Feeling stuck? BetterHelp makes therapy simple, with 10% off your first month to help you get started: betterhelp.com/atrippyfarmer. (Sponsored by BetterHelp) I hope 2025 is kind to you all, and I sure appreciate you watching! I am looking forward to the warmer days of Spring!
You might consider a heated shop... when the opportunity arises... Great place to get some work done in the winter/rain, etc... and a possible means of staving off a little 'cabin fever'. GR8 to see you again, thanks for another vid!
Blizzard of 78’…… dad lived in greenwood Indiana back then, everyone had snowmobiles back then, he lived right next to I-65 so the snowmobile gang hauled people from their stuck cars to hotels, gas stations and a pregnant woman to the hospital
We had a big storm in 73. I lived in Maryland. I remember it well. Over eight foot snow drifts. We had an old IH H with an old flip bucket loader. And two shovels. Had to keep the drive open for the Milk truck.
We just added our second trackhoe this year and it paid for itself within the first 6 months we put in drainage we put in other tiling we took out fence rows
Upgrades for 25 is tele hander, track tractor, and more tillage equipment. Only reason is we need more stuff and are expanding. We are thinking the ag economy will come up a bit the year but not really sure. The thing is the USA has been importing so much corn from other country’s so I think that the tariffs will help level the playing field. I think part of the equipment problem right now is people way over spent the last few years and now equipment just isn’t moving because maybe some farmers overspent.
Just made the switch to kuhn krause gladiator strip till bar. Hoping to create some efficiencies across our operations and optimize fertilizer. For late model machinery the market is very good for those postured to add a tractor to operation. Trades for late model machinery not favorable, but equipment beyond 15yrs of age doesn't seem terrible yet.
Farm I work on is upgrading the dryer. They’re getting a Brock Vector mix flow. Took out the Super B from one set of bins and plans are putting the Super B at the other bin site and taking the tower dryer down and selling it.
In the 1970s, and early 80s, the North/South highways in Central Illinois (US 45 and I-57) usually had snow fences put up in the surrounding farmland soon after harvest. Every winter that I can remember as a kid/teen. The state installed the snow fencing and I'm not sure if the farmers got paid or not. Maybe ask your dad about that.
Looking at trading one tractor, sprayer and chisel plow. They’re just reaching age, hours and warranty limits that coupled with used prices and interest rates, it’s a hard decision. Changing rotation a little but 65% of our acres are already in wheat. 10% has cattle on the gain, sold some by the acre. Rest will go to harvest. Remaining acres will be split between corn, cotton, Milo and peas. How much, depends on spring rain and how soon the heat turns up.
78. I was 10 and we were snowed in for over 2 weeks. They had to dig everything out with wheel loaders . That was in Michigan. No electricity for close to 3 weeks. No school for almost 3 weeks.
Live up the road from you on Peoria,IL. We moved to the country (Washington.IL) 1977. That was quite the winter, shut down for 3 days!!!! Our township pushed snow over the top with a front end loader. School bus ride was like going down a tunnel.
Another comment on farming here is most farmers can diversify enterproses. Our family farm over forty years has been able to take advantage of huge peaks in wool growing,grain growing, beef cattle twice and a decade long lamb boom. We do have some of each all the time but can quickly change into a booming market.
End of January 1978 a massive blizzard with high winds hit illinois thru western new york. Then a week later another massive snowstorm nailed boston and the north east 😅 In 1977 a truly record setting storm had marched from Ohio to Atlantic Canada. It gave parts of western new york record snow falls. The 1970,s had a number of these record setting storms. 1971.... 1977... and the two in 1978. Depending were you lived, either the 77 or 78 were the worst. My fondest memory was that school in newton ma was canceled in both 77 and 78 !
We are 20% sold for 25 crop. You wont go broke selling in the black. Is it a super awesome sale? Time will tell. But as far as equipment, if you want to upgrade and can afford it cash wise or twist your bankers arm, 1-2 year old equipment on auctions is a safe bet as its already taken a beating on depreciation and likely wont fall much farther. We upgrade something every year. If you dont ever trade one day, you'll have nothing to pass on to the next generation and will have them at a disadvantage from an efficiency stamd point. My advice, sell 2% of your crop a time, be 50% sold by June 15th and buy or make a fuel trailer to keep hours off the equipment.
I think in 1967 we had a big snowstorm where they had to use bulldozers to open up our main road and they closed all the stores and they had to bring in helicopters to take the nurses to the hospital Actually our Jewel Food Store stayed open even though drivers couldn't get there we lived behind the store
Hi from oz andy. We are getting days of 36 to 38 here (thats Celsius around 90 to 100 Fahrenheit) i remember about mid 70's i read in a reputable newspaper here published an article about a prominent US scientist forcasting the earth was about to go into a new ICE age. Imagine that. The climate changes ALL THE TIME. it goes in cycles. Always has always will
A lot of our issues stem from tariffs and the trade disruption that’s resulted. Get ready for more of that. Tariffs are also inflationary by their very nature.
Andy, if we have anything left over, we are going to put the extra into paying extra on our highest interest land payment. This will pay us back for years to come.
SNOW SNOW FER YA SIR BRING YALLL ALL THE h20 U CAN TOLERATE AND OR USE lordy with ur cost per acres dollar cost ave & inputs no wonder u folks farmings arent seliing tracks fer houseing dam cost eq. truly insane, no anwsers here thank you fer sharing young fella, Cool tile map helpful somewat surlly contours have changed
I was born in 71, I remember waking up to knee high snow, and it was white from October/November to April at least in Iowa, My Dad had stories of waking up to hip high snow, so yea like my other post I believe the planet is warming I just can't jump on the bandwagon that it's all humans fault and not mostly natural, who knows in a couple hundred years it might just be another Ice Age
I have read several of the comments and i would have to agree with you that buying new or slightly used paint is a bad investment. however, I think investing in yourself is always a great investment!!!!! build your own fuel trailer, buy your own tile equipment you and your sister could easy run it, anhydrous bar or strip till tool, insulate an existing or build new but a shop is a great place to pay yourself and spend time with the kids teaching them skills, grain facilities upgrade or take the work out of it, why just corn and beans? we are in a different world than you guys but there are other things you can do that might make you more money and just because the gross dollars arnt the same the net dollars might even be better ie. Cows on corn stalks with electric fence, alfalfa, stockers on cover crop and elec fence, chickens, wheat DC beans or milo God forgive me, eggs the list is endless
Just staway From Deere Way Overpriced Quality Is Not Their Main Objective Too Many Bean Counters At H Q. 13.5 Eng Junk @ Now Ruhmer Has it 13.6 Has its Problems? Ive Run Deere For 50 Years 2 8.1 over 10000 Hrs no Major probs.
My theory on "Climate Change " now I have been around almost 60 years I remember when it would snow after Halloween and it stayed till April. I have noticed the wind is out of the south about half the year, which was not the case 20 years ago. P.S. 1967 and 1978 huge blizzard years.
A fuel trailer would be a very inexpensive money maker for your operation. You are very good at accounting for every penny your operation spends. You are scattered far and wide. Put a pencil to hours driving combines and tractors to the fuel tank and please don't say your fuel supplier will come to the field and fill your combines and tractors.
Hunker down Tripp. Run what you’ve got. Let the political transition sort itself out. Next season we will know which direction things will be heading. Hopefully grain prices trend up.
Hey Trippy, I am glad to hear, you understand all this. I have been farming my whole life in Ontario. I remember the early 1980s I was 13 years old and My dad was almost on the road. 23 per cent interest. My Dad paid $25 k for 146 acre farm with cream Qouta. Long story short, he got his hand cut off in a farming accident. went to Beef and Pork, was OK until 1980. We had to remortgage the farm for 5 times more then he paid for it. Still owed 125 k in 1996 sold the farm and all the equipment. The next year the farm double in price and today it is worth 4 million. But you are right no money to be made if you owe money, you can not get ahead. So I went and bought 2 farms one in 1996 and one in 2011 I have beef cows calfs, I sold it all 2 months before bse hit, then I cash croped for 2 years and well that was enough of that losing money. I rent the farms out get the cheque before the crop goes in the ground and I go to the cottage and enjoy life. These guys are rock stars. 18 row combines and large headers for beans and wheat. They go to 100 acre farms and run about 10,000 acres. Hills stones to pick and lots of good flat land. Not sure how they do it and stay in business.
Alot of inputs are just out of control! I understand that everyone on that end has higher labor since the plandemic. They are taking advantage of the farmers! When they cant demand higher prices... Just my opinion...
The reality is in the next few years China will pivot away from imports of grain from US/Canada/Australia. 16 million tons of grain needs to find a new market as China will get it's needs from Russia the old Eastern block and Sth America.
people keep screaming "Global Warming", I just keep thinking, the planet has had more than 1 Ice Age ???? doesn't that almost mean that the planet goes through cycles, like it gets warm it gets cold it gets warm.... ya get my point. I don't think that we have the proper knowledge to say this isn't a warming period for the planet
You not sure what 2025 brings , for us Canadians will probably be paying deeply for the next four years for your beloved King Trumps 25% ransoms in 2025 . 😢😡💩 .
The average Midwest corn yield in the 1920s was 26.4 bushels per acre. Corn yields in 1950 averaged 40 bushels per acre "In 1962, the corn yield in Illinois was a record 64.1 bushels per acre. This was due to favorable growing conditions in the Corn Belt, despite lower yields in other areas." "The average Illinois corn yield per acre in 1974 was 71 bushels." "The national average yield of the 1984 corn crop was 106.6 bushels per acre compared to 105.9 bushels estimated in November and only 81.1 bushels in 1983" "In 1994, the corn yield in Illinois was 156 bushels per acre, which was 7 bushels above the previous record." 1974 corn price: $3.95, which equates to $19.92 today. 1974: 71 bu/acre @ $19.92 = $1,414.32/acre 2024: 225 bu/acre @ $3.95 = $888.75/acre So, yes, corn farming per acre was much more profitable in the 1970s, but most large family farms were only 1,000 or 1,500 acres, just because of the time factor with the equipment capacity. Unless you had a buttload of people and equipment, it wasn't possible to harvest 4,000 or 5,000 acres before winter with a 3 or 4 row head on an 80hp combine, gravity wagons, and 6 or 10 wheeler trucks.
Feeling stuck? BetterHelp makes therapy simple, with 10% off your first month
to help you get started: betterhelp.com/atrippyfarmer. (Sponsored by
BetterHelp)
I hope 2025 is kind to you all, and I sure appreciate you watching! I am looking forward to the warmer days of Spring!
You might consider a heated shop... when the opportunity arises...
Great place to get some work done in the winter/rain, etc... and a possible means of staving off a little 'cabin fever'.
GR8 to see you again, thanks for another vid!
It was the blizzard of 1978.
The big snow blizzard was 1978. At least in Michigan. No school for 2 weeks.
Same in Indiana!
Fuel trailer should be at top of list. Time is money as well as engine hours.
U can find less fancy ones pretty cheap too
Blizzard of 78’…… dad lived in greenwood Indiana back then, everyone had snowmobiles back then, he lived right next to I-65 so the snowmobile gang hauled people from their stuck cars to hotels, gas stations and a pregnant woman to the hospital
We had a big storm in 73. I lived in Maryland. I remember it well. Over eight foot snow drifts.
We had an old IH H with an old flip bucket loader. And two shovels. Had to keep the drive open for the
Milk truck.
Happy birthday Lenny .
We just added our second trackhoe this year and it paid for itself within the first 6 months we put in drainage we put in other tiling we took out fence rows
78 was the big snow.
I worked in the woods through that storm.
It was the blizzard of 78
I'm over here in Matteson Park Forest Ill.we never get any snow of any great amount thank goodness
Our bg snow season was 1978 in Milwaukee. No snow till NYE then 10" and about 4-6" every other day all month long. 107" total.
Happy birthday to your son.
Upgrades for 25 is tele hander, track tractor, and more tillage equipment. Only reason is we need more stuff and are expanding. We are thinking the ag economy will come up a bit the year but not really sure. The thing is the USA has been importing so much corn from other country’s so I think that the tariffs will help level the playing field. I think part of the equipment problem right now is people way over spent the last few years and now equipment just isn’t moving because maybe some farmers overspent.
It was 1978 is when the snow storm hit because I was born in 74 I actually remember it
Just made the switch to kuhn krause gladiator strip till bar. Hoping to create some efficiencies across our operations and optimize fertilizer. For late model machinery the market is very good for those postured to add a tractor to operation. Trades for late model machinery not favorable, but equipment beyond 15yrs of age doesn't seem terrible yet.
Farm I work on is upgrading the dryer. They’re getting a Brock Vector mix flow. Took out the Super B from one set of bins and plans are putting the Super B at the other bin site and taking the tower dryer down and selling it.
Blizzard of '78. In Litchfield
You buy what you need and tighten the belt. Good used equipment is a lot better than new prices on new paint.
In the 1970s, and early 80s, the North/South highways in Central Illinois (US 45 and I-57) usually had snow fences put up in the surrounding farmland soon after harvest. Every winter that I can remember as a kid/teen. The state installed the snow fencing and I'm not sure if the farmers got paid or not. Maybe ask your dad about that.
Looking at trading one tractor, sprayer and chisel plow. They’re just reaching age, hours and warranty limits that coupled with used prices and interest rates, it’s a hard decision.
Changing rotation a little but 65% of our acres are already in wheat. 10% has cattle on the gain, sold some by the acre. Rest will go to harvest. Remaining acres will be split between corn, cotton, Milo and peas. How much, depends on spring rain and how soon the heat turns up.
78. I was 10 and we were snowed in for over 2 weeks. They had to dig everything out with wheel loaders . That was in Michigan. No electricity for close to 3 weeks. No school for almost 3 weeks.
Live up the road from you on Peoria,IL. We moved to the country (Washington.IL) 1977. That was quite the winter, shut down for 3 days!!!! Our township pushed snow over the top with a front end loader. School bus ride was like going down a tunnel.
I believe that was 1977 when the big blizzard was, up here in the north east.
Bought a JD 6000 Hi Cycle Sprayer. $4k!
Another comment on farming here is most farmers can diversify enterproses. Our family farm over forty years has been able to take advantage of huge peaks in wool growing,grain growing, beef cattle twice and a decade long lamb boom. We do have some of each all the time but can quickly change into a booming market.
End of January 1978 a massive blizzard with high winds hit illinois thru western new york. Then a week later another massive snowstorm nailed boston and the north east 😅
In 1977 a truly record setting storm had marched from Ohio to Atlantic Canada. It gave parts of western new york record snow falls.
The 1970,s had a number of these record setting storms. 1971.... 1977... and the two in 1978.
Depending were you lived, either the 77 or 78 were the worst. My fondest memory was that school in newton ma was canceled in both 77 and 78 !
1978 Here in Southern Indiana only 4 days of school for month of january...
End of January and not much snow in Minnesota this year not much snow last year
i was in school at the time and it was 77 and 78 we had big big snows it was 77 they came through with dozers had no school for like 2 weeks
You certainly have more snow than west central Wisconsin. We had 6” earlier but that all melted and just dusting now.
We are 20% sold for 25 crop. You wont go broke selling in the black. Is it a super awesome sale? Time will tell. But as far as equipment, if you want to upgrade and can afford it cash wise or twist your bankers arm, 1-2 year old equipment on auctions is a safe bet as its already taken a beating on depreciation and likely wont fall much farther. We upgrade something every year. If you dont ever trade one day, you'll have nothing to pass on to the next generation and will have them at a disadvantage from an efficiency stamd point. My advice, sell 2% of your crop a time, be 50% sold by June 15th and buy or make a fuel trailer to keep hours off the equipment.
I think in 1967 we had a big snowstorm where they had to use bulldozers to open up our main road and they closed all the stores and they had to bring in helicopters to take the nurses to the hospital Actually our Jewel Food Store stayed open even though drivers couldn't get there we lived behind the store
You guys have the tractors, and now a tanker. Get a sidresser for liquid nitrogen.
Hi from oz andy. We are getting days of 36 to 38 here (thats Celsius around 90 to 100 Fahrenheit) i remember about mid 70's i read in a reputable newspaper here published an article about a prominent US scientist forcasting the earth was about to go into a new ICE age. Imagine that. The climate changes ALL THE TIME. it goes in cycles. Always has always will
1973, '76, '77, '78, '79 and '81 were all bitter cold and heavy snowfall years in Central Illinois and beyond.
dont forget the Christmas blizzard of 1987
I've cleared a lot of snow with back blade.
Get a fuel trailer
A lot of our issues stem from tariffs and the trade disruption that’s resulted. Get ready for more of that. Tariffs are also inflationary by their very nature.
They had to use a Tank (National Guard) to open up several roads because of drifts
Maybe a fuel trailer would benefit your farm.
what price should corn be to help u guys a lot?
As I recently learned, "motor toboggan" is another name for skidoo.
It was the blizzard of 1978
Andy, if we have anything left over, we are going to put the extra into paying extra on our highest interest land payment. This will pay us back for years to come.
SNOW SNOW FER YA SIR BRING YALLL ALL THE h20 U CAN TOLERATE AND OR USE lordy with ur cost per acres dollar cost ave & inputs no wonder u folks farmings arent seliing tracks fer houseing dam cost eq. truly insane, no anwsers here thank you fer sharing young fella, Cool tile map helpful somewat surlly contours have changed
I would be happy if I didn’t have snow for 6 months
I was born in 71, I remember waking up to knee high snow, and it was white from October/November to April at least in Iowa, My Dad had stories of waking up to hip high snow, so yea like my other post I believe the planet is warming I just can't jump on the bandwagon that it's all humans fault and not mostly natural, who knows in a couple hundred years it might just be another Ice Age
The state police drove four wheel drive tractors to drive down the highways in Indiana
I don't understand where you are buying a 40.000 dollar snowblower here in Minnesota snowblowers brand new only go for 5 to 10.000 dollars
Blizzard OG 1978
I have read several of the comments and i would have to agree with you that buying new or slightly used paint is a bad investment.
however, I think investing in yourself is always a great investment!!!!!
build your own fuel trailer, buy your own tile equipment you and your sister could easy run it, anhydrous bar or strip till tool, insulate an existing or build new but a shop is a great place to pay yourself and spend time with the kids teaching them skills, grain facilities upgrade or take the work out of it,
why just corn and beans? we are in a different world than you guys but there are other things you can do that might make you more money and just because the gross dollars arnt the same the net dollars might even be better
ie. Cows on corn stalks with electric fence, alfalfa, stockers on cover crop and elec fence, chickens, wheat DC beans or milo God forgive me, eggs the list is endless
Big snowstorm ? I can still see grass
What about some cattle?
Just staway From Deere Way Overpriced Quality Is Not Their Main Objective Too Many Bean Counters At H Q. 13.5 Eng Junk @ Now Ruhmer Has it 13.6 Has its Problems? Ive Run Deere For 50 Years 2 8.1 over 10000 Hrs no Major probs.
I'm thinking about upgrading my RTX 3070 to something in the new 5000 series line of GPUs from Nvidia. 🤣
My theory on "Climate Change " now I have been around almost 60 years I remember when it would snow after Halloween and it stayed till April. I have noticed the wind is out of the south about half the year, which was not the case 20 years ago. P.S. 1967 and 1978 huge blizzard years.
Really worried that with all the Tariff talk, every country is going to target US grain.
A fuel trailer would be a very inexpensive money maker for your operation. You are very good at accounting for every penny your operation spends. You are scattered far and wide. Put a pencil to hours driving combines and tractors to the fuel tank and please don't say your fuel supplier will come to the field and fill your combines and tractors.
1978
How do you get your teeth so white. They look great
Hunker down Tripp. Run what you’ve got. Let the political transition sort itself out. Next season we will know which direction things will be heading. Hopefully grain prices trend up.
Want snow? Try Florida
No snow in Wisconsin,heard New Orleans got 8 inches LOL
You might want to look at bit deeper at the sponsors that you choose. This one is bit on the doggy side!
Hey Trippy, I am glad to hear, you understand all this. I have been farming my whole life in Ontario. I remember the early 1980s I was 13 years old and My dad was almost on the road. 23 per cent interest. My Dad paid $25 k for 146 acre farm with cream Qouta. Long story short, he got his hand cut off in a farming accident. went to Beef and Pork, was OK until 1980. We had to remortgage the farm for 5 times more then he paid for it. Still owed 125 k in 1996 sold the farm and all the equipment. The next year the farm double in price and today it is worth 4 million.
But you are right no money to be made if you owe money, you can not get ahead.
So I went and bought 2 farms one in 1996 and one in 2011 I have beef cows calfs, I sold it all 2 months before bse hit, then I cash croped for 2 years and well that was enough of that losing money. I rent the farms out get the cheque before the crop goes in the ground and I go to the cottage and enjoy life.
These guys are rock stars. 18 row combines and large headers for beans and wheat. They go to 100 acre farms and run about 10,000 acres. Hills stones to pick and lots of good flat land.
Not sure how they do it and stay in business.
78
Quit buying new things, newer products are just not affordable, start looking into used equipment, paint doesnt have to be new to run
Alot of inputs are just out of control! I understand that everyone on that end has higher labor since the plandemic. They are taking advantage of the farmers! When they cant demand higher prices... Just my opinion...
The reality is in the next few years China will pivot away from imports of grain from US/Canada/Australia. 16 million tons of grain needs to find a new market as China will get it's needs from Russia the old Eastern block and Sth America.
What might save you is your 1.4 billion dollar trade deficit with China, oh thats daily. Trump might win for farmers.
people keep screaming "Global Warming", I just keep thinking, the planet has had more than 1 Ice Age ???? doesn't that almost mean that the planet goes through cycles, like it gets warm it gets cold it gets warm.... ya get my point. I don't think that we have the proper knowledge to say this isn't a warming period for the planet
You not sure what 2025 brings , for us Canadians will probably be paying deeply for the next four years for your beloved King Trumps 25% ransoms in 2025 . 😢😡💩 .
The average Midwest corn yield in the 1920s was 26.4 bushels per acre.
Corn yields in 1950 averaged 40 bushels per acre
"In 1962, the corn yield in Illinois was a record 64.1 bushels per acre. This was due to favorable growing conditions in the Corn Belt, despite lower yields in other areas."
"The average Illinois corn yield per acre in 1974 was 71 bushels."
"The national average yield of the 1984 corn crop was 106.6 bushels per acre compared to 105.9 bushels estimated in November and only 81.1 bushels in 1983"
"In 1994, the corn yield in Illinois was 156 bushels per acre, which was 7 bushels above the previous record."
1974 corn price: $3.95, which equates to $19.92 today.
1974: 71 bu/acre @ $19.92 = $1,414.32/acre
2024: 225 bu/acre @ $3.95 = $888.75/acre
So, yes, corn farming per acre was much more profitable in the 1970s, but most large family farms were only 1,000 or 1,500 acres, just because of the time factor with the equipment capacity. Unless you had a buttload of people and equipment, it wasn't possible to harvest 4,000 or 5,000 acres before winter with a 3 or 4 row head on an 80hp combine, gravity wagons, and 6 or 10 wheeler trucks.
It was the blizzard of 78