Has anybody ever got rich through farming?

D

DrWazzock

Member

Arable Farmer

Location

Lincolnshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #1

I don't believe anybody has got rich purely through the business of productive farming.

There is always some other source of income or they make their money from the rise in land values.

Tell me I'm wrong!

 

F

franklin

New Member

• Jun 7, 2017

• #2

Farming being the growing of crops, and not the owning / selling of land?

I doubt it from combinables in the last 30 years.

 

D

DrWazzock

Member

Arable Farmer

Location

Lincolnshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #3

Yes, I mean through growing crops and livestock.

Undoubtedly some people have done well, and some people do better than others but I cant think of anybody in this area who has made a fortune through crop production.

I think its just the nature of the industry. We are producing into well supplied markets.

It would be nice if it changed.

 

F

Frodo2

Member

• Jun 7, 2017

• #4

DrWazzock said:

Yes, I mean through growing crops and livestock.

Undoubtedly some people have done well, and some people do better than others but I cant think of anybody in this area who has made a fortune through crop production.

I think its just the nature of the industry. We are producing into well supplied markets.

It would be nice if it changed.

Click to expand...

I think you are probably correct. "Rich" is a relative term and since crops and livestock are commodity products everyone gains or loses wealth at the same rate. To make money (or lose it) you have to do something different from the herd.

 

Sweepa

Member

Location

Northern Ireland

• Jun 7, 2017

• #5

@Bossfarmer

 

W

wasted years

Member

Location

Cumbrian born and bread

• Jun 7, 2017

• #6

If , as some people do, you own 1k acres of ploughable land you only need to make £100 an acre to be earning 100k a year.
I would call that rich.

 

Andrew K

Member

Arable Farmer

Location

Essex

• Jun 7, 2017

• #7

To be rich, is to be healthy and happy...

 

Chae1

Member

Location

Aberdeenshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #8

Exactly. How do you define rich?

 

Campbell

Member

Location

Herefordshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #9

Situations like spuds in 76 that set a lot of folks on the road to 'riches'. Or supplying premium markets consistently seems to me another way.

 

Matt

Member

Location

herefordshire, uk

• Jun 7, 2017

• #10

i would define rich as more money than month. i.e. able to pay your bills and live.
would you know what to do with the money even if it was there?

 

7

7610 super q

Never Forgotten

Honorary Member

• Jun 7, 2017

• #11

Folks do... Quite a bit a money in organic veg during the 90's.......
Things never seem to last though. I can't recall anyone consistently making big money year in year out for longer than 20 years.

 

S

Suffolk Serf

Member

Location

Bury/Thetford

• Jun 7, 2017

• #12

I know some who have borrowed heavily against their family's land and created very large farming businesses.

 

Badshot

Member

Location

Kent

• Jun 7, 2017

• #13

I know someone who bought land in 76.
Pplanted spuds on it, that crop of spuds bought the land.

 

Lazy Sod

Member

Location

Warminster Wiltshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #14

Most rich farmers have become so through land ownership not actual farm production.

 

nelly55

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #15

Doesn't matter how much land you own,health and happiness is more important.
Remember you may own 1000 acres but come the day we all own an 8 by 4 plot and become equal.

 

B

Bones

Member

Location

n Ireland

• Jun 7, 2017

• #16

nelly55 said:

Doesn't matter how much land you own,health and happiness is more important.
Remember you may own 1000 acres but come the day we all own an 8 by 4 plot and become equal.

Click to expand...

Some of us might get cremated, don't even get the 8x4, ,,, could you draw the sub on that 8x4??,

 

Bruce Almighty

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Warwickshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #17

Renewables have been the most profitable crop in recent years

 

nelly55

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #18

Bones said:

Some of us might get cremated, don't even get the 8x4, ,,, could you draw the sub on that 8x4??,

Click to expand...

You can bet some will try,after all nothing to stop you been buried in a field.

 

Cab-over Pete

Member

Location

Kenilworth, Warwickshire

• Jun 7, 2017

• #19

We only farm 20 acres and I'm just starting on making my second £million.













I gave up entirely trying to make the first million.

 

Pasty

Member

Location

Devon

• Jun 7, 2017

• #20

When I was a lad we owned 400 or so acres. Family stuff happened and a lot got sold when values were low so we ended up with 50 or so. At that time, debt was high and rates were high too so it was stress city trying to keep the farm. Then TB and CJD etc. etc. It was too much. Since selling, Dad was able to retire comfortably and never worry about money again. I wonder if he would still be above ground if he had put up with 20 more years of that stress.

We were at the solicitor back along and the old maps were out. Dad said 'I could have been a very rich man' to which the solicitor replied 'You are. You own this beautiful place and more than that, know how to look after it and keep it so'. Interesting perspective I thought.