Live data from Hacker News

Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

github.com

121–130 of 309 posts

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#121
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They should, it's basic insurance. You don't have to be a speculator, just understand that you're long the thing you're producing in the future so it makes sense to be short some future contracts to lock in your price in that future . (Just make sure your futures broker accepts delivery, otherwise there's funny stuff happening)

> They should, it's basic insurance. If you grow corn: It can be sold as a future, and you can have crop insurance on it. IM not sure you grasp what a future is in the case of a farmer... Now if your in construction, or buying fuel a future can be insurance. Or a risky bet. None of that is like your heath or home owners or car insurance.... unless you dont have them.

The Great Onion Corner And The Futures Market - https://www.npr.org/2015/10/22/450769853/the-great-onion-cor...

How an Iowa farmer pushes through less-than-average crop yields - https://www.marketplace.org/2023/07/27/how-an-iowa-farmer-pu...

> Ryssdal: Yes. What about prices? When you take it to market — or when you’re going to take it to market — are you selling futures?

> Hemmes: Well, a lot of people do that. I forward cash grain, or forward contract. Right now, I could sell delivery in March and set my cash price, or set the basis. A lot of people do options to set that bottom. But I’m telling you, Kai, I need some kind of collar because of the whiplash I’ve been getting from these markets — they’re up one day 50, down 40 the next, and everything adds to it.

Farming is “not easy and it’s a lot of risk,” says Iowa soybean producer - https://www.marketplace.org/2024/05/28/farming-is-not-easy-a...

> Ryssdal: Have you sold your futures yet? Have you sold any of this stuff that just got in the ground?

> Hemmes: I have. I’ve sold about 30%. Our co-op gave me a heck of a bid. But it’s kinda like wait and see because this market just keeps going. Like soybeans are down 18 cents today and then they could go up 50 tomorrow. Who knows?

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#122
post #92
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh there's lots of bullshit in farming, especially if you have cattle

That why I hate the word "farm" and derivatives like "farmer" and "farming". On one side is see land cultivators and on the other hand i see animal exploiters. The first do -IHMO- a great job akin to school teacher, the latter do a horrible job akin to a concentration camp commander. Having one word to describe both is beyond me. That said, I do find it amazing how these two groups stick together and back each other…

Ranchers and farmers are quite different and I get along much better with the latter. Their politics coincide when it comes to a common cause, like water for hay.

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#124
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You need to be a welder, plumber, vet, horticulturist, builder, metrologist I love this about farmers. They are the polymaths of our age and folks dont get it. Farming YouTube is a trip because there's more tech in a tractor than in some startups. > and if you're doing properly, crooked accountant as well. Yea, most people dont get what a "future" is, and why corn and lumber have them (but not onions... thats a les…

> You need to be a welder, plumber, vet, horticulturist, builder, metrologist Not sure how commmon this is anymore. The age of the family farm with a mix of livestock, rotating crops, and woodlands are long gone in the developed world. Each of these tasks would be handled mostly by a professional in any serious farming operation.

Look up “Just a few acres farm” on YouTube. Pete, a retired architect, has done all of the above and documented it on his YouTube channel. Heck, add aerial drone videographer and video editor to the list. He makes some excellent videos while cutting hay!

He also has a lot of really practical videos on the business of small farming. He’s very adamant about not going into debt before you start, doing market research in your area, and starting very small but rolling over the proceeds from your first sales back into the farm.

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#126
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They should, it's basic insurance. You don't have to be a speculator, just understand that you're long the thing you're producing in the future so it makes sense to be short some future contracts to lock in your price in that future . (Just make sure your futures broker accepts delivery, otherwise there's funny stuff happening)

> They should, it's basic insurance. If you grow corn: It can be sold as a future, and you can have crop insurance on it. IM not sure you grasp what a future is in the case of a farmer... Now if your in construction, or buying fuel a future can be insurance. Or a risky bet. None of that is like your heath or home owners or car insurance.... unless you dont have them.

Do you grasp what a future is?

Having home/car/health insurance protects you against it being destroyed. Buying fuel futures protects you against the price of gas spiking. Having crop insurance protects you against your crops being destroyed. Selling crop futures protect you against the price of your crops falling.

It's all protecting you from events that would seriously hurt your finances, aka hedging/insurance.

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#127

Every time this topic comes up I say the same thing. If you've never worked on a farm and have some kind of romantic idea about it then you shouldn't do this. Farming is hard work. Modern farmers have college degrees, millions in equipment, and a vast amount of knowledge and experience you do not have. If you're thinking of doing this and do not have experience go work on a farm for a year before you buy in.

This is a terrible, terrible misconception about what constitutes a farm and farming!

Yes you can 'farm' on an industrial scale, or you can 'farm' on your parking strip. You're right when it comes to the former, and couldn't be more wrong when it comes to the latter.

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#128

Every time this topic comes up I say the same thing. If you've never worked on a farm and have some kind of romantic idea about it then you shouldn't do this. Farming is hard work. Modern farmers have college degrees, millions in equipment, and a vast amount of knowledge and experience you do not have. If you're thinking of doing this and do not have experience go work on a farm for a year before you buy in.

Running an industrial farm that makes money efficiently is different than living on a plot of land with chickens and cows, giving you a cheap lifestyle.

Re: Neofetch developer archives all his repositories: "Have taken up farming"

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Corn or dairy cattle, absolutely. Oranges for concentrate, sure. Even cabbages for transport, right. But there are other things there's demand for, or demand can even be created for, that do not have such vast efficient scales. Hand-reared escargot, or spinach grown within resonance of a woodpecker pecking at dawn, just two examples.

> …spinach grown within resonance of a woodpecker pecking at dawn, Please tell me this is a real thing freaks overpay for…

It’s just a marketing spin away from absolutely being a thing people overpay for.
Post reply on HN