FORT COLLINS — Colorado is house to about 39,000 farms. However lots of the small household farms have been struggling to make ends meet.
I spent the day with a 5th era farmer in Fort Collins who has been carrying on his household’s legacy. Regardless of challenges.
For James Bennett, farming is a lifestyle.
“And it’s an excellent life-style. To have the ability to get up and watch the dawn. See the sundown. It’s a cool deal,” mentioned Bennett.
A lifestyle that’s deeply rooted within the Bennett household.
“My nice grandad, he herded horses from Wyoming to Kansas Metropolis on horseback when there was open vary. My different grandparents had been in farming ranch. It’s simply essential to proceed that life-style.”
Life on the farm will be peaceable. Nevertheless it’s not a stroll within the park. Bennett has only a few days off.
“I don’t assume lots of people notice what it takes to boost a crop or livestock. It requires 24/7 consideration,” mentioned Bennett.
Farmers pay lots of consideration to their crops, with the hopes of getting a bountiful harvest.
“It might or will not be worthwhile. I don’t assume lots of people notice that lots of the farmers which can be rising their meals might or might not break even on the finish of the 12 months,” mentioned Bennett.
The previous few years have been particularly laborious for farmers.
“It’s actually powerful with inflation proper now. The overhead prices have modified dramatically, but the charges that we obtain once we put our merchandise out actually haven’t modified,” mentioned Bennett.
It isn’t simply the economic system that’s hurting small farms. This lifestyle has been steadily declining. In line with the U.S. Division of Agriculture, the common age of a Colorado farmer is now 59 years previous.
“A whole lot of youthful generations aren’t shifting ahead with the farm, lots of time belongings must be offered off in an effort to maintain the farm operational, lots of instances, strains of credit score are utilized and in the event you can’t make an observation fee, you find yourself refinancing,” mentioned Bennett.
Nonetheless, farmland is effective. And Bennett is not any stranger to receiving gives from out-of-state actual property firms.
“It’s not unusual to obtain gives for 15-20 thousand per acre. We’d a lot somewhat have the water within the floor than the cash,” mentioned Bennett. “The quantity per acre may be very tempting however we’re dedicated to staying on our place and weathering it out.”
Bennett tells me Colorado’s drought has been laborious, however his household has discovered a option to nonetheless produce a good crop.
For Bennett, holding onto his farm, the Bennett Household Farm in Fort Collins is the whole lot to him. Over the previous 30 years, his household misplaced possession of his nice grandparent’s farm and feedlot operation. The Bennett’s additionally misplaced possession of his grandparent’s farm and ranch.
The household nonetheless has Bennett’s guardian’s farm and one small farm in Nebraska that his father has owned for 30 years. Nonetheless, Bennett tells me it’s getting laborious to carry onto their Nebraska farm with out discovering extra earnings.
Nonetheless, the Bennett’s stay optimistic. They care deeply about defending this lifestyle. The lifetime of a farmer.
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