Viewing a thread - "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Forums | Classifieds (157) | Skins | Language

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

"The Farm Crisis" on IPTV	View previous thread :: View next thread
Forums List -> AgTalk Cafe	Message format

Mrs B

Posted 7/3/2013 08:55 (#3188503)
Subject: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Highland Center, in Southeast Iowa

Did anyone else get a chance to watch the documentary on the Farm Crisis of the 1980s on Monday nite? I'd missed hearing anything about it till Monday after noon when our 10yr old grandson said he planned to watch it with his dad. It was a hard show for me to watch......hit pretty darn close to home.....but by the same token, I couldn't stop watching it. I thought the music was perhaps just a little bit overdone, but outside of that, it was a very interesting program. It will be rebroadcast Friday nite. Below is the link to info on it.

http://www.iptv.org/iptv_news_detail.cfm?id=5306&type=friends_press_release

alnciowa

Posted 7/3/2013 09:03 (#3188520 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

nw/nc iowa on the banks of West Buttrick Creek..

I thought it was well done. Guess it showed how some well managed operations turned sour. I just bought a 3000 dollar per acre farm in '77 but had one payed for so WE just hunkered down wife went back to work and WE payed off every cent. Big mistake was I did not buy anymore land till '89.
WOW 14 kids in that one family, that would be hard in good times. Are we missing a generation of farmers who were kids during the 80's and swore off having anything to do with the farm? Those kids heard a lot of bad stuff.

Edited by alnciowa 7/3/2013 11:55

150pilot

Posted 7/3/2013 09:49 (#3188585 - in reply to #3188520)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

New London, Wisconsin

I may watch but having lived through it, I'm not honestly sure I want to see it again. I bought my place in 1982. Darned few who timed purchases as I did are still farming. I could see clearly that land values by 1985-87 were giving me buy signals but I just couldn't quite bring myself do it. Property taxes on farmland in that day were more than I was paying for land rent. It was 1990 before I had the first really good year. Somewhere around that time my tax guy looked at me and said, well your the last one. Last one what? Last of my full time grain farmers that didn't have another job supporting the farm. I did diversify after that and later started my crane service in 2000.

I remember as a teen listening to the old guys stories of how bad things were in the 30's and thinking I'll never see that. I was wrong. It sure made me a good money manager, I'm not really sure if I would have been as good if times were better back when I started.

I have a very good friend that sees another down draft coming in farm income levels within 3 years. Do I see that? Heck I don't know, sure wish I did. But I can assure you that I can now grow my crops for a lot less per bushel than most.

Mrs B

Posted 7/3/2013 11:25 (#3188691 - in reply to #3188585)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Highland Center, in Southeast Iowa

That's why I said it was hard for me to watch......lived just a little too close to the live action! But it is a well-done piece, and looking at all the neat old tractors working in some of the video kinda made me smile.

Von WC Ohio

Posted 7/3/2013 20:48 (#3189444 - in reply to #3188691)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Very good program.

I see lots of similarities to today in that program and lots of good lessons and advice that need to be heeded to avoid having to learn them again the hard way.

hinfarm

Posted 7/3/2013 11:34 (#3188699 - in reply to #3188585)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Amherst WI

Is it going to be in here in WI? It seems like every time I watch public televison they are passing the offering plate or doing some artsy fartsy thing that I have no interest in.

Ed Winkle

Posted 7/3/2013 12:03 (#3188730 - in reply to #3188520)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Martinsville, Ohio

Yes we are Al. That whole scenerio makes me mad. My parents wouldn't back me to farm, my parents in law would not let me buy the 160 ac they owned for $50,000, they owed $40,000. They had to sell it to a prominent farmer who went bankrupt twice. I was making $5000 plus per year and when beans went to $10 after the oil embargo, the few bought that cheaper land paid it off in one crop.

I guess God wanted me to be an Ag teacher and not a full time farmer.

The promo piece is excellent, I would love to watch it. That ole era when I was 33 or so just fascinates me.

Ed

alnciowa

Posted 7/3/2013 12:38 (#3188778 - in reply to #3188730)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

nw/nc iowa on the banks of West Buttrick Creek..

Our family was "selected" to participate in a long term survey done by ISU focused on effects of the farm crisis of the 80's. It started when our daughter was about 12 (now 37) and they still interview she and her family each time she is home. It consisted of filmed interviews with mom, dad, #1 and # 2 child. The info from that statewide long term survey is used as almost gospel as far as what happens to kids who grow up under that stress. Let me tell you the questions were sometimes uncomfortable to answer. We get some results from the survey from time to time, eye opening.

Edited by alnciowa 7/3/2013 12:39

OHKen

Posted 7/3/2013 12:31 (#3188765 - in reply to #3188520)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Ohio

The last sentence in your first paragraph , says a lot . The mentality that things can go bad , is always good to have in the background . But must be kept under check . Way , way more money was lost from the fear of what could go wrong , going forward from an event like the 30's and 80's, then what was lost in the event . Everything in this old world becomes new again , everything cycles .

feelnrite

Posted 7/3/2013 12:49 (#3188796 - in reply to #3188765)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

northwest tennessee

Good post and thoughts. Everything in moderation.

emtbd1979

Posted 7/3/2013 10:36 (#3188636 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

west central illinois

I was a young kid in the early 80's but my dad and uncle barely scraped by and I have heard their and many others horror stories. Farm sales everyday, high interest, and forgiving of debt which many of the guys my grandpas age can still name everyone to this day who were forgiven. Very scary stuff, but I would like to see the show.

Edited by emtbd1979 7/3/2013 10:37

linsal

Posted 7/3/2013 13:03 (#3188814 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Richland Center, Wi

Thank you to the OP for posting the link. I've watched a good portion of the program. Powerful is an understatement.

koskid

Posted 7/3/2013 16:00 (#3189031 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Marengo, Iowa

Nancy and I watched the show together and it brought back a flood of emotions of what we and others went through during that time.
At one point in the program, they said that only 2% of the farm population was actively protesting to the government and publicly expressing our feeling to the general public. The show, seemed to me, to focus mainly on those people,(American Ag Movement, NFO) and at that time they were the ones that were wanting the government to bail us out of our problems and were the ones wanting the government to control prices at parity levels. I suppose I'm somewhat critical of the program since I was serving as a distrct director on the Iowa Farm Bureau Board and FB was more focused on the getting the government out of running our farms and letting the free markets work. Did you notice there were no representatives of Farm Bureau among the interviewees?

It's troublesome that the two organizations that served the rural population in Iowa in this period were proportionately not represented well.
My wife worked for the ISU Extension Service at that time and noticed how little mention there was of the stabilizing force Extension was on the front lines out on the acres with the folks. The Rural Concerns Hotline created by Extension in response to the economy handled the lion's share of calls with well-trained, professional volunteers. The county personnel were willingly on call 24 hours a day and responded wherever needed with no increase in budget to do so. One of the best government services ever put in place that has since been gutted and consequently has lost most of its effectiveness on those "front lines." One could say it was another casualty of that time - farmers got bigger and went to more commercial sources; the family services were picked up by other far less efficient gov't-sponsored/non-profit agencies. But that's another story ...

Over all, for the general public, I'd say it got the message across of what we went through.

Larry & Nancy Beyer

hillrunner

Posted 7/7/2013 18:50 (#3195882 - in reply to #3189031)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

koskid - 7/3/2013 15:00

Nancy and I watched the show together and it brought back a flood of emotions of what we and others went through during that time.
At one point in the program, they said that only 2% of the farm population was actively protesting to the government and publicly expressing our feeling to the general public. The show, seemed to me, to focus mainly on those people,(American Ag Movement, NFO) and at that time they were the ones that were wanting the government to bail us out of our problems and were the ones wanting the government to control prices at parity levels. I suppose I'm somewhat critical of the program since I was serving as a distrct director on the Iowa Farm Bureau Board and FB was more focused on the getting the government out of running our farms and letting the free markets work. Did you notice there were no representatives of Farm Bureau among the interviewees?

It's troublesome that the two organizations that served the rural population in Iowa in this period were proportionately not represented well.
My wife worked for the ISU Extension Service at that time and noticed how little mention there was of the stabilizing force Extension was on the front lines out on the acres with the folks. The Rural Concerns Hotline created by Extension in response to the economy handled the lion's share of calls with well-trained, professional volunteers. The county personnel were willingly on call 24 hours a day and responded wherever needed with no increase in budget to do so. One of the best government services ever put in place that has since been gutted and consequently has lost most of its effectiveness on those "front lines." One could say it was another casualty of that time - farmers got bigger and went to more commercial sources; the family services were picked up by other far less efficient gov't-sponsored/non-profit agencies. But that's another story ...

Over all, for the general public, I'd say it got the message across of what we went through.

Larry & Nancy Beyer

I'm not old enough to remember the crisis but I thought the same thing about the program focusing on the 2% who were screaming for government help like they were the saviors.

RBH

Posted 7/3/2013 16:05 (#3189036 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

nw mb

can watch online if anyone wants http://video.pbs.org/video/2365038592

bollpuller

Posted 7/3/2013 19:05 (#3189254 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Grandfield, Ok.

Remember 22% interest and sales and suicides and BACK STABBING PCA's. Maybe one shout say wishy- washy pca. LOST NEIGHBORS AND LOST ATTITUDES. Thanks but NO thanks.

Edited by bollpuller 7/3/2013 19:05

Canderson012

Posted 7/3/2013 19:17 (#3189270 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Houston County, GA

Interesting documentary so far, I didn't know it got this bad in the 80's. My parents are builders you could really relate this to the 2008 construction crash. Tom, Dick and Harry got millions to develop neighborhoods that had no idea how to hold a hammer and then the banks had no money to lend bc of so many foreclosures. Really thinned out the longtime builders and new builders in town.

rank

Posted 7/3/2013 20:42 (#3189423 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

SEON

alnciowa - 7/3/2013 09:03Are we missing a generation of farmers who were kids during the 80's and swore off having anything to do with the farm? Those kids heard a lot of bad stuff.

I was 10 years old when we bought two Harvestores in 1977...a 25 x 90 for haylage and a 20 x 60 for high moisture corn. Then put up a third one a couple of years after that. Then the biggest Slurrystore in Canada. I remember the fights my parents had. I remember the visits from the bank manager. I remember going to school with kids who had just lost their farms. I remember my GF's mother crashing her car on purpose. I remember my father losing his temper and throwing stuff. I remember him beating on cows. And I remember him telling me he couldn't do it without me and I was more of a man at 13-14 years than most men.

But screw that. I left for engineering school at 17 years old. But you can't throw 7 generations away so after 25 years I came back.

Edited by rank 7/3/2013 20:47

Tommy

Posted 7/3/2013 22:13 (#3189675 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: no thanks

Iowa

I remember it like it was yesterday, even though I wish I could forget it. I certainly don't need any reminders, or some tv editor's version of what it was like. I WAS THERE.

gene_champ

Posted 7/4/2013 09:18 (#3190290 - in reply to #3189675)
Subject: RE: no thanks

NC Iowa

Tommy - 7/3/2013 22:13

I remember it like it was yesterday, even though I wish I could forget it. I certainly don't need any reminders, or some tv editor's version of what it was like. I WAS THERE.

i will bet the ones that bashed you on that car expense post never went through it. when you have to live on nothing for 10 years it changes your outlook on a lot of things.

Tommy

Posted 7/5/2013 08:21 (#3191863 - in reply to #3190290)
Subject: RE: no thanks

Iowa

gene_champ - 7/4/2013 08:18

Tommy - 7/3/2013 22:13

I remember it like it was yesterday, even though I wish I could forget it. I certainly don't need any reminders, or some tv editor's version of what it was like. I WAS THERE.

i will bet the ones that bashed you on that car expense post never went through it. when you have to live on nothing for 10 years it changes your outlook on a lot of things.

Doesn't bother me a bit. It taught me a few valuable lessons, although I certainly wish I'd not been through it. Such as how to get by doing without, and how to use self-restraint and bullet-proof my balance sheet during good times. Bad times will come again and I hope to be ready.

bkadds

Posted 7/3/2013 22:13 (#3189678 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

Dalhart, Texas

Thank you, Mrs. B. Long video, but worth the time. I went into all that in an essay I wrote to get into dental school. Needless to say, I got accepted and now still farm on the side. You can take the boy out of the country....

kstate90

Posted 7/3/2013 23:48 (#3189864 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

North Central Kansas

I remember the 80's. I turned 13 in the fall of 1980. I can remember the spot in the field where my brother and I were standing when my mom came out and told us that they had been to the bank and we were done. They rented the farm and sold the cows. By 1986 all the land was gone except for one 80 that I bought from them in 1994. My dad's problems started in the Mid 70's. My grandparents passed away and he had to buy out his siblings. At that time a lot of land loans were done on one year notes. Very few loans were fixed for very long periods. When the interest rates spiked and wheat prices plummeted it was pretty much over.

My brother graduated from high school in 1981 and went to Kansas State University to study Animal Science. He wanted to come home to raise cattle. He graduated at the top of his class in 1985. There was no farm to come home to and very few jobs for Ag degrees. He decided to get his MBA. He never came back to farm. He is now a Senior Vice President and general manager for Cerner IT works in Kansas City. His life definitely turned out a little different than he planned.

I am 5 years younger and by the time I graduated from K State in 1990 things were better and I was able to come home and find a job locally and start farming. 23 years later I farm 3 times as much crop ground as my dad did and run a cow herd about the size of his. In my area there are not many farmers my age or younger. We lost an entire generation of farmers.

rank

Posted 7/4/2013 06:31 (#3189986 - in reply to #3189864)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

SEON

kstate90 - 7/3/2013 23:48
I remember the 80's. I turned 13 in the fall of 1980. I can remember the spot in the field where my brother and I were standing when my mom came out and told us that they had been to the bank and we were done. They rented the farm and sold the cows. By 1986 all the land was gone except for one 80 that I bought from them in 1994. My dad's problems started in the Mid 70's. My grandparents passed away and he had to buy out his siblings. At that time a lot of land loans were done on one year notes. Very few loans were fixed for very long periods. When the interest rates spiked and wheat prices plummeted it was pretty much over.

You must be the same age as me. That's a damn sad story but typical I'm sure. My father says we never would have made it if not for the guaranteed milk check that the milk quota provided.

It's never sat quite right with me that the sons or daughters that choose to stay home and keep the legacy going are the ones that have to incur all the risk. If the siblings don't want the farm, why are they entitled to a full share? I know that's the way the grandparents wanted it but my goodness it almost seems like a reward for leaving.

How did your dad feel toward his siblings after the foreclosure? Do you loathe debt like I do?

Edited by rank 7/4/2013 11:08

gene_champ

Posted 7/4/2013 09:14 (#3190278 - in reply to #3189986)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

NC Iowa

rank - 7/4/2013 06:31

It's never sat quite right with me that the sons or daughters that choose to stay home and keep the legacy going are the ones that have to incur all the risk. If the siblings don't want the farm, why are they entitled to a full share? I know that's the way the grandparents wanted it but my goodness it almost seems like a reward for leaving.

How did your dad feel toward his siblings after the foreclosure? Do you loathe debt like I do?

you also hung into the land so it is worth the 13+k today. siblings don't think about that. just want to sell and send you down the road or see you live under a pile of debt again.

also might be the one that took care of the parents and kept them in their home because 'you are the closest'. the nursing home would have gotten an acre a month otherwise but your time for doing that is worth 10 an hour.

Edited by gene_champ 7/4/2013 09:15

kstate90

Posted 7/5/2013 23:46 (#3193077 - in reply to #3189986)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

North Central Kansas

I was a small kid when the estate settlement went down. It was not very pretty. I can remember being about 5 or 6 and going to see the lawyer in Ellsworth that my dad had to hire. He was named as the executor of the estate. However the attorney for the estate worked with the siblings and it became a hostile situation. My dad was forced to hire an attorney to protect himself. Most of the issues came about because of a brother-in-law. The will was made out so that it was all divided how my grandparents wanted it. That was good enough for the trouble maker brother-in-law. He convinced the rest that the split should be different. If only my grandfather would have know when to use the shotgun when he came a courting things could have worked out different.

I can remember some family meetings at our house where it became very heated and there was a lot of arguing. After the estate was settled we had very little to do with my three aunts for about 5-6 years. When my oldest sister graduated from high school they came to the graduation. Not long after that my one aunt passed that was married to the trouble maker. That seemed to help even more. I now rent the land that belonged to my grandparents that my Aunts ended up. Time does heal wounds.

Edited by kstate90 7/5/2013 23:47

bspf

Posted 7/9/2013 14:52 (#3199319 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: Re: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

N.E. Iowa

My wife and I sat and watched it and for me brought back a lot of memories. We bought our farm in '83. Also had to buy a full line of old machinery and a herd of cows. All of it at once from my parents with no break on the cost.
We had two choices, buy everything or buy nothing.
My folks planed on us going broke in three years five at the most (wanting to cash in on land prices going up, get what they could out of us then selling to somebody else, he told me so later)
Their lawyer was well known for doing this. They were looking for somebody to buy it after we went broke. Well we're still here. It wasn't pretty but we made it.

Edited by bspf 7/22/2013 12:19

jalopy

Posted 7/10/2013 20:48 (#3201710 - in reply to #3188503)
Subject: RE: "The Farm Crisis" on IPTV

NC IA

I watched the rerun of it tonight. Like many others have said, it was hard to watch. I grew up through it, even though I was young, I still have the memories burned into my brain. It can and will happen again.

Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

(Delete cookies)