Farmers watching $$ more

[Crestliner]

Most of the more serious pain around here is the self-inflicted type from guys who bought into the “$7 corn is the new normal” talk and either forgot or never knew that the prices we have right now are still pretty decent historically. Now they’re starting to realize why folks shook their heads at taking on $70-80/acre (or more) in new paint payments

Oh man the new paint does kill you. I traded a big swack of equipment in one go one time, highly leveraged and it was absolute hell making those payments. We drive it like it is going to break, store it inside, do all the updates....it’s paid for working for me now and I enjoy going to an auction sale and helping the seller paying cash for a good piece that I need instead of feeding the dealer....10 years of hell I would have missed for anything. My dad drove older equipment and I wanted to show him how it’s done in the 2000’s....he had to help me a couple times and I made his day when he did and I was able to pay him back.

[iceman]

Huh. At one time this game used to be about providing for ones family. Not "mopping" up the pieces of someone else's misfortune to expand your own fortune.

Trust me, I won't shed many tears for those who have flapped their gums around town, but many who have simply tried to do the right thing are going to get caught up in this mess. Dear God I hope It's not me.

If it Is, it'll be entirely beyond my control... personal expenses are BARE BONES, equipment is paid for, vehicles and house(If you call a mobile home that) are paid for, but every acre is rented because purchasing it is completely beyond my means, and I'm paying on some bins because every acre comes complete with 0 bushels of storage. I've tried to play within the rules as beat I can. I sure hope the outwardly appearing well healed neighbors aren't secretly waiting to "mop up."

You will be fine

[blackpowder]

Machinery within a certain age range will bring a fair price. No bargains since internet. Not sure if a portion of one years profitable inventory in the bin will stop key replacement.

Regarding mopping up. I stopped going to socials partly because it was like swimming in a shark tank. Had to sidestep nosy questions and talk very carefully. I'm losing land to money that wasnt made on a farm every year. I'm coming to terms with reality and how the future will look and giving a few less damns every year.

Someone should try starting a thread about the bright side occasionally.