Crawfordsville, Arkansas | AR Plowboy - 3/9/2024 07:31
It seems many around have forgotten or never new what it takes to do the real labor part of farming. Yes I know managing labor is a demanding job and one I have mostly avoided. I have had several folks ask why you quitting your still young. My reply is I realize we are not able to continue doing the work required to make a crop. As I study some of those folks I really wonder if they really realize what all others are doing for them. I do know many work smarter than I do.
I managed a bunch of guys on a 10k acre operation for 3 years. Every year we had new guys with very little experience so I had to train them on whatever they were running. Then get them pointed in the right direction. Being spread out over 72 miles was a nightmare. Having guys at the south end and guys at the north end or whatever all I did was drive back and forth. Burned out myself quick. In 3 years I drove a combine maybe 4 days total and a tractor probably a full week. Always had to jump in here or there to fill in when one was out or quit and went back home.
So last year I found a job working for a seed company in R&D. 5 days a week. I’m helping a friend on his small farm now in my downtime. We have a great relationship and I show up basically when I want and do what’s needed when he’s not here. I’m 45 so still relatively young but I really don’t see myself getting back into production full time.
Dad just recently retired from Helena. Semi retired I guess. He works a few days a week when they need him but he’s no longer there 7 days a week. He’s building a house now so doing a lot of the work himself in his off time. He’s going to build him a shop in the backyard for woodworking and restoring old tractors. At some point I would figure the guy I’m helping will want to retire and our idea is to rent the place from him and do it in our spare time. All the acres are in one spot, all irrigated with a shop and grain storage. If that works out I guess we will be farming again but with our name on the truck door instead of someone else’s. |
Not your run of the mill retired farmer
