Boston Gal's Open Wallet

yes they get social security. As long as you pay taxes you earn a benefit.

Maybe they are just going to work and not retire. Remember it was not that long ago when people didnt retire. And they especially didnt retire EARLY.
you worked until you werent able

 

My grandma is a retired farmer. Yes, she collects social security. But, she also leases her land to other farmers.

 

My grandfather leased his farmland when he decided he was too old to farm. I should note, however, that he also had saved a large chunk of change over the years to supplement. These people could certainly sell the land when they are ready to quit and live off the proceeds.

 

Also an option: renting the land. My dad's parents rented their 80 acres to another farmer after they retired. He grew wheat and corn, if I remember correctly. My mom's parents are still growing hay on their farm and selling it - they used to use it to feed their dairy cows, when they had them. Mom's folks also get rent from a bee keeper who brings his bees there for the flowers in the hayfields. I'm not sure what Mom's parents plan to do when they're not physically able to handle the farm - they're only in their mid-70's now, so it's a while out.

 

It would be interesting to see some current and historical numbers on European farmland, as this would show how much the land went up in value as Europe became more crowded. This would provide a solid example on how US farmland could appreciate, as our population grows.

Also, if you factor in the likelyhood of oil shooting through the roof again (high) and the likelyhood of food going through the rough again (high), farmland seems like a rather good investment.

 

Wait a second. Most of this value that they cite is only realizable if you subdivide your land and develop it into housing. Most other farmers do not have a lot of liquid capital sitting around to either buy your land or even rent it so if you want money from your land, you are going to have to get the money from non-farmers. I grew up on a farm in northern Pennsylvania and just about all the farmers in my area went under and sold their land to developers. My father was fortunate to manage his farm such that when he was finally crushed as a small farmer, he was able to sell his cows and still keep his land and get a job off the farm that paid his bills. He was one of the very few. I knew dozens of farmers that no longer have their farms. Some of them were fourth generation farmers. Europe puts zoning in place so that farmland does not turn into the oceans of strip malls and townhouses that cover northern Maryland, southern Pennsylvania and southern New Hampshire to cite a few places in the U.S. where sprawl has just eaten up any scenic qualities the land has held. I just got back from Italy and the scenery is beautiful even minutes outside of major cities like Rome, Florence and Venice. They have zoning to protect it unlike the U.S. Anyway, I would love to learn more about how this makes sense, but the idea of getting a huge return by leasing to other farmers just seems silly to me when you look at the main economic force that wants the farms is developers that are looking to make a quick buck happily turning a farm into townhouses and stripmalls. It would be great if we could do more land planning as exists in Europe rather than letting developers convince people that zoning is anti-american. It is difficult because developers are the ones who are the highest bidders on farmland and also have far more money than other people to set the policies on land-use here in the U.S.

 

your question and incredulity shows your ignorance that people can survive even live well and thrive outside of the corporate rat race.

 

Anonymous, what??? The question was how and why farm land is going to become a good investment. Whether I know how to live off the land for little money is an entirely different question.