Russ In Idaho - 11/30/2007 02:35

First thing I wouldn't get into leasing cattle inless you owned the farm and the cattle and were going to be working someone into the farm with hopes to be retiring in a few years. Somebody can screw your cattle up in a matter of days, and if you are lucky all you have left is a cull cow, worst is a dead cow. I would pay off all debts, buy a set of heifers if you have the feed and a place to raise them. Raise them to springers, sell them. Get a few years of raising heifers under your belt, that is a key to making a dairy work not being able to milk them but to raise them and keep alive! If you can raise them from babies to springers, that is the key to being successful in dairying.

Side note if your girlfriend hates farm and cow, you better look elsewere, or forget the cows if you truly love her. A spouse that hates that way of life will make your life living hell! Also what would it take to go back to school and get a B.S. or Masters BEFORE you get married? It's alot easier to go to school unmarried and no kids. I realize school isn't for everyone, but that peice of paper sure gets your foot in the front door of a lot of good jobs. Even if your love is agriculture, you need a plan if the worsts happens, ie. if you became crippled, or lost the farm, etc. If you set a plan, and follow through and the girlfriend is a keeper, she will wait a couple of years for you to finish a plan of schooling.

You might want to listen or read a little from Dave Ramsey http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/ It might help you get on track a little. It never hurts to listen, you just have to be able to wade thru it all.
Good luck!

Just my two cents, and it ain't worth nothing!