Good Lord the Cost of Equipment...

[mml373]

Sweet Heavenly God...have you seen the price of equipment lately?!?!

I have an old John Deere riding mower that I bought used 4 years ago, and has been garbage virtually all along (140 hours then, 240 now). This past year, every time it came back from service, it had something new broken. Latest is it will kind of spin when I try to start it, but won't keep spinning long enough to start. Battery is fine.

The rest of the mower is "like new" based on last year's service work done on it. New battery, a new tire, etc. Anyhow...it's useless to me now. Needed it today to clear a swathe for future tilling to level land and then fence this spring...figured I'd do the clearing work over vacation (ends Monday) because I won't have time once I return to work next week. So much for trying to get things done on the farm while I have time...

I made some calls on new and used equipment. My closest dealership wants to sell me a small tractor with belly mower. It's tempting. But the one they quoted, new, is nearly $20k (no sale) and they have a 24 year old unit for $6800. I don't think so... I can probably buy a friend's old Massey 135 tractor with a pull-along cutter for half that, and it'll also run my old square balers and rolabar rake.

Good God, I have sheep handling equipment and other needs for my business that are a whole lot more important than this...though the fence I need to put in would give me more space for more sheep. <haha>

What the ever loving hell are these equipment dealerships smoking? People aren't made of money, and the prices being demanded for equipment capable of doing any kind of work are become absurd. It's gouging, in my opinion. I wonder if it's just a sham to get people to get out of farming and sell property. Paying for a farm with a house, livestock, and everything else just makes one wonder what one has to make to cover the costs these days when it seems everyone at every turn does all they can to financially discourage people from farming or a rural lifestyle.

 

[Magus]

Equipment, food, tools, guns, and ammo, Biden all but wrecked us!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Sweet Heavenly God...have you seen the price of equipment lately?!?!

I have an old John Deere riding mower that I bought used 4 years ago, and has been garbage virtually all along (140 hours then, 240 now). This past year, every time it came back from service, it had something new broken. Latest is it will kind of spin when I try to start it, but won't keep spinning long enough to start. Battery is fine.

The rest of the mower is "like new" based on last year's service work done on it. New battery, a new tire, etc. Anyhow...it's useless to me now. Needed it today to clear a swathe for future tilling to level land and then fence this spring...figured I'd do the clearing work over vacation (ends Monday) because I won't have time once I return to work next week. So much for trying to get things done on the farm while I have time...

I made some calls on new and used equipment. My closest dealership wants to sell me a small tractor with belly mower. It's tempting. But the one they quoted, new, is nearly $20k (no sale) and they have a 24 year old unit for $6800. I don't think so... I can probably buy a friend's old Massey 135 tractor with a pull-along cutter for half that, and it'll also run my old square balers and rolabar rake.

Good God, I have sheep handling equipment and other needs for my business that are a whole lot more important than this...though the fence I need to put in would give me more space for more sheep. <haha>

What the ever loving hell are these equipment dealerships smoking? People aren't made of money, and the prices being demanded for equipment capable of doing any kind of work are become absurd. It's gouging, in my opinion. I wonder if it's just a sham to get people to get out of farming and sell property. Paying for a farm with a house, livestock, and everything else just makes one wonder what one has to make to cover the costs these days when it seems everyone at every turn does all they can to financially discourage people from farming or a rural lifestyle.

Farming/ranching isn't for poor people now days, and homesteading is more for people with money too. Everything has gone up in price; raw materials, taxes, labor costs, fuel, transportation etc. and farm equipment is no exception. Most people finance big purchases like tractors. Generally the dealers will offer 0% financing on new equipment. I bought 2 new John Deere tractors with zero down and 0% interest. One tractor I bought in Canada when the exchange rate was in our favor. In my opinion that's a pretty good deal. I can keep my money and invest it at 6 - 10% and use their money.

 

[Magus]

I could throw up a micro home for 5-K furnished for two,
the land however is another story!

 

[mml373]

Equipment, food, tools, guns, and ammo, Biden all but wrecked us!

Question is, is it going to take refusal to buy to get prices back down and simplicity back?

 

[montanabill]

The high cost of equipment is why I will have a job till I can't sit up... I have done repair work all my life and have tools, welders, and many general repair parts..
As far as housing our teenager and his friend have their tiny houses up in the back yard and weathered in with some insulation...cozy with a small heater.. much better than old motorhomes and such.. and the two cost less than one months rent for a studio apartment here.

 

[mml373]

The high cost of equipment is why I will have a job till I can't sit up... I have done repair work all my life and have tools, welders, and many general repair parts..
As far as housing our teenager and his friend have their tiny houses up in the back yard and weathered in with some insulation...cozy with a small heater.. much better than old motorhomes and such.. and the two cost less than one months rent for a studio apartment here.

Yes, on some land, one can buy a portable building that's a nice size and finish it out himself and save quite a bit during his younger years.

 

[montanabill]

Yes, on some land, one can buy a portable building that's a nice size and finish it out himself and save quite a bit during his younger years.

Those portable buildings start at around 5K$ around here. These small stuctures they are building use wafer board and cheap 2X4 studs...And cost a lot less..
The last time I was at the building supply store a friend was there getting materials to build his father in law a tiny house since he is disabled.. A pickup load of 4X8 sheeting and some 2X4's and 2X8's ..

 

[Amish Heart]

The smaller outbuildings around us were built from scrap from the amish guys, and you would never know it was scrap.

 

[M0del_31]

JD 1025R s start at around $8500 for a 2018 with a mower deck -less than 1000 hours. The mower deck was $4500 when I bought mine new in 2021. At times I regret buying the deck but it cuts very well....not my favorite mower for hills.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I am not sorry for 1 piece of equipment I invested in in the past 5 years. I was doing everything with a 1985 JD 214 garden tractor. Cutting grass, pushing dirt with the snow blade, pulling fence with a winch hooked up. 25yrs after its birthdate it died.
After a few months of hand moving hay, I got a real tractor. Went a little bigger because of stability on my hills, not sorry for that.
Got a Mahindra 1526, used crop hauler coming off lease with 400hrs, new loader added. Got the pallet forks (which I use more than the bucket). Got a new box blade too.
Added brush hog, PHD, rake and hitch, sprayer. Least used is the box blade.
Added another property. Those who control finances OKed another tractor. 1981 Yanmar with a loader. Really used and abused, but I dare anyone to find anything decent under 5k with a loader. It’s not perfect but keeps me hauling big red back and forth. And when I am done it’s for sale.

 

[Peanut]

Farmall Cub tractors 50's, 60's, rebuilt with equipment $5k-$8k. Might have to drive 1500 miles to pick it up but they'll run another 40yrs. They make a mower deck for them.

I found the first two on craigs list in 3 min... first pic... a lot of equipment... second pic the guy is selling 2 cubs for $6800, limited equipment.

3rd pic, over 20 listings on the tractor house website...

 

[M0del_31]

I am not sorry for 1 piece of equipment I invested in in the past 5 years. I was doing everything with a 1985 JD 214 garden tractor. Cutting grass, pushing dirt with the snow blade, pulling fence with a winch hooked up. 25yrs after its birthdate it died.
After a few months of hand moving hay, I got a real tractor. Went a little bigger because of stability on my hills, not sorry for that.
Got a Mahindra 1526, used crop hauler coming off lease with 400hrs, new loader added. Got the pallet forks (which I use more than the bucket). Got a new box blade too.
Added brush hog, PHD, rake and hitch, sprayer. Least used is the box blade.
Added another property. Those who control finances OKed another tractor. 1981 Yanmar with a loader. Really used and abused, but I dare anyone to find anything decent under 5k with a loader. It’s not perfect but keeps me hauling big red back and forth. And when I am done it’s for sale.

On the upside, the mower deck will probably last longer than the zero turn I could have got for the same cost. Regret may be too harsh a word. I had to get the mid mount mower deck and loader when I bought the tractor or never would.

 

[Weedygarden]

Wheat and other grains are harvested with a machine called a combine. A combine was more than $1 million, years ago.

 

[Amish Heart]

Many times they are shared around here. Or if one family owns one, they are traveling and working with it. And you wouldn't believe how many break down during harvest.

 

[Magus]

Question is, is it going to take refusal to buy to get prices back down and simplicity back?

A revolution and maybe a decade of leaders like Trump.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

@M0del_31 I went to JD dealers fo parts for the 214. One of which was a belt used on 110-216 models 1970-1986. So million of machines.
Special order. Decided ones around here only want to support big AG.
Didn’t think they would support me with me with a 1025.
Too bad, I used to bleed green. I bleed red now.

 

[M0del_31]

@M0del_31 I went to JD dealers fo parts for the 214. One of which was a belt used on 110-216 models 1970-1986. So million of machines.
Special order. Decided ones around here only want to support big AG.
Didn’t think they would support me with me with a 1025.
Too bad, I used to bleed green. I bleed red now.

That would be frustrating so I get it. A quick search shows that belt available at walmart.com, amazon, ebay...pretty much all my virtual haunts. The ground hornets got me the other day when I was brush cutting and got me wanting a cab tractor. I'm not looking a JD solely based on price alone. Lots of competition showing up in the compacts so I'll probably buy used in 5 years or so after the current owners have fixed all the factory defects. In the meantime, I'll be mowing in a bee suit.

 

[montanabill]

Those ground bees hurt.....we go thu seasons where they nest under lumber and debris......best to do the clean up on cold mornings..

 

[Weedygarden]

Many times they are shared around here. Or if one family owns one, they are traveling and working with it. And you wouldn't believe how many break down during harvest.

Combine crews start in south Texas, harvesting wheat, and move north to Canada during harvest season. The first wheat is easily sold at a better price, but as the harvest season proceeds, the price of wheat declines. This is why we see more and more larger grain bins on family farms. Farmers hold onto the wheat until the prices raise.

 

[montanabill]

Wheat and other grains are harvested with a machine called a combine. A combine was more than $1 million, years ago.

I have several scythes..and just the other day I found a cradle in a antique store....the price was too high but that was a way to harvest wheat way back when either with a lot of people or for family quantities.

 

[mml373]

The smaller outbuildings around us were built from scrap from the amish guys, and you would never know it was scrap.

Yup, and my office and rehab space (gym) are in a 16x52 portable building that was finished out that also contains a large master bedroom, generous full bath, and kitchen, along with central HVAC. My family lived in it after our house had to be torn down and rebuilt due to original owner neglect/rot. It was structurally unsafe.

Only issue I have had has been settling, which was expected and which will be addressed later this year after things dry out from winter and the ground gets back to its normal self. Figured I'd give things 2 solid years to settle before jacking/leveling, and go from there.

 

[Amish Heart]

A number of young marrieds in our community have decided to build shed homes. More affordable. They turn out pretty nice.

 

[mml373]

A number of young marrieds in our community have decided to build shed homes. More affordable. They turn out pretty nice.

Yes. Something has to give. Young folks can't afford the cost of homeownership.

Honestly, I wish we could get to a point where people could buy small "farms" of 5 acres, all together, and work together to grow/produce goods...sharing equipment, where possible. Devil is in the details, but at some point folks are going to have to give the big middle finger to what is being done to those who are young and starting out, who want to get into ag but did not grow up in it.

 

[Amish Heart]

Shared equipment in our community is a thing. Our neighbor Marlon owns a skidster, and I swear, I see him driving up and down our long road using it at other farms to be helpful. We're expecting snow Sunday, and he'll be out at our place, scraping paths where he knows I go to feed all the animals. He moves round bales for another neighbor when he knows he needs to put another one out. We let him use our large outbuildings to store equipment when he has to set up for church or just when the weather is bad. One neighbor loans out his smaller tractor and attachment in the spring and another neighbor borrows it to till his garden and then comes and does ours. Equipment is so expensive, might as well share it. Marlon loves our chainsaws. I don't use them.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Yes. Something has to give. Young folks can't afford the cost of homeownership.

Honestly, I wish we could get to a point where people could buy small "farms" of 5 acres, all together, and work together to grow/produce goods...sharing equipment, where possible. Devil is in the details, but at some point folks are going to have to give the big middle finger to what is being done to those who are young and starting out, who want to get into ag but did not grow up in it.

The problem is supply and demand. There are just too many people and not enough land to go around, especially in the western states. Most of the people buying land today are from the cities and have big wallets. Just a fact of life. In my area 5 acres would run about $150,000 for worthless sage brush and rock covered land. Five acres are just homesites, not homesteads. It took me 35 years of working, saving and investing to get the land that I have now. I started out at 19 and bought my first house. Over the years I increased the size of house and then I started buying land. My first piece of land was only 30 acres, and then 140 acres and it just up from there.
It wasn't easy for me but I managed. Anyone that is willing to invest the time, effort and hard work could still do the same.

 

[Amish Heart]

They can, it's just more expensive

 

[Mountain trapper]

They can, it's just more expensive

And that's why it's critical for young people to learn a skill or a trade in order to get good paying jobs. And then go where the jobs are. I never wanted to leave the area where I grew up, but real estate prices were going up faster than I could save for it.
I also didn't want to spend 20 years working overseas on contract jobs, some of these jobs would take me away from home for 6 - 15 months at a time. In the end it was all worth it to have what we have now. Sometimes sacrifices must be made to reach your goals.