
| john holland - 1/17/2026 20:08 We all know that farming is hard physical dangerous work, long hours, high stress and high risk, so why do so many people desperately want to do it? Anybody capable of farming is capable of making an honest living doing any number of other things with fewer hours, less stress and no financial risk but it is still common to hear about suicide if the banker says no more. I've had the same experience. Education and experience to earn a middle class living with no investment needed, bankers hours, and no financial exposure but I would rather farm full time for a modest living. Even being willing to accept a modest living isn't enough to get an opportunity with land prices where they are. I am confused why there seems to be so much emotional attachment to the objectively terrible business of farming. Maybe other businesses have the same phenomenon of sacrificing and attachment to the identity, but you would be hard pressed to find another business that requires such an enormous investment to make such a meager and unreliable living.
You're severely overstating the "hard work" and "financial risk" in grain farming.
Govt crop insurance and hand outs has mostly removed the financial risk and technology/equipment has mostly removed the hard work. Both of those lead to guys continuing to farm AND buy land well into their 70's and even 80's. Between guys paying stupid high rents and old farmers (with money) wanting to buy the adjoining farm, you end up with land prices that don't make sense.
Livestock still has hard work and financial risk, not so much in crop farming anymore.
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