| barren - 1/16/2019 11:48
Where I lived in the 50's and 60's many full time farmers made a living off the farm and the wife, in most cases, did not work public work. They were pretty well self sufficient. Gardens, slaughtering your ownbeef and hogs furnished a majority of food needs. One, maybe two tractors, one car which was driven very little, some had a pickup but many didn't. Sometimes land purchases were financed but everything else was cash. Diversified operation of beef cattle, hogs, chickens for eggs and eating, tobacco and some milked cows for their own use as well as selling some milk. Eating out was rare. Trip to grocery every one or two weeks to get staples and little else.
Didnt make a lot but spent very frugally. In the 70's things changed drastically.
Barren I grew up in the 90’s and even then we only went to town on sundays most weeks and once a month or so to the bigger town an hour away. Now I live in town and drive to the farm daily, think nothing of it. My wife goes to the big town atleast every other week sometimes weekly. Not a big deal to run down to the subway or whatever to grab supper, got dish tv, wireless high speed internet, unlimited data on my iPhone. I could really shave off some serious personal expenses if I tried/needed to. I do walk a lot more lately instead of taking the four wheeler though if that counts for anything. I wonder on some farms what the personal expenses add up to. Now a days everyone says my time is worth X. If I can’t save X doing it I will just pay someone else. Or this piece of equipment is going to pay for itself in labor savings if I value my time at X. I understand the concept but some days I have time, but I can’t always have the money for everything.
Edited by Abomb 1/16/2019 13:21
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Cost of Living: If you lived like a different time, could you farm like a different time?
