PureCountry - a different perspective

[BRG]

Ya'll need to remember that most working folks are hurting too, not just ranchers! 401K accounts have shrunk back so far that some retired people have had to go back to work. Retirement for others is now a ways down the trail because the can't afford to quit. Small buisness has had overhead go up so fast they cant keep up and operating capital dry up to zero. I have been in a lot of training for my new job. I have met a siding contractor, a cement contractor, a lumber salesman (for 22 years) and 2 general contractors who have all lost their ability to feed their families and had to go back to working for somebody else. It is tough everywhere, maybe especially in AG. But hard work, new and improved thinking and prayer pulled lots of folks through the Depression. I hope we all can do the same here. Keep your chin up boys! (And Gals) Attitude equals Altitude! :wink:

I agree H. Lots of people are out of work out there. You and I are lucky. People are still buying our product even though it isn't the prices we want, where the construction companies are having a hard time to even sell theirs at huge discounted prices.

Keep up the faith.

 

[Broke Cowboy]

Maybe more people should look longer term than the profitability of the current calf crop? The way I look at it is that cash in the bank is only one way to store wealth.

Easy for you to say if you have cash in the bank or are debt free or did not start into the business, or did not expand dramatically the year before BSE hit.

Look it comes down to just a few things

Eating
Paying bills
Heating the darned house
Repeating it next year

You are so darned wrong but cannot see it.

People need to start looking at a SHORTER term - and taking that first loss which is likely their best loss - otherwise hanging on will kill them

Or the banker will take them down.

Long term is schitte - if there is a chance of making it most that can will - but there is no dammed time left for those who have nothing left in the bank!

And that is more than just a few of us.

So - find me a short term solution and screw the long term - survival is at stake - not pontification and empire building.

If you got one I am all ears - otherwise your post just did nothing more than pisss me off with its perceived and perhaps real arrogance

Your best "no money available" survival strategy would truly be appreciated.

Somehow I suspect it will not be anything more than we are already practising

When and if we have made it through survival stage perhaps we will then be as smart as you and start looking longer term

Right now tomorrow is looking pretty good but I cannot tell you anything about next week - yet.

BC

 

[PureCountry]

Well, I think it's pretty obvious that the diversity of responses here echoes the exact same pattern seen across society right now. There are people at all different levels of "Economic Downturn", and it shows in how they perceive their position to be. Those who have some cash in hand are feeling alright about things. Those who don't.....aren't. It's very simple, and it's exactly what I'm seeing everywhere I go inspecting cattle. Some folks pick up their cheque for their cattle, look at it and say, "Oh well, it could be worse!" And you know what? They are right, it could be.

Then I see others fight back tears right in front of me as they say, "I don't know what we're gonna do." And you know what? They're right too.

Nobody in this thread is wrong in my opinion, and nobody needs to jump on anyone else. It's all about perspective. I know how we're sitting, and while it isn't real comfortable right now, we've been here before. If I've come across as negative and a little down in the dumps lately in my posts about calf prices and such, I apologize. Not how I want to sound. No matter how bad things get, I can still come home, walk through the door and here little feet charging my way for a bear hug to the tune of "Papa's home!!!!". As I've said before, listen to the laughter of a kid and feel the world melt away.

GF - thanks for being the optimist today - somebody has to be positive, no matter how bad the negative.