the government for help. Otherwise you are inviting them to control your life.

trucker 40 · Oct 12, 2010

Every job that you can think of is exactly the same way.Take construction,bigger and bigger companies underbid smaller companies and put them out of business,or other things,but thats a start.Trucking,bigger companies will come in to an area,bid the rate so low you cant make it,and then operate there for years until all of the small companies go broke.
You work hard,get an idea,go to the bank and get a loan,work the rest of your life paying off loans,and the rich people end up with all the money you made again.Everybody from the trash man to the President is standing in line when you get paid to take their cut out of it before you even get it if possible,and then you have to pay taxes on it besides that,and"self employment tax"on top of that.
So its not just the dairy farmers.Everybody is getting raped by the government,and their cronies,to take money from working people,and then give it to crooks who dont do anything.Just like the Mafia used to do,only way worse.
Actually farmers do better than most businesses because the government "helps"them a little tiny bit.The government doesnt help truckers at all.

Loren MN · Oct 13, 2010

I was in Rice Lake last month for an antique car run, and was thinking the same as you as we toured the countryside. On our first day there, we toured one of the largest dairies on northern WI, and I spent the rest of the weekend looking at all the small farms, thinking how sad it is that they can no longer compete. All the beautiful pasture land around the area, but to be competative the big dairy has to run 2900 head. 2400 cows in one barn milked 3 times a day, never seeing the light of day.

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