# Time to move on.



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

It is hard to believe I joined Haytalk just over two years ago, July of 2017. This site has been worth so much to me and pray I have benefited some of you also. Without a doubt across the board there are some of the most knowledge people and very willing to help each other as true friends do. Really great people, Shall miss you. Oh I will still be here some for a while but realize will be here less and less.

Had my first coastal Bermuda sprigged March of 2017 and have baled hay now two years off of it, had more sprigged this year and set to sprig the last land next year. It is easy to say the operation is coming together. However at age 66 realize it will be at least four years and more likely more till it produces steady and large enough to pay for the barns needed and buy needed machines as they come. The deciding factor is I have no one in my family who has any interest in farming. No daughter, son in law or grandchild. One day maybe but now. Just did not wish to invest the large amount needed for barns with no family member to continue the operation.

My setup was a partnership that is most unusual as it was four friends who care about each other joined together with no formal obligation to help each other. Our operation was bragged on by our supply rep as he said others need to do what you are to be successful. I met with the partners three weeks back to share my decision and the oldest one who is long time friend and about four years my senior whose son in law is continuation in the business from his side and currently one of the four said I very much understand your reason. Shall miss it. It really is fun to see the grass grow, taking care of it and then watching the balling process to trailer loads being unloaded in the barns. Had a guy making fun of me about month back ask me at insurance company meeting if still was farming and I said yes and he went on to say how hot it was and how dirty raising hay was. My simple reply was I guess so but inside my air condition JD have not noticed either of those.

Offered anything in my equipment line to my partners at below market price and still willing to help them when they are baling. Will be renting our land to them and supporting them any way possible. We had gotten close caring about each other's operation as we did and more so each other. My coastal acreage for next year about doubles with land sprigged this year and next year we sprig the last of our land. Been a goal for about 25 years for this to be a hay farm, which my father in law and I talked about nearly twenty five years ago, which sadly he did not live to see happen. My wife is at least the fourth generation on this farm and it is disappointing to see the farms here lost to houses and roads.

I really thank God for bringing me here and for the FRIENDS have made here. I pray for each of you success and health in your farming and life. Plan wisely in all aspects of your operation. Plan wisely for your future, both here and past this life. May God bless you greatly and be able to call you "friend". Kenneth Thompson


----------



## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

Will sure miss you Kat, but I understand. My partner is my dad who turned 77 this year. Don't know what I would do without him.


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Sometimes the best decisions for ourselves aren't always the easy ones, or the most fun ones. BUT, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to leave Haytalk!


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

You will hear no argument from me. You have to adjust as adjustments become necessary. I have two close friends who have no one to carry on behind them. We have talked about how we spend a lifetime getting things together then become too old to enjoy it.
I have tossed around the idea of selling down to 20 cows and just doing this as a hobby. I still have not seen Yellow Stone and I do not want to look back and have a lot left on the bucket list.

When it quits becoming fun and seems more like work, it is time to change gears.


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

Well darn Palmettokat, I will miss you for sure here in Haytalk. I am working on clearing 6 more acres and hope to sprig it in a few years. My son has no interest in my farm but I had no interest in my Dads farm when I was 26 either. You never know he may show interest later. I’m 57 so I hope I have a few more good years left in me. If I retire from the nuclear plant maybe farming will be a little easier. My friend that has helped me over the years and had baled about 6000 bales for me this year committed suicide between my 3rd and 4 th cutting this year so that 4 th cutting was tough but life goes on. Enough about me and enjoy your retirement from farming.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

You are too young to be completely be put out to pasture.

Got to agree with river, you never know about your family's change of heart. You might even be surprised on which family member ends up showing an interest. I know in my case, it was my younger brother, until he made some decisions that didn't come out as he expected (taking what almost seem like free gov'mint money). At 26 I wasn't interested in farming myself. Then something changed. :huh: Now it seems I got the hay bug that I just can't seem to shake (and one of three sons is catching it, sloooowwwwwllllyyy).

And as Josh says, doesn't' mean you can't participate (and add value) to HT. I find all the different perspectives here on HT helps enlighten me, to say the least.

Either way good luck and may God bless.

Larry


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Good luck to you Kenneth.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

broadriver, that is so sad about your friend. Had a friend few years back on a forumn who really felt close to him. One day a voice I did not know called me on his cell phone and said you are in his phone with my name and "friend" with it. Still wonder what took him to it but learned he had a brother who had also committed sucide. So sad there anyone feels no hope.

It can be amazing to me how strong a realationship to a person or person on a formun. There are so many here would like to meet and or see your operation. Especially those in my home state of SC.

I agree the love of the land can be slow in developing and also amazing who it bites or really who finally either admits to it or able to allow it out.

I hope each of you have some idea of and are even now doing some planning on how to pass the operatoin along. Espeically if you are say 55 and over. Will mentions life insurance can be used wisely to help make that work to allow equitable estate stettlement with one child getting the operation and the insurance funding equally to the other children. It could be paid for by the parent of the child or children inheritaing the farm. God Bless


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

broadriverhay said:


> Well darn Palmettokat, I will miss you for sure here in Haytalk. I am working on clearing 6 more acres and hope to sprig it in a few years. My son has no interest in my farm but I had no interest in my Dads farm when I was 26 either. You never know he may show interest later. I'm 57 so I hope I have a few more good years left in me. If I retire from the nuclear plant maybe farming will be a little easier. My friend that has helped me over the years and had baled about 6000 bales for me this year committed suicide between my 3rd and 4 th cutting this year so that 4 th cutting was tough but life goes on. Enough about me and enjoy your retirement from farming.


Oh my ,,,,, that's so tragic....May the Lord have mercy on him.


----------



## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

We wish you the very best. Even if you're not actively involved with haying, hope you'll keep on the forum -- you give a lot of good insight on various topics.

Shelia & Jeff


----------



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Whatever they are doesn’t mean you still can’t be a HayTalk member!


----------



## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Wishing all the best for you, I understand your thinking.. We own 40ac, none of the family wants anything to do with it and have said they would sell it off.. We have talked about that and don't know what will become of things later in life, guess time will tell....


----------



## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

Anyone is always welcome to come to my place . Just give a shout and the gate will be open. It’s just a small place but so beautiful down on the Broad River.


----------



## Uphayman (Oct 31, 2014)

"Embrace change.........change creates opportunity." T. Boone Pickens. Enjoy the ride, friend.


----------



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Uphayman,,so true.

I have a JD 5525 that will be larger than I need if not farming. Really enjoy that tractor. Got surprised when I began looking at the price that tractor is selling for and it is more than I paid for it used four or five years back. DId replace the loader on it with a self leveling one think three years back. Twisted the original moving a oak tree off my mother in laws house following Hurricane Matthew.

I really got socked on price of a 4000 series JD with 50 to upper 60 hp with cab, front end loader and four wheel drive. Was looking for hydro trans. For about same age and hours as my 5525 with is about a 1/3 more hp the 4000 series tractor is about $10,000 more. Let me think on this, I down size tractor by a 1/3 and it cost me a 1/3 more? Why does less cost more?

This afternoon was working to change the engine oil and hyd oil in my M6800 Kubota. Simple tractor, just basic model. Backed an hydo oil filter off a little trying to drain the oil into bucket and drain engine oil which went simple and quick and while it was draining replaced engine oil filter and got two gallons of Rotella fully synthetic oil to refill the crank case. Poured one in the engine, and poured most of the second gallon and cleaned dip sticked to see if oil was on it yet, nope. So poured rest of the second gallon and still no oil. Oh well my memory was correct over two gallons. So got third gallon and poured about half of it and still no oil...ok did not look to verify how much oil it did hold but not three gallons, know that very well. Walked to other side of the tractor while trying to remember how many quarts it did hold with out walking to house to read the manual and notice the drain plug laying on top of the five gallon bucket still sitting under the engine drain. Well not the recommend way to full the oil not the lowest price way but...also learned, did not have enough oil to fill that engine with drain plug out. Still wondering how I got this old and had never done that before. Made me right proud of myself.

I have sold my two accumulator/.grapples but need to take pictures of them and want to write a review of them. One is a Maxilator and the other a Rafter M. They are both the rather common 10 square bale designs but each one sure has it advantage and disadvantages.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Palmettokat said:


> This afternoon was working to change the engine oil and hyd oil in my M6800 Kubota. Simple tractor, just basic model. Backed an hydo oil filter off a little trying to drain the oil into bucket and drain engine oil which went simple and quick and while it was draining replaced engine oil filter and got two gallons of Rotella fully synthetic oil to refill the crank case. Poured one in the engine, and poured most of the second gallon and cleaned dip sticked to see if oil was on it yet, nope. So poured rest of the second gallon and still no oil. Oh well my memory was correct over two gallons. So got third gallon and poured about half of it and still no oil...ok did not look to verify how much oil it did hold but not three gallons, know that very well. Walked to other side of the tractor while trying to remember how many quarts it did hold with out walking to house to read the manual and notice the drain plug laying on top of the five gallon bucket still sitting under the engine drain. Well not the recommend way to full the oil not the lowest price way but...also learned, did not have enough oil to fill that engine with drain plug out. Still wondering how I got this old and had never done that before. Made me right proud of myself.


I learned something new from HT again today, "How to flush engine oil, expensively".  :lol: I do believe I have made at least one of these hair brained mistakes. I feel for you, at least you didn't kick yourself in the behind like I do when I make a stupid move. The next day I even have to look at myself in the mirror (with a sore butt) and wonder why my wife married such an idiot. 

Larry


----------



## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

Good luck Kennth, but keep hanging around hay talk. I look forward to your post.


----------



## Mf5612 (Apr 29, 2018)

Wishing you all the best Kenneth from us up in Canada.the only thing in life that’s consistent is change.thanks for your kind words on the passing of my custom operator last spring.take care


----------

