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Old 02-04-2009, 09:19 PM
  #2  
BZNpilot248
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Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: left seat regional
Posts: 146
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Seeing you're flying an MD-11 around I'd save as much as you can and look elsewhere. You'd be extremely hard pressed to make any kind of living on 70 acres - that I"m pretty sure. The farm I grew up on wouldn't support me due to economic factors, land, equipment & capital, family etc. My parents didn't want my job to be based on chance and weather - guess what! I became a pilot! I showed them! Chance and weather! I know economics are different in different areas, different crops or animals etc - but in Montana I'd need at least five to ten THOUSAND acres to have a decent sustainable grain operation - and probably another 1-2 million in equipment capital alone. Ranching is a bit different (did some of that too) but its a 24/7 job that takes a lot out of you - and you're not always making bank on animals either and 70 acres still isn't much to sustain a whole family. Many people I know that farm or ranch have other jobs on the side, and end up cramming 36 hours of work into a 24 hour day. That said farming is, and always will be my true passion and I wish for that opportunity though it'll probably never happen. Good luck in your endeavors though!
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