some words

[elcheapo]

last week or two been reading posts, and some have been on my mind......4KSU and BF2012........fellows I don't know what to say.  I wished

I had some words of wisdom that would turn things around. Agriculture is a mess, you know that, there are those on here that don't

agree, but then they are not in reality.....either have had good luck, born well or married well.

we have been failed by many......the farm organizations, which stomp and holler, and take ads on agriculture saying how good they

are doing....have become a joke, as evidence on this forum, they have not a clue, despite what BA says ((just remember BA what

Kennedy said, if you are not a part of the soluation, you are a part of the problem)).

Even the branches of government that are supposed to make a fair and even playing field, have forgot their duties, or in some instances

now, can do nothing, because the laws do not cover the negative actions taken place.

It sounds like both of you have tried really hard, ksu mentioned record yields for a few years......which is hard to do with the fickle wx

about the only thing I can say ksu on the grain bins, FSA does have a low interest, "easy qualification" program for grain bins,

but on the other hand, I understand you not wanting to sink even deeper in the hole.  Can't be easy, I hear you on the costs, plus

you have a couple of little "expenses"......I buzzed by the BCBS website, and if you were 30 years old, a fair insurance policy

from them runs $1100 to $1200 a month.......a pretty good hunk.

not to mention everything else.

Fellows I don't know what to say but I'm sorry, and good luck.........there is a whole other world out there.....yes, maybe not the way

you had hoped or dreamed......but it can be good.

I speculate, you are not alone.  from my sources, things are not that good for the big boys either.  there you are looking at bigger numbers,

and more acres.  with the razor thin margins, the more the acres, the more the income, but if you are in operation on a 2% margin......

dispite the new pickup.......you are not doing that well.

Sometimes we question, why, what's the answer........sometimes there are none (although in this instance I think there is, but

that could be a quite ugly post).....as to "why".....I remember years ago, getting called out to a house fire,  a small little boy died

in the fire.......the parents were inconsolable........and understandably so.........after a while the young man asked......why ?

there is no good answer to that question.........why would god let this happen ???.......

god, I've worked hard, I've raised good crops, I've tried..........but why ???????

I don't know the answer, but what I do know it is not punishment.

there are things at work that I don't understand......the markets......then input costs......seems like the seed, chemical, fertilizer, grain

elevator....everyone of them made a profit, they didn't have to barrow "just to keep going"....they all have health insurance, usually

have good vehicles, etc....

I know we've talked of the topic of wheat.....a friend of mine pointed out something to me......note that the soybean and corn

industry require an annual purchase of everything.....seed, chemical, fert, etc........wheat many still brown bag the seed, and

don't spend much on fert and chemical.......thusly the "companys" don't make as much.......he said just think about that for a while.

where i'm at, we have thin soil, not good rain....yes we have our years, but as of late, not easy.....but given that I've never seen

so much corn planted in the last few years...I ask the young bucks what it yielded, and they tell me ((and usually less than

120 bu)), but they just shake their heads at the cost, seed, chem, fert.........I've never had the heart to ask them why did they

plant it if they know the inputs were so high.

i'm told they are hurting, and trying to find some way to make additional income, they read in FARM MAGAZINES, AND SEED COMPANYS

AND CHEM AND FERT DEALERS tell them stories of corn, and how it yields, how its not the same corn as corn before, etc.

a chem and fertilizer dealer this spring told me, after asking what was popular....I voiced my opinion that with the costs and price prospects,

we need to take a hard look at things......he told me it's the exact opposite, the fellows are trying to take every advantage they can

get from fert to chem, do away with every weed that will ding weeds, use the latest traits and highest priced seed.......

in pitch we used to say we could "shoot the moon", or some would say a "hail mary pass".......yes it might work.....but if you

have a problem, such as weed did with lack of rain........not only will you have a small yield, but huge input costs.

yes, you have insurance, and that pays everyone but you.......and at the end of the year you have nothing to live on.....and you

have health insurance, food, etc.....a fellow can only eat soo much deer meat !!!

so fellows, I hope a miracle happens and things turn around, we'll be praying for you.....take care and as spock would say

"change is the essential process of all existence".........

and best of all

"Live Long and Prosper"

[BA Deere]

Elcheapo, there`s a line in one of the Clint Eastwood/monkey movies where he says "A hand up is what a friend gives you, a handout is what the government gives you" ...and there is no truer line.   See, the Farm Bureau gives you a hand in fighting taxes and regulations, but it`s up to YOU to make your own "luck", Pa always said "The harder I work, the luckier I get".   So instead of waiting for government or the Farm Bureau to bail you out, you need to figure this stuff out on your own and make your own luck.

The USDA has a cheap food policy, we`ve all heard that over 30 years now, if we can`t come to terms with the fact that our own taxpayer funded government is screwing us, then it`s time to call ol` Shep the auctioneer and then get a job saying "Hello, welcome to Walmart!".

[Blacksandfarmer]

Cheapo, we have had this talk before. Nobody holds a gun to your head and tells you to farm. If you are in a good enough financial position to retire, retire. If you don't want to sell your farm, rent it. Life is too short to be this unhappy. It sounds like you need a vacation. Some seed companies offer vacation packages if you buy enough seed. Shop around, you don't need to book everything with the coop. 

[BF2012]

Seed Companies offering vacations.  LMFAO.  Exactly what Cheapo was getting at.  and all the other FREE S_hit.  Nothing is free.   like that $60K cap you're wearing fellas.

[BA Deere]

I remember seed companies having a hole behind the logo emblem, so if you removed the patch, it`d be a hole in the front of the cap. Now being advertised up like a NASCAR driver is popular.  But, here`s a little tip, go on Ebay and you can buy all the caps with wings and pretzel shaped logos that you want for $10 each.   Then buy and plant the corn you want and use the savings to take the little lady on a vacation.   🙂  ...you can even wear your fancy $10 cap that has wings on it too.    

[k-289]

BA  -  Kinda like the look I get when planting '' oats''' for winter feed ---

Early moisture prevalent - regrowth graze-able - rotation positive - input expenses ''Lite'' - winter protein tubs '' Lite'' - expressions from the neighbors ''' Priceless'''-     

[Blacksandfarmer]

BF2012, every farmer buys seed. Why not shop around for a seed company or dealer that will do a little work for you? Most everything in business is negotiable. Cheapo gets so upset over "the co-op" week after week.... GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!  

BF2012 Im sorry if you are the poor schmuck buying the most expensive seed on the market and only getting a $60,000 hat in return. You are probably the guy planting Pioneer or Dekalb because your dad or grandpa did back in the day, even though you could get the same hybrids in a Becks or Channel bag $10,000 cheaper. Think its funny? I see it year after year.