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Nulle, I don't know what your life experiences are and if you come fram an aricultural background. I will share with you my experience from an agricultural background and an education in farm and ranch management. My father wanted me to stay on the family farm, which was large enough to sustain at least two families, mine and his. But I knew the strain it could bring to try to new practices on a farm that was his lifes work. I didn't stay because I felt we would both be happier. Many families can't make this connection, and can't face the economics of more than one generation living off of a family farm or ranch. It always provided before; why can't it do so now? Pickups used to cost about $4,000 and now are $40,000. The products produced on the agricultural unit have not inflated in selling price. Many are not that much higher than they were 40 years ago. Instead of telling the next generation you are kicking them out of the nest because there aren't enough worms in the neighborhood for all of you, you take a mortgage on the nest to buy more food. The nest has appreciated, but the products it raises haven't. You will never be able to pay that mortgage. Eventually the farm or ranch goes down in flames; or starts leasing the hunting rights to try to pay the mortgage. A short term measure. It is a very complicated issue. Walk a mile in someone elses shoes before you find fault with them. I have had to bow my head on occasion when I remember that old Indian proverb. My father said he couldn't believe all of the money he was making on interest when he sold the farms and put the money in CDs and other invesnts. He said he felt guilty making all of that money by not doing anything.
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