OFI 207: “Be Careful, That’s How You Get Into Ranching” | Chasing Your Farm Dreams

SHOW NOTES

Last weekend, in the midst of a hurried project to build a pig pen in time for a litter of pigs that was getting ready to be weaned, I found myself at our local farm and ranch supplier needing a few items.  I was hot, in a hurry and a little frustrated with myself that I had not purchased everything I needed on my first trip to town.

As I walked in I saw a young man, probably about 20 years old, gazing at the equipment and other farm related items for sale.  I saw him again when I left the store, still doing the same thing.  There was something about his body language and the look in his eye.  It was obvious that he had big farm dreams, but his time had not yet come.

This took me back over twenty years, to my first year in community college, taking my first animal science class.  I had no money.  I had no cattle.  And, I had no farm.  But, I had a certainty that someday I would.

I was working full-time and taking a full load of college classes.  When I found free time I did whatever I could to be around my dream.  On my way home from class I would keep my animal science text book next to me and stop at different farms.  I would sit there, look at the different crossbred cattle and try to identify what breed they were, or at least what breed they mostly were, from the photos in that book.

I would volunteer to work on ranches or farms, just to be around the lifestyle for a moment.  In my idle time, I would put pen to paper and draw up how it would all work.  At night I would dream about the farm I would have one day.

That is why I knew the look in that young man’s eyes right away.  He was a future farmer.  For those of us who have the passion but no land, it takes time and creativity to figure out how you will one day be a farmer.  We are not “big hat, no cattle people”.  We are “no hat, big dreams, no cattle people.”

Every farmer or rancher who came up this way can instantly recognize it.  One Thanksgiving break during college I found myself in Wolf Point, Montana enjoying the holiday on a friend’s ranch.  His father had come up this same way, wanting to ranch cattle.  In that part of the state he leased land from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.  That gave him more ability to be able to ranch.

After supper we were sitting in the living room, and I was scratching out numbers on a piece of paper.  I was asking him about cattle prices, feed prices, how many cattle he could run on a piece of land and what it cost to lease the land way up there by Canada.  He recognized in me, what I saw in the young man’s face at the ranch supply store.  All he said was, “be careful, that’s how you get into ranching.”

Those of us with big dreams and big passion have to pay our dues.  Those dues are the years that you have to wait, the time it takes to build up your income build up your credit and to deeply think about your future.  Then it seems to all come together at the right time.  Earlier for some, later for others.

Eventually the future farmer figures out a pathway to their dream.  People start to believe in them because they have had the dream long enough and they have proven their ability to follow through.

The waiting is the hard part.  Walking through the yard at the tractor dealership after business hours are over.  Reading magazines, newspapers and websites.  Working for other farmers and ranchers and not being able to try any of your own ideas.  These are the dues we must pay before we get our chance to farm.

So, the next time you walk into the feed store and wonder why that young man or woman seems to be aimlessly staring at automatic waterers or bags of seed, how will you see them?

Will you say anything to encourage them to follow their dream?

Links To Articles:

11 Things You Need To Do Wile Your’e Waiting For Your Farm

Cash Cow Farmer Podcast

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