Chris - 7/7/2026 10:00
I was thinking about equipment cost and how it's changed when I was talking with friends. I had a 4wd tractor with 3 point and multiple hydraulic outlets, It had 213 horse power and I traded it for one with 256 hp. Those were tractors with air and heat and I plowed a few thousand acres.
Were they as quiet and nice as the new JD's? No, but they also were around $20,000 as I recall.
How you can get over $100,000 in a tractor that does the same work now as those did is beyond me. When you're just pulling a grain cart, a disk or a a chisel they both do it the same.
I truly feel sorry for young guys today trying to farm when corn and beans are no more than what I was paid years ago but their insurance ( all kinds) their vehicles, their rent and everything is so much more.