OK - I'm an Aussy - but can't understand how it seems so tough for you!

I presume you have neighbours doing the same type of farming as you are, so  - a couple of questions.

1. What makes of machines do they run?  If they don't break down with your regularity, I know what I'd do - get the same as them!

2. Do they make money in the 'tough times" or are they all like you - pi...d off and ready to quit?   [I reckon i know the answer!]

I've made it happily farming to the age of 70, and quit.  But along the way I left school at 16, Dad died when I was 21.  Married at 25, a city girl, not a farm girl, but we've made it 50+ years.  Bought more land - had a drought first season!  By then my bank knew my work ethic - carried me through.  Scrimped and saved, lived on 'the smell of an oily rag!'  Made it!  Had three kids - proud of them, now got grown Grandies.

Crops - one time grew a Govt Dept recommended new variety chick pea. It got fungus and ruined 1/4 my harvest.  Wheat - grew recommended variety and got striped rust, feed grade grain instead of milling - and you can guess the price difference!

A lot of others have said you should quit!  I agree.

Around here about a third of farms are doing well - expanding. About a third are neither getting bigger or smaller, making do, And the other third sell to the first group!