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Hey Noble...

Started by Dugsaws, August 26, 2002, 09:20:51 PM

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Dugsaws

I was wondering how you find time to milk cows and still saw lumber?  ???
Doug

Bro. Noble

Doug,

When my oldest son grduated from college and returned to the farm, he wanted to get a mill and use it to market our timber using slack time.  It works well as we can shut down the mill anytime there is farm stuff that has to be done.

As time went on, we expanded the milling operation and cut back on the dairy.  This was mainly because my son likes that part better.  I prefer to pick-n-grin and eat and nap than do any kind of work anymore.

We had to shut down the mill in April because I had surgery and my son was left with doing everything.  I,m ready to attempt the logging and milling now as soon as we get the haying done.  It's rained over 6 inches so far this month and we are having trouble keeping up.  That's a first for me in August.  I don't know what we'll do with all the hay------lots of it is rain damaged and there is no local market due to the surplus. Could have a lot worse problems.

Anyway, milking and milling are a good combination for us.  We don't have time to set around the coffee shop complaining about not being able to make a living on the farm.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

dewwood

Noble,
Hang onto your hay, there is quite a shortage in this area(NE IN).  We had a wet spring and then no rain practically all summer.  Good first cutting, no second and a small third.  I know other areas of the country were also very dry except for the south where they were flooding.
Hope you get your hay made and can get back to milling soon.
Dewey
Selling hardwood lumber, doing some sawing and drying, growing the next generation of trees and enjoying the kids and grandkids.

RobK

Make that all of Indiana, Dewey. When we went to the state fair and saw the hay exhibts in the horticulture building, my mother-in-law joked that some of those bales must have been from last year.

-Rob
-Rob

D._Frederick

Noble,
I hope the price you are getting for milk is better than in our neck of the woods. My neighbor north of me has 150 head and doesn't  make enough some years to help out Uncle Sam. The EPA is always breathing down his neck.

Frank_Pender

In a small community area between D. Fredrick and myself a couple of 400 + cow milking parlors are into using the backside fall down ( you know what I mean) for generating electircity.  ;D  Most of the whole process is more experimental at this point.  :P :P
Frank Pender

Dugsaws

Noble,
  
    Thats what i was wondering about, was crops and all too.Because My dad still owns the cows and i own the mill,i would rather run the mill but working for him i usually only get a few hours a week to run the mill.Anyway happy milking and happy sawing when you get back to it.


                   Doug
Doug

Bro. Noble

Some basic steps in making a farm or Land Management plan is:

1)  Determine the best economic use of the land-----what grows the best that markets the best considering your locality, climate, soil type, topography, etc.  

2) Adapt a livestock system that fits in with #1 and your personal interests and goals.

3)Add additional enterprises that efficiently use your available time.

This is basically what we have done and it has worked out well for us.  We are incorperated and have three generations living and working on the farm.  By having more than one major enterprise, we can still get by even though milk prices are low.  When all prices are good and everything is going well, we put a little in the bank for a rainy day and pay a little bigger dividends.  When milk prices are  low and the mill is shut down like now, we tighten our belts and hope we don't have do draw from the rainy day account.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

CHARLIE

Well, a farmer was once complaining because he had a good crop of corn. He said a good crop drives the prices down and it's hard on the equipment....... ::)
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Dugsaws

Noble,
     That sounds like a great plan,and it sounds like it has worked well for you.But the mill is not considered a major enterprize although i wish it was, thanks for the encouragement.

             Doug
Doug

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