America's oldest family farm for sale
 

I have a feeling one of his kids or grandkids will really regret this sale.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/30...ex.html?hpt=C2

Me too.

It's true..like they said..You need to live your life as your life not just because of family history. Sad..but true.. I suppose.

Wow-I opened this up expecting to see something out west, not in my old stomping ground of NH. I was even more surprised to personally know the farm, having been there during my time at the University of NH.

I feel bad that it won't be in the family, but they need to make that decision for themselves. I am so grateful to them that they are going to make sure that it will continue to be farmland. It would be such a shame to have the land end up as housing/development. It is absolutely a gift that they are giving to us, as they will get less money for farmland.

Peace-Cathryn

I would like to have a few words with his sons.
My best friend will be facing this same situation when her parents pass on. I hope they come to a better solution.

Why doesn't he ask his sons instead of assuming they don't want it? Maybe that $35k per acre that allows him a mouth full of tea keeps him from finding the right words.

And that whole "legacy we didn't ask for" stuff? Phooey. I would *love* a legacy like that. He is very cavalier considering what he will be putting in the bank.

It sounded like his 2 youngest sons weren't old enough to make a decision yet which is why I figured he may be jumping the gun a bit. It's possible one of them may want it down the road or definitely one of his grandkids. The desire to farm frequently skips a generation.

Tuttle sounds like he is selling out for the right price and giving lame excuses to back up his decision. I bet there will be a lot of family turmoil over this.

While I agree that they'll regret it later on...he sounds to me like he's not able to do the work anymore. I wonder if there's more to his health problems than the article says...A ruptured achilles is not easy to recover from, and "back problems"...If he's ruptured disks in his neck or lower back..being in pain like that is NOT something I'd wish on my worst enemy.

Sounds a LOT like our 65year old neighbor farmer. 11 kids. Only 2 were helping on the farm, and then only part time, and only because it was "what we do for dad". The other 9 all had their own lives in town, or in another county.

Wife died...he just didn't want to do everything anymore...said he wanted to sell. "Just bone weary", he told me. In this case, 2 of the boys went in together(with financial help from a 3rd) and bought the farm from Dad.

BUT out of 11 kids...only 2 farm. A couple of the others have said "grew up on the farm, hated all the work" or "my wife won't live on a farm". :shrug:

At least they set up a conservancy, so it stays as a farm. Sounds like he asked the 2 adult kids and they don't want the farm. Perhaps, when it comes right down to the sale, the kids will change their minds...it's happened before.

Sounds like the old man realizes that the weight of anscestoral BS associated with the 160 acres contributed to his health issues and intends to spare his kids the same end.

It is his, to do with what he wants, no one elses.

Cut him some slack.

Before anyone flames me, I was the youngest son on a family farm, the only one who was interested. My older (not the eldest) brother bought the farm from my mom after my dad died (I had no input). Since then it has been sold.

It is not on my conscience, and I am still welcome at family events (100+ cousins on paternal Gandparents side). Can't say the same for my brother tho.....

When my DH's parents passed away, the Farm passed to the three brother's.
I won't get into the ah... family issues. But in the end they decided to just rent it out.
If this farmer doesn't need the money, possibly renting his farm might work? If his children are not interested in the farm, one or two of the grand kids might.

Do wish him the best though. Is not an easy choice.

Farming's a hard life, and I can't blame anyone for deciding they've had enough.

I wonder if they'd adopt me.

It has been in the family since 1635? Incredible.

I can easily imagine not being able to keep up with the work of a 135 acre farm.

I wouldn't want to be the one to sell out after 11 generations, but where's the rest of this 11 generation family?

It sounds like they have no other options and protecting the entire Farm as they are doing, selling it to be used as a Farm only? Sounds like the right decision for them. I don't doubt there will be regret. But, then, if faced with the same situation? What would anyone else do? This wasn't their dream, but their way of life. It is sad, nonetheless.

That's terribly sad. In the guy's defense though, most farmers are pushing their kids to get out of the farming business. They have watched the industry change over the years and they know there is no money to be made unless you're one of the big guys. My parents wouldn't let any of us even consider it and they sure won't let the grandkids do it.

Since some people are able to make a good living on a farm that size I don't see why they can't pass it on. I don't see how anyone could make it pay at the price they want for it though. Paying off a $3 million mortgage will be hard to do with a farm they say they are losing money on now.

Not judging one way or the other. It is theirs to do with as they see fit.

I do think it is a bit ironic though, that he left the farm as a young man, but it was still there when he decided he wanted to work it.

That is one back-up plan his sons will not have...despite it having been there for all the ancestors over the past nearly 400 years.

I sure hope the land can stay somewhat intact as a farm, just for historic/sentimental reasons.

Tim

But does the operation have to be so big? I must be naive, but why not scale back with the fancy food store and the other bells and whistles and just stick with working the land? Or lease parts of it out. I don't believe for a second there aren't those in the community willing to work the land for a piece of what is produced. Isn't that was a CSA is all about?

Keep in mind farmers don't have an employer sponsored health plan and a 401K. If he has health issues it's costing him a fortune. My parent's health insurance runs about 20K per year. And that's just basic insurance with a sky-high deductible. That doesn't even begin to cover drugs or office visits. There are a lot of other things involved in operating a farm that you're not taking into consideration. It's more complicated than you're making it out to be.

Then they need to dump the insurance and put $20,000 a year into a savings account where it will actually do something for them.

Did you even listen to the whole clip? They said that none of their descendents wanted to continue the family farming/business. He also said that they had conservation restrictions placed on the land so that it CANNOT be developed but MUST remain farmland no matter how many times it is sold. They are selling but not for the 35K @ acre that the developers would pay. They are selling it as farmland and it must remain farmland.

No they said the ones old enough to decide didn't want to but they have younger kids too. And that they are actively discouraging them.

It's not a farm with simple field crops, it's a produce farm. Tuttle wasn't lying when he said that it's a 12 to 17 hour per day affair. I can also see why there's no buyers yet. Asking price is $3,350,000 which figures out to $25,000 per acre. One would have to grow an awful lot of vegetables to justify those figures.

Martin