Legend of the Dead Bison

[NorthernBison]

But he wasn't such a stickler when it came to opening spice cans with his knife. Nearly killed himself when the knife slipped, went in just below his heart.

Didn't take a hangover to get some kids to pass out on killing days. The look on some faces was priceless when they had to go for that artery in a cow.

A friend and fellow tailgater had a work/study job there when Dave stabbed himself. He wasn't actually there right when it happened but went over to the hospital to visit him.

I learned a lot in that class that I still use today. #1 on the list is that I didn't want to do that for a living though.

[Bison-Knuckle]

And people wonder why we are referred to as the Ag School . . .

What’s wrong with that?....the Ag industry is one of the most profitable industries right now.
I can tell you that I'd rather have a couple thousand acres of corn than this lame civil engineering job!

[A1pigskin]

Should have hauled the cow to the tailgating area for some grilled steaks. Probably could of fed the entire lot.

[unbison]

I know NOTHING about AG. I get my milk and eggs from the grocery store. Meat from the butcher. I remember once a friend of mine tried to get me involved with the animal showing. Was it called Little I? I got there, looked at all I had to do...and walked out. Apparently a lot of people were pissed because the animal I had drawn would have done well.

Someone said it before, but I assumed it was like deer. In addition in most animal species the term cow is used to refer to the female, so I just assumed it was that way for cattle as well. Its called Sexual Dimorphism. (Have fun with that) but it refers to differences between the sexes of a species. Are there any other farm species that the female has horns that I need to know about?

I just was reminded why I dislike your posts you brag about being lazy and come of as arrogant even while being totally
Ignorant

[Bison"FANatic"]

I'll throw in chicken butcherin' day to complete the hematological jamboree trifecta.

Talk about looking like a mass murder had just happened. We would chop off the chickens head and then throw them off to the side. They would run around with no head and blood squirting out the top spraying it all over. First time I ever saw grass turn red. It would have been fun to have a few city kids out that day as they would have been scarred for life. Might have even turned them vegetarian right then and there.

[NorthernBison]

What’s wrong with that?....the Ag industry is one of the most profitable industries right now.
I can tell you that I'd rather have a couple thousand acres of corn than this lame civil engineering job!

Profit margins for most field crops are through the roof and have been for at least 4 or 5 years. That's a good news/bad news thing for people in the industry. There's at least one generation and probably two of new farmers who don't know what tough times are all about. I'm generalizing of course.

The pendulum always swings the other way. I think world population growth and our technological advantages will help buffer the impact of a turn around. That said, things could get very interesting in a few years if this continues.

What is really interesting is that the ultra conservative approach is probably a mistake because it will keep producers from taking advantage of opportunities. The real winners will be the guys who go "balls to the wall" and get a little bit reckless but back off at the right time. The ones who miss the signals or just flat out refuse to slow down will crash and burn.

Right now, if you are farming a couple thousand acres, you could be making half a million $ profit. Not bad as long as you remember that there was a time not too long ago where 1/10 of that was possible too.

[BisonTeacher]

I just was reminded why I dislike your posts you brag about being lazy and come of as arrogant even while being totally
Ignorant

It was about time you chimed in for some trolling.

[Bison-Knuckle]

Right now, if you are farming a couple thousand acres, you could be making half a million $ profit. Not bad as long as you remember that there was a time not too long ago where 1/10 of that was possible too.

I hear ya, my best friend grew up farming every day of his life. It was a ton of hard work and he hated it growing up and said there was no money in it. He vowed that he would not take over the family farm. He went to NDSU, got an architecture degree, moved down to Minneapolis and worked as an architect for 6 years. Last year he quit architecture, moved back home and is working their 3500+ AC farm with his dad and his brother. He says the money is just too good right now....and he can't pass up the opportunity. Don't blame him one bit. However, the farmers profit thing reminds me of a joke my dad used to always razz my uncles (farmers) about. "You farmers wanna double your profit?.........Just put up two mailboxes" (referring to farm subsidies)

[Bison"FANatic"]

Some profits for farming are through the roof. Sister and Brother in law just had the adjuster out. 1.5 bushels per acre for corn and this is not a area that shouldn't be growing corn. This is the risk farmers take every year. High risk for sometimes high reward and sometimes little reward. Luckily they had paid up well for insurance so they will make it through. They also raise some cows so they bought a silage chopper and are cutting a bunch for silage and are going to double their herd since they have the readily available cheap feed source. Lemonade out of Lemons.

All my Grandpas farmed, Dad and lots of Uncles farm, I could have walked right into a successful farming operation but I did not want the stress. Takes balls to throw that kind of money in the ground and hope you get it back out later that year. Its like opening a small business every year of your life and seeing if you are going to make it.

[NorthernBison]

Some profits for farming are through the roof. Sister and Brother in law just had the adjuster out. 1.5 bushels per acre for corn and this is not a area that shouldn't be growing corn. This is the risk farmers take every year. High risk for sometimes high reward and sometimes little reward. Luckily they had paid up well for insurance so they will make it through. They also raise some cows so they bought a silage chopper and are cutting a bunch for silage and are going to double their herd since they have the readily available cheap feed source. Lemonade out of Lemons.

All my Grandpas farmed, Dad and lots of Uncles farm, I could have walked right into a successful farming operation but I did not want the stress. Takes balls to throw that kind of money in the ground and hope you get it back out later that year. Its like opening a small business every year of your life and seeing if you are going to make it.

Multi-Peril Crop Insurance tied to a solid marketing program can remove most, if not all, of the production risk from the operation (especially true this year). Sounds like they will be fine even with a total crop failure. With RP, the program even increases their coverage as prices rise into Fall in years like this. The current safety net provided by Insurance is solid and it sounds like political support is sufficient to keep people from tinkering with it.

For reference: Assuming an APH of 130 bu and 70% coverage under an RP plan produces a corn guaranty of just over $516 per acre (130x.70x$5.68) and it will probably increase as the Fall price is set in October. Average cash costs in Southern ND should be $300-375 (including drying and harvest costs that won't be incurred) leaving the rest for rent, some overhead, payments and living. Not a lot left over but still not a loss on a crop failure. We can live with that.

The really tough thing to measure is how far to go as profit margins drive competition to increase rents and land prices. There is always somebody willing to pay just a bit more and work for just a little less. What scares me is when the pendulum swings back. If it swings too far and too fast, the crunch could be really hard to deal with.