The Link
Avoid the sale.
How many times have you gone to a farm sale? I look forward to some, but other farm sales are the end of the line for that place or that family. A neighbor passed away recently, and they had his farm/estate sale. None of his kids or grandkids have any desire to farm. They sold everything on the auction block. They even sold his tin drinking cup that had to have been from his childhood. It had a little lamb embossed on the side. The auctioneer grouped it in with two other tin measuring cups, and it was gone for $15. They sold his old Farmall tractor that had never been off that place. It still ran — the new owner drove it home. The land sold, too, but there was a big price difference from the cup. It sold in smaller tracts after they had a dozer tear down the fence and make what looked like a driveway on each piece.
This story plays out in every farming community. It hurts my heart. If you work in agriculture, you do it for the love of the land and what the land provides. You work for green grass, green crops, and being green ourselves. You are a good land steward by raising cattle responsibly. You don’t work for mountains of green money. That seems to be for those who choose another career path that doesn’t include cows or dirt. But those are the very people who are now buying agriculture’s future.
Every parent wants their kids to be healthy, happy and to have a better life than we did. Is that better life on or off the farm? Agriculture, especially production ag, is known for hard work and long hours, but not a large income. It can be a great life, rich in many things money cannot buy. Working beside your family can be great, but you have to get along, because you can’t fire them. You learn to invent everything from a quick fix to something new. When it’s up to each of you to sink or swim, the pooled brainpower can be amazing.
I hear so many people say they encourage their kids to do something other than farm or ranch. I also hear others try their absolute best to make it attractive for their kids to work the land for another generation.
I was one of those kids who moved away from the farm to a very large city. I hated it, and after one year I moved back. I hated not mowing and baling hay. I missed planting and combining the corn. I missed calving the heifers. I almost missed milking the cows, but that may have taken longer than a year.
My point is we all have decisions to make that affect our life and sometimes our income. AngusLinkSM can help with that.
Do you look for ways to increase the return on the investment (ROI) you make on your farm? If you buy Angus bulls with good genetic potential, take a look at AngusLink. The ROI for good Angus genetics coupled with documented management practices and some pooled brainpower could provide your operation with some increased income from that green grass and your cows that you love.
Editor’s note: Ginette Gottswiller is the director of verification services for the American Angus Association.
Angus Proud
In this Angus Proud series, Editorial Intern Jessica Wesson provides insights into how producers across the country use Angus genetics in their respective environments.
Angus Proud: Scott Sproul
Oklahoma operation learned wisdom of moving calving season to better suit their marketing needs.
Angus Proud: Bubba Crosby
Fall-calving Georgia herd uses quality and co-ops to market calves.
Angus Proud: Jim Moore
Arkansas operation retains ownership through feeding and values carcass data.
Angus Proud: Stephen Shiner
Idaho operation rotates pastures in summer and raises crops for winter.
Angus Proud: Les Shaw
South Dakota operation manages winter with preparation and bull selection.
Angus Proud: Jeremy Stevens
Nebraska operation is self-sufficient for feedstuffs despite sandy soil.
Angus Proud: Dave Rutan
Angus breeder gets the most out of his bull investment by partnering with opposite calving-season operation.
Angus Proud: Nickey Smith
AngusLink helps Louisiana cattleman gain more for his calves.
