Farm Equipment - full time farming

full time farming

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Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39412
Printed Date: 01 Sep 2025 at 2:50am
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Topic: full time farming

Posted By: XT in pa
Subject: full time farming
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2011 at 4:30pm

was just woundering how many acres it takes to be a full time farmer. I was thinking bout it . we do corn and im doin beans next year. we have bout 30 head of beef also that we feed out for meet for people. would like to hear from some full time farmers to see how they do it.

Thanks Shawn

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190XT,D17and 7045

Replies:

Posted By: Ryan Renko
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2011 at 7:49pm

Our family farm is 80 acres. Back in the day my father and his parents lived off that land. They had cattle, hogs, chickens, and a large garden. About 40 acres were put into grain production. They were not rich by any means put always had a full belly when they went to bed!! Nowadays the small farmer is a thing of the past. I understand that todays fewer farmers must feed the world, but are they missing out of some of the joys of farming?? Can you still smell the freshly tilled ground and the smell of the new hay when you are in a cab listening to the radio with the air conditioning on?? Ryan

Posted By: Dave in il
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2011 at 8:07pm

When you say "full time" do you mean the farm will provide 100% of your income with no other employment needed? I work as a crop adjuster and I meet operators of 600 acre farms that are "full time" and I work with operators with thousands of acres that work off the farm or have second businesses. How do you want to live?

I have a nearly full time off farm job. I use older equipment on roughly 450 acres. I work with a neighbor at harvest so I have access to a late model combine and auger cart. Sometime I'll do some planting for my neighbor.

I farmed about a thousand acres until a couple of my landlords passed away and their ground was sold. Up to that time I was "full time".

As good as yield and prices are right now the farm does not net enough income to provide all living expenses for a family of 4.

Posted By: Ryan Renko
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2011 at 8:13pm

I used to enjoy driving around on back roads this time of the year and watch the harvesting taking place. I liked seeing the little guys still doing it the way we did!! A small combine and maybe still using a pickup truck to haul grain in!! I dont see that anymore. Times change and I'm getting older. Ryan