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Western Oregon | Dad started farming the second time, bought a run down dairy, 35 cows and 100 acres in 1954 after a bad truck/train wreck in '51. Doctors said he would never work again. Nearly 4 years stir crazy in a little cabin, married again and 54. He grew the feed, harvested, fed and relief milked for Mom. She had 3 boys in 4 years and still milked, we kids "lived" in the milk parlor in the early years. They sold the dairy after 10 years, he was 63, took calves for part of payment. Sold dairy heifers, steers for beef and heifers from those heifers was the start of beef herd.
I left home at 12, planted first crop at 13. Ran hard for first 10 years., built to 1600 acres. Health started failing after 10 years. I downsized twice, finally got too sick to continue. Sold out, built a house in town because drs. didn't know IF I would make it. Took 2 years to get health to where I could go to work for the city 1/2 time. Never was able to go full time. Retired at 55 after 16 years.
Son came to me and wanted to farm when he turned 20. I gave him what I had left, the home place, a 2550 JD, cab, 4x4, mower, 3-18" semi mount plow and 12' equipment, JD chopper, 2 row corn head, 7' pickup head. 6 row planter. 1973 GMC 9500 tandem grain truck. He bought a 4040 JD, cutter, round baler and bale wrapper. Gave daughter the family home in town. Son built his dream cabin here on 4 acres of the original homestead where we moved when I retired. This was our get-away place when I was working in town. We have a 400 sqft. cabin, his is 300.
Son farms 600 acres, about 1/2 is with an organic dairy. He mows the pastures and hauls the manure. All the dairy has is a scraper tractor. Son runs the land like he owns it. Cover crops and rotation get bagged as hay and haylage, dairy feed anywhere on the whole 600 acres. He grows grass seed and peppermint, organic small fruits and orchards with a small on-farm retail store. He is nearing 50, works 4 days/wk in the schools.
He always wanted to retire at 50 and farm part time. He has 50 head of registered sheep and 50 cow calf pairs. Just wants to farm his own 300 crop acres and 80 of pasture along with grass seed "straw" bales and protein blocks....James
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Perspective
