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| If these guys would say if they had a barn or not, you would be able to better judge their comments.
I think Garvo said a lot with his 2nd post.... there's a lot of guys around here that are young and building them. You can make it work if you're a go getter, if not it's probably the worst thing you'll ever do. That's just honesty, and you have to be that with yourself first. Can you handle 2 hours a day, 365 days a year? Sunday morning when you tied one off on Saturday night? Christmas morning? When you're not feeling good? Are you ok staying home from that weekend out riding 4 wheelers with your buddies because of the hogs? And don't think you can just live it up between groups while the barn is empty, because there is as much if not more to do then.
I built 5 years ago, heard that I was buying a job, heard I was crazy, heard I would never be committed enough, heard about how much the cost had gone up and it wasn't worth it any more. Any of that sound familiar? If not, read the post again. If you think you can do it, be committed, and keep the energy and momentum behind it, you will build a lot of opportunities. I sold some manure to a guy for a couple years (he paid application, but we had bought our own equipment so it worked out), guess who he came to last winter when he decided it was time to hang it up? Me. Custom raising hogs has been the smartest, best thing I ever did. I still work full time, but I have an understanding employer when we're moving pigs. I'm also very clear that I am an employee with a hog barn, not a hog farmer with a job. There's a big difference. I farm 750 acres. I'm a busy guy, still single at 30 and most of my social time with my buddies is on the phone while I'm driving to/from work or the barn or wherever. No more beer drinking Friday nights, no more going out all the time. But if you can swing it, if you are ok living that way, do it. You'll be glad you did. | |
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Beginning farmer looking into contract raising hogs
