# How are you doing?



## KS John (Aug 6, 2018)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-farms-bankruptcy-idUSKBN1ZT2YE

John


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Financially, I am in a much better place heading into 2020 than I was heading into 2019. Made a few decisions that paid off, like going 95% coverage on crop insurance. Trimmed a little more fat here and there and that helped tremendously as well. I'm excited for the future.

There are a few operators around me that haven't farmed in lean times and it shows. I vaguely remember the 80's and it's not a situation I'd like to repeat if I can help it.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Went into 2019 pretty stable, but had a pole barn lease payment and a line of credit payment I was getting tired of paying. But then came an offer kind of unexpected by a neighbor to buy one of our farms. A very high offer that we couldn't really refuse. So now we are owner of a Taco Bell building and land instead that will make us about the same a year than the farm and I don't have to do anything. So now I'm back to being a hobby farmer with just 150 acres of hay.

A lot of hemp was grown around here last year and I think a lot of people lost their shirts with it. But mostly it was wanna be farmers thinking they would be rich and real farmers taking a break for a year and getting big rents.

As for the article stating that 1/3 of farm net income is from government aid and insurance is unsustainable. There may be some bleeding in a year or two.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

2019 was a fairly good year for us. 2018 and 2017 were tuff. We are planning on Possibly transitioning away from dairy ,And anything that has to do with livestock.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

endrow said:


> Possibly transitioning away from dairy ,And anything that has to do with livestock.


Here are some local prices on livestock, a friend went last Monday watched a group of 7 Holstein deacon calves sell for $20 for the group. :huh: I think they were generous in the posting of prices showing $0.01 per pound.

Larry


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

r82230 said:


> Here are some local prices on livestock, a friend went last Monday watched a group of 7 Holstein deacon calves sell for $20 for the group. :huh: I think they were generous in the posting of prices showing $0.01 per pound.
> 
> Larry


Never heard the term "deacon" calves.??


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

swmnhay said:


> Never heard the term "deacon" calves.??


They are the ones that the "Joker:" spoke of during the Grammys.

When I was a kid milking cows, we removed the calf from mom soon after calving (within a couple of days). So my definition of a deacon calf, 1-3 days old. The navel (umbilical cord) hasn't dried and fell off yet. Most likely calves are from dairy herds, which are mostly Holsteins here.

Larry


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

r82230 said:


> They are the ones that the "Joker:" spoke of during the Grammys.
> 
> When I was a kid milking cows, we removed the calf from mom soon after calving (within a couple of days). So my definition of a deacon calf, 1-3 days old. The navel (umbilical cord) hasn't dried and fell off yet. Most likely calves are from dairy herds, which are mostly Holsteins here.
> 
> Larry


That would be "Bottle calves" here.


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