All Alaska'd Out

[arcticow]

Don't know if this post can go here, but I'll take a shot. Winters are gettin' too tough for my wimpy rear. Just wondering if there is still any work on dairies or feed lots in the high plains? I know things are tough all over, but I'm seriously thinking of going south. thanks!

[texican]

Ain't too much difference between the dairy region (Matanuska) of Alaska and the High Plains... The Matsu might actually be milder than the High Plains.

Not being from there, I can't give first hand knowledge, but I have worked dairies... and I doubt if they're paying anymore now than they were ten years ago. And, most dairies are struggling to survive... with expenses costing more than milk, quite a few are going to go under, and the cows will visit hamburger land.

[longshadowfarms]

I'll trade. We're coming to the Matsu area of Alaska in about a month. NY has a lot of dairies. Not many of them are the small family operations that take care of their hired hands with a house and what not. They're all factories except for the Mennonite farms that bake their own help.

[wyld thang]

you might just have more job security up there in AK too, since transportation costs should go up again. just read an article "they" are going to do some serious herd culling, the price of milk is in the toilet.

[PhilJohnson]

I work in a creamery. Farmers are quitting all the time and the banks are reluctant to loan out money to farmers or new wannabe farmers. Most of the farm jobs around here went to illegal immigrants and the ones that are left pay between 8-10 bucks an hour in Wisconsin. Not sure how it is in the High Plains but I can't imagine it would be any better.

[Oggie]

If the going gets tough: quit.

It's kind of becoming an Alaskan tradition.

[Wolf mom]

Oh, Oggie..........shame!

[arcticow]

I ain't from here. I spent my first 40 plus years in TEXAS, cracked up from winters a couple years ago. thanks.

[ErinP]

Originally Posted by arcticow

Just wondering if there is still any work on dairies or feed lots in the high plains?

Yep.

Here are a few of the resources I use when job hunting:

Hansen's AgriPlacement
The Fence Post
Midwest Messenger
High Plains Journal

Good luck.

Originally Posted by arcticow

I ain't from here. I spent my first 40 plus years in TEXAS, cracked up from winters a couple years ago. thanks.

I'm as far north as I'll ever live. About 7 miles north of Interstate 10. The heat is uncomfortable, but the cold hurts.

[TedH71]

I'm from Texas myself but admit I like the cold weather when it comes to KS. Might even consider moving to Alaska....am tired of the constant heat.

[ErinP]

Kansas winters are cold?!?!

We moved to northern Kansas from North Dakota. I always tell people we live down here in the balmy tropics.

[TedH71]

Remember I grew up in Texas...went to upstate NY. Now that's cold...too depressing due to Great Lakes snow effect....cold weather is perfect or so in KS....

[KIT.S]

Oh, hey, Matsu may be in the "balmy" area of Alaska, but it's still COLD! Lived in/near Homer for 25 years, raised kids there, it's a great place, but I figured I could move south to Oregon, still be poor, and be WARM!! I finally acclimatized a year ago and bought a coat to use in the winter, after 15 years of being down here!

My "cold" story is that we once watched 4th of July fireworks (in the 10 pm daylight) and it snowed on us!

Alaska is wonderful in many ways, but the weather isn't one of them!

Kit
Oregon

[salmonslayer]

If the going gets tough: quit.

It's kind of becoming an Alaskan tradition.

May your dreams be filled with visions of overflowing litter boxes

[Jeff54321]

Ever since "quitting" caught on in Alaska I hear that things are improving.

[fantasymaker]

Not sure about the High plains But I delivered some equipment recently to a dairy farm south Of Phoenix AZ . The guy asked me if I wanted to see the second largest milking parlor in the country.
I said yes and he took me across the farm to a 148 stanktion milking parlor . I was impressed but wondered out loud what the biggest one was like.
He took me acroos the ally and showed it to me! (150 stanktions)

I think he said there where 30,000 cows on the farm and the milked 20,000 cows three times a day.
Definitly a few jobs there.

[Pouncer]

Articow, consider yourself a true Sourdough!

(For the nonAlaskans-that means, Sour on the country, no Dough to leave, lol!)

[buffalocreek]

There's a feedlot near Ainsworth, NE that's always advertising for help. I've also seen recent ads for farm and ranch workers in NE & SD, some offering onsite housing.