West Central Alberta Coldest, wettest edge | My persepecitve, after working at an ag dealer for a few years is that much of the new equipment in this area is payed for from off farm income, either a job, gravel pit, or oil wells. There are also some very succesful farmers big enough to buy new equipment, and justify it. But there are lots of small operators, 1 or 2 quarters running new or nearly new equipment that wouldn't pencil out by any stretch of the imagination. My own policy is what is the point of working off the farm if all the $ go to buy machinery? Or vice versa, what is the point of farming when the equipment costs consume all of the off farm income? But at least there is a constant supply of cheap used equipment for the rest of us thanks to them. And I will farm another year with equipment with an average age of over 30 years(at least). And the repair bill is much lower than even maintenance on a new machine. All my own labor, and most parts can be built, repaired, rebuilt, or located used. Now I need to figure out more creative answers when my neighbors ask how I can afford to keep buying land. By the way, what is this air conditioning stuff you guys speak of? |
How do you afford expensive tractors / machinery?
