[AT] Portland swap meet

[Greg Hass]

After reading Farmers post I am beginning to feel like the Lone Ranger. 
First let me say I am in no way questioning any decision people make in 
regards to what they do. I am just saying that as one who farms 110 acres I 
miss more and more the smaller farmers that are not farming. A month ago my 
own brother, who lives across the road from me, decided to rent out his 
farm (160 acres) except for some wheat already planted and 3 small chunks, 
less than 4 acres each, that no one would rent. He has a day job and said 
he was tired of getting home at 6 and then working till after dark to do 
the farming. He said he will use the year to do yard work and do needed 
building repair. The way he talks I have a feeling he will rent it out for 
at least five years. Last year a neighbor a mile away rented his farm for 
at least 5 years (350 acres)  he has had back surgery 3 times but I think 
the last straw was when his 12 year old daughter died suddenly a year and a 
half ago. She had a know heart problem but the doctors didn't seem 
concerned and just said she might need an operation when she became an 
adult. I assume this was the type of problem where you must be done growing 
before they can operate. Another person 2 miles away quit 2 years ago and 
rented out the farm (200 acres) and sold his machinery. He had a 30 dairy 
cow operation and had just the year before built a new barn. He said it was 
his back but my brother, who knows him well, says he thinks that the real 
reason was that his son who was graduating from high school and who he 
thought would take over the farm told him he wasn't going to milk cows and 
work hard all his life. A  friend told me that a guy 4 miles to the north 
who I know only slightly, is selling he farm (60 acres) and his small dairy 
herd. I don't know why, but his last kid is out of high school this spring. 
This person does also have a day job.
           I feel left out at the coffee shop as all the farmers there, a 
couple are cousins, all farm around a thousand acres. One guy in the group 
owns a tool and die shop in Detroit but has cut back in order to farm ( his 
sons do the day to day work however he still does the important things sure 
as dealing with the big three and his wife still does the purchasing. He is 
a nice guy but has bought close to a thousand acres and all of the newest 
and biggest equipment. Last fall he told us he still had a million and a 
half to spend on the farming operation. I guess I just feel I have no one 
to compare with one a one to one basis.
P.S. For those of you who have not met Farmer and Mrs. Farmer I can tell 
you they are the nicest people you will ever meet and I wish both of them 
the best in whatever they do.
Greg Hass
Michigan