We all have one.
A home place. We farmed here for 47 years as we raised our children, I kept a home and taught mathematics to hundreds and hundreds of fine rural children for most of that time, while helping keep the farm and house going and cooking for a small army. We raised Hogs, a few beef cattle and corn. Of course, lots of chickens. This was painted from an aerial photo in 1983 and the snapshot of the painting last year for digital copying for the family. Oh not in Illinois. The hogs they stunk, were so dirty and rough to breed and raise to market, but the rewards were personal and they sure do taste good. We're fat, old, tired, and worked hard for the American dream. It was taken almost over night when we bet on a new confinement building and lost it by the policies of Clinton team and new EPA regulations over hog lots, and the worst downturn in farm economies since the 30's. Politics and ignorant leaders were the farm industries downturn in the 90's especially the hog market. We sold it lock stock and barrel, paid our debts, capitol gains and moved to a softer property tax area. It's our life, the truth, and not much else but so much less work.
You have my sympathy for your bad luck and/or timing with farming. You're definitely not alone. I know there were a lot of them got caught in the 80's when land prices dropped. Those who got in early made a killing. Those in late took a bath. It was pure gambling. It's about to happen again with Iowa farm land being above $6,000 per acre average and some above $15,000. You only need to own 160 acres to be a millionaire at $6,000. Less than half that will do it at $15,000.
I always thought an individual farmer raising livestock was done when the packers started raising their own and contracting with farmers. The packers didn't have to buy from the individual as long as they still had some of their own so they could beat down the price they offered. And if you contracted with them, they had the clout to set your return. You were almost like being on the payroll but at their salary and with no benefits but still a chance to lose it all.
You had to get big or get out or take the crumbs they offered.
It sounds like you still have enough to eat well. Without Social Security, I would guess you would be in a much worse position. I hope you're not one to go along with eliminating it.
You are right to a point,
We didn't go bankrupt true, and though i understand the points we were still trying to hold onto our life. It went down hill so fast after investing even more in that future, hoping our children would continue. But coprporate farms aside, there was still a good market for the private farms in this land to do well. The hardest blow wasn't the factory farms but the EPA and the ag Dept. ever in flux rules. Hogs are an environmental gray area to be sure, but if well maintained and waste managed, farmers like us didn't have to worry so we thought. No it's true we had some luck and a little to fall back on. We took some tax hits and the inheritance for our family would dwindle especially the longer we hung on. The only real salvation we had was that the acreage was worth more tthan the structures and equity. The equipment sale lasted a day and the land sale an hour. We had next to nothing left in stock but the chickens once the prices fell to next to nothing. getting big wasn't in the cards and policy made the rest of the difference. That paid for this place and our notes, but trust me were far from rolling in cheddar.
