Start in Farming

[mbdog]

How would an existing/established/older producer get connected with young persons/family wanting to farm? Classifieds? Kijiji?,....? Anyone know of any specific website?

[bucket]

You hate someone that much?

[bucket]

Are you talking mentoring someone?

[farmaholic]

Check the Lottery websites, the capital required to get into this game today is a huge limiting factor. Your either born into it or have very deep pockets. And not for the faint of heart either.

[hobbyfrmr]

Another neat trick is to engage with young people interested in farming, string them along, get them to do the work for about 3 years, on the promise they are working towards buying the farm, then sell it to a big chequebook farmer for top dollar.

Farmers don't like paperwork. "Your word and your handshake should be enough". That statement tells me the farmer knows he can change his mind for more money anytime.
Old farmers are not stupid.

[mbdog]

funny , funny.
I'm thinking there's an interest on both sides out there.

Who knows, I might even have some room/help for some who wants to raise sheep or something.
May end up being win/win for everyone.
Mentorship programs/agreements/joint ventures may be option if someone can point out some sites to begin searching.

[bucket]

Seriously I wish there was a mentorship program for young people to start farming.

I have suggested I would be willing to hire someone and if they could get land to rent he could use my machinery to fat it. That could be his bonus.

It would give me labour and give a guy a start without major investment. A test ride so to speak before he jumps in with both feet.

[mbdog]

hobby...you make a good point. Maybe a middleman could broker a service to protect both sides if requested/required. May be good screening step at getting the serious ones to the table. Don't think the sincere ones would care.

[blackpowder]

The place to look for a mentor is the mirror. If I'm a decent person, decent people come to me.

[ado089]

Get in touch with the student group at your local ag college. When I graduated university agriculture was shit. If you could prove your self some of the big dogs in Alberta were offering young guys buy ins as a way to find full time managers, agronomists, foreman ect. I could of had myself a nice piece of a 12,000 ac farm and 3000 cow calf operation in the Peace for $100K. Too bad the idea of being single 12 hrs from civilization didn't appeal to me when I was 23.

[fjlip]

All bigger farms around here are that way due to the next gen being interested already. They know way more than us 60 plus yesterday guys! They will buy/ rent any body's, which is great for retiring guys.

[mbdog]

Ya I think there's demand on both sides....all shapes and sizes/goals/expectations...simple to complex. Its to link them. Like Eharmony

[Oliver88]

Kijiji seems to have a lot of farmland and farm equipment on it.

[mbdog]

that's one option...a lot of good people out there only have a strong back and a good attitude to offer though.

[hobbyfrmr]

There is just so many other easier/lower risk ways to build wealth these days.
Get a union job for a city, buy a house and in 15 years, your family will have been covered for dental, glasses etc. as long as you show up on time, and maake an effort the paycheque is there. a decent house in a decent neighborhood will appreciate over time.
Lots of people do this, and they have side jobs like carpentry/renovations, roofing, landscaping as extra money makers.
Some folks buy semis, hire drivers and lease them out to big carriers or provide services for oilfield etc.
I don't have much of a head for business, but, being "all in" all the time can be frustrating and hard on the nerves. Then again, that reflects an emotional attachment to the farm (business).
If a person were to treat it like a business, all the assets would be in play/leveraged for land, machines, timely purchase of inputs. Putting any "lazy equity" to work for you.
You really , really, REALLY have to like farming.