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Barnyard Buddies:  Family Dairy Selling Out  |
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rschaaf
True Blue Farmgirl
174 Posts
Renee
Wooster
Ohio
USA
174 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 05 2011 : 9:03:28 PM
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My hubby and I got some very disheartening news that our friend Stan who milks about 60 some cows and sells his milk to a local cheese maker (Guggisburg cheese) will be selling out. He rented a faciltiy and I guess the landlord gave him an ultimatum, pay up or get out.
I know the last year or so has been hard on dairy farmers, at least in Ohio. Stan is becoming just another statistic. It makes me sad and mad at the same time. You see and hear the stories of lots of small dairies selling out, but none were ever this close to home. Stan gave me the chance to get to know cows and get to learn how to milk and feed calves. I guess I had ideas of buying into the herd or actually having my own cows. Now, I don't know if that will ever be a reality.
I see other dairies expanding. Just recently a dairy in Wayne county expanded and are milking some 1,000 cows! How in this economy is that possible? Then there's poor old Stan. At least his cows got to touch grass or dirt in their lifetime...1,000 cows...crazy.
I'm not sure what I'm trying to say. Just sad and mad I guess. Just had to vent.
"There is beauty, there is grace, in my peaceful country place!"
See what I'm up to at: http://www.lifeonctfarm.blogspot.com |
Edited by - rschaaf on Feb 05 2011 9:03:59 PM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 06:10:02 AM
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That is really sad, Renee! Most large dairies are supported by government subsidies. It makes me furious because a lot of that milk is just wasted. And those poor cows never live a real life unlike Stan's cows. Here in Montana we have to pay close to $4-5 a gallon for milk. It's crazy!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 07:09:26 AM
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it is so very sad. i think that the big corps. are grabbing up everything. its do it the corp. way or you cant keep going. there was some talk about this on food inc. it is a sad thing when only the BIG guy wins sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 07:44:22 AM
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Renee, I am just over the boarder in PA, and we lose a small dairy every year. It is heart breaking. One thing to remember about government subsidies is that almost ALL small farms could not survive with out them. The milk price is set by the State. In PA you have to sell your milk for less than what you are producing it for. Remember that milking parlors use enormous amounts of electric and it is nothing to get monthly bills in the $1000's for an operation that only milks 30 head. That is on top of seed prices, taxes,machine cost and repair, rising fuel costs, vet care, insurance, etc. Now with changing regulations and inspections there is that added cost. The State keeps lowering the Milk prices. It is almost impossible for a farmer to get food on their own table. It is a very flawed system. Our country is becoming anti-farm. And so many of its citizens are supporting it. Look how many people will go to the grocery store and get that big plastic jug of commercial milk before they would search out the little guy and maybe pay a little more for a better product. Americans want convenience, not quality and it is killing us. Look how many out of season foods are imported into this Country because people will not accept that lettuce or strawberries are not available all year. Everyone needs to eat a more local and seasonal diet or there will be a time in the near future where there will only be corporate farms. We small farmers just can't survive financially the way things are going now.
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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peafarm
True Blue Farmgirl
182 Posts
Penny
South Dakota
182 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 08:30:11 AM
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I visited with a university professer (entrepenurial studies) not so long ago who considers the large dairies to be nothing more than "Ponzi"(sp) schemes. That the investors money is used more often than not to cover operating costs and as soon as they can no longer get investors they will fold. His understanding is that all of the large dairys were running in the red and were dependent on the investor money to keep afloat.
time will tell...
Penny
www.peafarm.weebly.com |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 10:05:10 AM
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I am not sure what to say either but I know this process is going to sink us all. We have stood still for so long that government has buried us up to our neck in red tape, loss of land to grow the type of feed we would like, letting the chemical companies control what is to be allowed to grow and who raises the seeds - we have really screwed this all up. I get so overwhelmed sometimes I want to sell everything and move to another country where our food is our own. Not sure where that would be but our country is too caught up in what stupid commercials will be played today at a sport that only breeds greed and keeps us busy so we will not notice what is Realy happening to us. I guess I am on my soap box again but where I live in the past 14 years we have one small dairy and they got slapped with another injunction last week. That makes 5 in the past year alone for one small dairy who only has 30 cows. It is nuts and breaks my heart and spirit. I feel like I am always fighting windmills while the rest of the country is watching the Stupid Bowl...
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.artfire.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 6:04:27 PM
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That's so sad that the small dairy farmers are selling out. There used to be about 10 daries out here, all withing about 15 miles. Now there are just 2. They have all sold out just the last few years. Some are into beef cattle now. I was going to get a beautiful Jersey cow a few years ago but backed out and have goats instead. It's just a shame that the government is such control of so many things now. The smaller farmers don't stand a chance.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Wende
True Blue Farmgirl
353 Posts
WENDE
Kansas City
Missouri
USA
353 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2011 : 6:12:19 PM
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I have to agree with Jane.
I helped with a farm in N.E. Iowa and saw first hand how BAD it is for the little farmer.
So if you really want to get your knickers tied up read about how OUR government has allowed/ contracted with Autralia for milk. NOt a little milk, but tankers and tankers of milk guarnateed.
Why contract another COUNTRY to sell us milk.
So here is the rest of the story... Australia bought land in the S.W. region and now qualify for those GOV subsidies you are talking about. Now if that doesn't make you ANGRY.
So......a few counties over from where I was, a farmer wrote a note to his wife, put the cows in the milk barn , seperated all the hiefers and left instructions.
He went to the barn where the girls were tied up to be milked that morning and shot each one in the head and then himself. Part of the note read " I know no other life to live but this one.. I am sorry".
Fast forward to me trying to talk to FARM AID... they will talk to you if you want to buy concert tickets only. THey will give you a number to an operator as confused as I was, just to be told I could talk to a suicide hotline or to the ticket agency witch did I want? Not help or counselor to talk to about finances , etc., Just tickets.
California is being hit very hard too.
Taking away dairy technology such as RBST was bad. I did A LOT of research on it and talked numerous times to agencies in Washington DC and found RBST is not the BIG scare that is made out to be.. but farmers were given ultimatums . I wouldn't want to be on an airplane that has had 12 yrs of technology stripped from it.. Why the dairy industry?? I am a tree hugger myself and was greatly oppossed when I saw the RBST in the barn.. boy was I shocked when I did the research.
Monsanto will be the end of our food and nutrition as we stand and breath. People wake up and smell the ROUnD up READY. It is killing off our future.
Sorry to hear about your neighbor Renee, maybe now is the time to buy into the business to help him out.
I loved the farm. It taught me alot. I helped out by finding better financial strategies for them and it saved a great deal of money for them and they are still operating for now.
I wish all farmers, rather be row crop, dairy, cattle, swine, ETC.. all the best. May God protect you and protect us from Monsanto.
Wende
Sister #660
You know your a Farm Girl when...
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Edited by - Wende on Feb 06 2011 6:17:03 PM |
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just4karyn
True Blue Farmgirl
60 Posts
karyn
n.highlands
ca
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2011 : 10:43:59 PM
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| The Farmers are the ones who suffer and work the hardest pretty soon there won't be anymore farms here and then what??? rely on FOREIGN crops like we do with Walmart's cheap crap there a big buyer of China's crap..Our goverment won't be happy until they have sold us all out. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Family Dairy Selling Out |
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Family Dairy Selling Out
