[Marshall]

I would like to do the same. First it helps to have a supportive spouse, which I do not have. Right now my goal is to work out long enough to get the house paid for but that will be several more years. I am working on getting equipment and fixing it all up in good usable condition and getting the rest of the farm tiled. I hope it happens before I am too old.

[Marshall]

Like someone once told me, “would you wear shoes without socks?”

[Marshall]

I hope the quarentine does more good than it did in Michigan. I am woking on clearing my front yard of all the ash trees that are dying. It’s going to look awful bare but at least I get free heat.

[Marshall]

Geoff, I agree there is probably nothing sinister behind the census. I just get disgusted because it just goes to help the big guys get bigger and does nothing for us little guys.

[Marshall]

Erika, it sound like you and I feel the same way about these things. I don’t plan on answering. If they want to send someone out then I will start asking questions. Either I count or I don’t and it better be for the right reasons.

[Marshall]

Erika, I do farm a little bit. I own 80 acres. I rent out 33, plant 5 acres oats, 5 acres corn and around 15 acres of soy beans that get sold thru the local grain elevator. I figured that would count as a small operation. If it was the horses for a hobby I would agree with you but since I sell some crops and file my income tax with farmer being my occupation it seems a wrong to me.

[Marshall]

The advertising sound good, but what about people such as myself that do not have any credit cards? I have notice the last while that there seems to be less activity. How would that be effected by having to pay to join? Just some thoughts.

[Marshall]

I own 80 acres. 60 tillable, 12 in filter strips, and the rest buildings, pasture and ditches. I rent out 33 acres. That makes the land payment, taxes and a little left over to buy hay or whatever. Depending on rotation I plant around 14 acres of soys, 5 acres of corn and 5 acres of oats. I have six polled herford feeders, three haflingers that are way underworked, two cats that don’t eat enough mice, two kids that help a lot and a wife who is understanding. I am hoping in another 7 or 8 years to finish tiling and have the place paid for then I will farm full time. Right now I work out full time and farm around that. The farm pays its own way and anything extra is put back into improvments. When I am able to farm full time then hopefully with that and the wifes paycheck we will be able to make it.

[Marshall]

Way cool. I am hoping to try my haflingers at plowing the garden this spring. Thanks for sharing.

[Marshall]

We had a few flurries early this morning in the Thumb of Michigan also. Enough for me already too.

[Marshall]

Billy, I am probably over thinking this. I just hate to chase cattle over someone elses ignorance.

[Marshall]

Jen, I am in the Thumb of Michigan. The last several years we have had an influx of “citidiots” that have no respect for anyone or anything. There are some that would open a gate and let animals out just because they could. The ones to the south of me think that since they own several acres of woods that they own all trees around them. I had to get a survey to prove to them the trees I was cutting are on my property. I had stakes put in every 200 feet and that took care of that problem. Now they get out the four wheelers and guns if they see us trying to hunt deer. I could fence the field with no gates by the road but that would be a pain in the rear.

[Marshall]

I can see wanting to be closer to family. Are there any markets of any sort where you are looking at moving too? Maybe you would just have to shift gears and do something a little different than you have been.

[Marshall]

Very nice! Did you build the wagon?

[Marshall]

John, good to see you are back. It must be a nice place to make a fella think of leaving his homeland.

[Author]

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