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A Closer Look at Agriculture in 2010 with Gary Pike

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    #11
    Shane, you need to get out and away from the "starlight". Gary Pike could not make it farming on his own so now he convinces others how too. Look around you, there are thousands of successfull farms all around that are in no way and never will be involved with Pike or One Earth for that matter.
    Successfull farm - Anyone who is still in the game after going a decades battle with mother nature - on their own.
    - Farms that consistantly produce high yeilds of top quality grain year after year even when mother nature is not on side.
    - Family farms who are three to four generations strong without any investor help of any kind. Think about that real hard.
    - Farmers who are community builders and stand up for the right to be a farmer, independent from outside influances.
    - Farmers who manage their land base efficiently and maximise their machienery and labour regardless of land base.
    I would put up some family run farms against any Pike run farm any day, any where.
    Don't get me wrong there are successfull farms under Pike's Utopia, but remember onr thing he will try to convince you of anything to be in the spotlight, that's his job, the more acres under his wing the more money he makes. But do not ever forget to have a look down the road anywhere in Western Canada if you need a lesson on a successfull farm.
    Example - Local family run farm - 95% of the crop in the bin with huge yeilds and dry.
    - Corperate run farm - only 40% harvested dry, 30-50% less yeilds, 50% of the crop ended up poorer quality - grade loss, heated, spoiled ext. Huge drying costs and full time babysiting "out of condition" grain.
    There are many successfully run family farms who would make some of Pike's clients look like third world bannana republic's.
    Soory for the rant but many farmers on here and through out Western Canada are far more efficient and successfull than any corperate farm design.

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      #12
      I wasn't suggesting that you have to be a member
      of Gary's group to be successful.

      I was just looking for someone's opinion on what
      makes farms successful and Gary is a highly
      successful farm consultant who provides greta
      insight. Some stuff I agreed with and some I didn't.

      I have some friends that farm 3000 acres and I
      would consider them one of the most successful
      mixed farm in Western Canada. I do not believe
      that you have to be big to make it work. I believe
      you have to be smart and willing to adapt to change
      to take advantage of opportunities.

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        #13
        Do you think that successful farms in Western Canada
        still need to be mixed or one dimensional

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          #14
          Depends on the term one dimensional?
          As far as my comments, maybe a little over the top, but I am sick and tired of "experts" telling us that we must farm at least 8 or 10 or 15 thousand or what ever number they arive at, just to be viable - that is B/S.

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            #15
            Perhaps Young Living Farms

            http://www.younglivingfarms.com/

            Success would be trying that Lavander honey salmon recipe.

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              #16
              "highly successful farm consultant" or in other words not a farmer, right?

              Paid to have no skin in the game.

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                #17
                How the hell did I get into this conversation. We did it over 3 generations each one with a goal to double what the previous one had. Some family left over the years but that was the core. Work hard play hard and watch all costs. IF land is available to buy buy don't ps around renting. ETC ETC> But mostly have fun. Pike yea buy fert at 1500 a ton its a bargain no genius. But just a guy who thinks he knows where Ag is going.
                Hey Brandon was awesome small crowd not sure why. They seem more quieter over their this year not so gung ho. Could spot the Sask guys though. Off to farm Drying again.

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                  #18
                  makes sense to me, was one of the young farmers once, after twenty years not so much.......I agree scale and managing your cost of production per unit is key, scale discussion has to happen and is moving target , we already are using different geography as a risk mgmt tool, margin programs do not support(CAISP/Agristability) do not support livestock/grain diversification but not evertyone has same risk mgmt strategy....you can beat up his take on things to rationalize what you do..I would add that if you are at the tail end of your farming career, seeding with a 40 foot air drill and have your land and equipment base in good shape, 3000 - 4000 acres is all you need...it is all relative, you can have the same cost per unit as the 6500 acre guy, less total net margin, but if the nest is empty and paid for who cares????the equip hormone issue is funny and oh so true...

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                    #19
                    I've heard this guy speak before, makes sense. Basically keep costs down, If you buy new equipment, make sure that your cost/acre is low- which means get more land. Lots of guys running around with 9770's or bigger and only farming 2500 acres - less than 200 hours/year. Lots of guys have a lot of cash tied up in things that do not make a lot of sense.

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