tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post5160853508930286427..comments2024-02-26T05:51:17.859-05:00Comments on Economic Disconnect: Your're Gonna Need a Bigger BoatEconomicDisconnecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02802078645713106743noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-34741163280077478582007-11-03T22:37:00.000-04:002007-11-03T22:37:00.000-04:00getyourselfconnecI use my farm for my own consumpt...getyourselfconnec<BR/><BR/>I use my farm for my own consumption and give away a large part of the produce as I'm not dependent on it for income. My neighbor does some of the ground preparation in exchange for use of my pastures for his horses a couple of month out of the year which I guess one could consider as bargaining.<BR/>The guy's that seem most successfully doing it for a living out here are a combination of farmer and rancher. A lot of these guys are multimillionaires. They raise corn and soybeans and hay the pasture grass for their cattle for the winter months. A lot of them use the futures markets to hedge. The biggest cost out here for them is petroleum to run their farm equipment and the engines for irrigation systems. We don't get enough rainfall and this is sandy soil so the cost of irrigation is high. <BR/>Having a mechanical and electrical background are beneficial as something always needs to be repaired. Some of the smaller farmers I know raise produce and sell it at weekly farmers markets around the area and they seem to do fairly we'll.<BR/>Here is a list of what I grow. <BR/><BR/>Bell Peppers<BR/>Broccoli<BR/>Brussels Sprouts<BR/>Butternut Squash<BR/>Cabbage<BR/>Carrots<BR/>Cantaloupes<BR/>Celery<BR/>corn<BR/>Collards<BR/>Cucumbers<BR/>Eggplant<BR/>Garlic<BR/>Anaheim Peppers<BR/>Jalapeño Pepper<BR/>Lima Beans<BR/>Okra<BR/>Onion (white bunching)<BR/>Onion Granex Hybrid<BR/>Radish (white)<BR/>Roc D'or Beans<BR/>Scarlet Runner Beans<BR/>Swiss Chard<BR/>Tomatoes<BR/>Turnip<BR/>Watermelon<BR/>White Bush Scallop Squash<BR/>Yellow Crookneck Squash<BR/>Zucchini<BR/><BR/>I think a guy could do fairly well on a small acreage say about 10 in some of the niche produce markets like everything your success would probably be more dependent on your adaptability and attitude. I happen to like Butternut squash as they keep for 165 days at 55 degrees after a 10 to 20 day curring at 75 degrees. Butternuts sell well in this area which is something else on has to learn. I have started to experiment with Garlic which I just planted a couple of weeks ago and will be ready for harvest in July, so far, so good. Some of this ground can have quit different growing qualities within a half section. I live in a small town about 10 miles from my farm currently and I grow a garden here and the ground has vastly different yields on the same type of plants. Some do better here and some do better at the farm.<BR/><BR/>Winters can be nasty, our low will be 20 tomorrow and we'll most likely have snow around Thanksgiving and I don't care for snow but life has it's trade offs and I am far freer and happier here.<BR/><BR/>KevinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-28128833909993634712007-11-03T18:48:00.000-04:002007-11-03T18:48:00.000-04:00http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/02/news/companies/cit...http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/02/news/companies/citi_meeting/index.htmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-57098951927055937702007-11-03T18:46:00.000-04:002007-11-03T18:46:00.000-04:00I am just fantasizing about living off grid. ;)-ht...I am just fantasizing about living off grid. ;)-< You know the more I am hearing how this generation will be unable to cope with a depression or how we are now more city/suburban vs rural I serious doubt our survivability. Not to be pessimistic but after the 4 hours of financialsense.com this week I am feeling even more ill (compounding the flu). You know, they asked a really good question on their show about Rome and who/what contributed to it's fall as a Republic. Guys it's eerie but I don't see this ending well because the powers that be wont allow the "FREE" market to correct itself when shiza investments go south. Did anyone read about the outcome of the CITI bank meeting this weekend?<BR/><BR/>http://www.jsmineset.com<BR/><BR/>The Still Sick G 8^X<BR/><BR/>PS: Docs gonna love me on Monday!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-27111826079903726562007-11-03T17:57:00.000-04:002007-11-03T17:57:00.000-04:00Kevin and AnonG thanks for checking in. Can you m...Kevin and AnonG thanks for checking in. Can you make a reasonable living farming? I do not mean big bucks, but enough to support costs if you had enough put away to cover other expenses? Also, what are the winters like? What do you grow or farm? Theres a little part in everyone I imagine that would love to leave the city areas behind forever.EconomicDisconnecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02802078645713106743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-9818797376606930532007-11-03T12:11:00.000-04:002007-11-03T12:11:00.000-04:00I am with USER:Kevin and ready to get a ranch some...I am with USER:Kevin and ready to get a ranch somewhere for cheap and just hide out!<BR/><BR/>http://www.midamrealty.com/Bassett%20Nebraska.htm<BR/><BR/>http://www.gumbauctionandrealty.com/burwellh.html<BR/><BR/><BR/>Here you go G there are places all over here and other states in the Mid-West that a cheap when compared to CA or any states near the coast. I paid 25% less then the ask price for my farm, and at some of the auctions out here in some of these towns I have seen older homes go for as little as 5K.<BR/><BR/>I was looking at these places for over a year before I retired and that farm had been for sale for 3 years before I bought it so the guy had an incentive to cut the price. I also had what he wanted an all cash deal. Look up a state that you think you might be interested in living and type in land auctions.<BR/><BR/>It's not for everyone and I would think real hard before I made that decision also make sure your wife is on board. Happy wife is happy life.<BR/><BR/>KevinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207581886255094115.post-79647433604411189702007-11-02T21:03:00.000-04:002007-11-02T21:03:00.000-04:00Yep... The wife and I were coming home from the de...Yep... The wife and I were coming home from the dentists (and with $250 less in our pockets--for a routine cleaning!-sans dental insurance) and we were listen to NPR. Yep... that job report was given that manufacturing jobs went down the shiza and "Professional Service" jobs were up and actually up beyond expectations. You should have been there to hear all the profanity coming out of the wife's mouth! She was laid off from Motorola in July and replaced by a phone (nice to know your needed) and the new job laid her off last week. Seriously a Multilevel Ponzi Scheme inc. didn't keep her past her 90 days..... Soooo WTF gives? We know first hand the economy is shiza as a fortune 100 dumps their employees and a mom and pop scam shop does the same! <BR/><BR/>I am with USER:Kevin and ready to get a ranch somewhere for cheap and just hide out!<BR/><BR/>Great post. Funny we don't have the same taste in sports or music but your blog is right on target!<BR/><BR/>G<BR/><BR/>PS Have a great weekend! Gold is over $800/oz now!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com