And don’t forget that many farmers take low season jobs for supplemental income to keep things afloat. Some only make profit from this extra work. Their farm is in fact underwater.
We talk about consolidation like it’s some evil conspiracy. But some farm kids realize dad is just holding into a dream that will never be true, and if none of your kids want the farm, on principle or because half a farm can’t support a used combine, then you’re going to sell or the kids will.
Gabe Brown, if I’m remembering his back story properly, ended up with about a third of his parents’ farm, split with his siblings. He got hit with hail every time there was a storm, and tried permaculture (lite) as a Hail Mary. He scratched and clawed his way out of the red and eventually reassembled the family farm buying from neighbors and siblings.
For his kids he established subsidiary enterprises and gave them to his kids instead of the land. Some stayed in At and some didn’t. One of his kids is slowly taking over management of his farm and he will get it eventually. Gabe probably has 10-15 years left in him.
We talk about consolidation like it’s some evil conspiracy. But some farm kids realize dad is just holding into a dream that will never be true, and if none of your kids want the farm, on principle or because half a farm can’t support a used combine, then you’re going to sell or the kids will.
Gabe Brown, if I’m remembering his back story properly, ended up with about a third of his parents’ farm, split with his siblings. He got hit with hail every time there was a storm, and tried permaculture (lite) as a Hail Mary. He scratched and clawed his way out of the red and eventually reassembled the family farm buying from neighbors and siblings.
For his kids he established subsidiary enterprises and gave them to his kids instead of the land. Some stayed in At and some didn’t. One of his kids is slowly taking over management of his farm and he will get it eventually. Gabe probably has 10-15 years left in him.