The Cost of Country Living: Unpacking a Farm's Daily Expenses
One of the most frequent inquiries directed towards the speaker revolves around the financial realities of operating their farm. While a precise daily figure often remained elusive, a recent deep dive into tax documentation provided a comprehensive answer, one the speaker was eager to share in granular detail.
"Good morning, Toby dog! Good morning, Abby dog! How are my large white Farm dogs doing, huh? How are you guys doing? Yeah, you guys doing okay?" Despite the frigid seven-degree temperature indicated by the mudroom thermometer, the resilient canines appeared unfazed, their thick double coats providing ample insulation. The barn cats, however, remained indoors, their outdoor excursion postponed until later.
A brief training session ensued, a refresher course in "Red Light, Green Light," albeit the non-Squid Game variety. Amusingly, despite her occasional behavioral challenges, Abby proved to be the more adept student compared to the stoic Toby.
The speaker clarified that the impending financial breakdown would not encompass the initial purchase price of the farm or its infrastructure, topics previously addressed in a linked video. Instead, the focus would be on the daily operational expenses, the "burn rate" in venture capital parlance. While the annual cost was known, the surprisingly high daily figure had only recently been calculated.
"All right, you guys, you ready to go greet our Birds? Morning Birds! How's everybody doing in here this morning?" A quick temperature check revealed a relatively balmy eleven degrees inside the coop, a stark contrast to the outside chill, cold enough to freeze goose droppings. Nevertheless, the birds' inherent desire for the outdoors prevailed. "Release the quacken! Come on everybody, let's go!" While initially hesitant, the promise of food soon lured them outside.
The first major expense category was feed, particularly poultry feed. Sustaining the flock of approximately 20 geese, 30 ducks, and 40 chickens cost roughly $15 per day, a figure subject to seasonal fluctuations. The speaker hinted at a future cost-saving strategy in this area but remained tight-lipped on the details. Kitchen scraps were offered as a supplementary treat. A humorous, albeit ethically questionable, hypothetical scenario involving "chicken rugby" and animal gambling was proposed and immediately dismissed as a joke with "significant moral and ethical and legal problems."
The increasingly treacherous, ice-rink-like conditions of the bird yard were noted. Contrary to popular belief, ducks were not particularly graceful on ice. The speaker defended their water disposal method, emphasizing the difficulty of relocating frozen water and the yard's design that facilitated downhill drainage, preventing pooling near the coop. While the birds weren't thrilled with the ice, they tolerated it, and the speaker's spiked footwear provided surprising traction.
"Speaking of goats, good morning, goat Otis's!" The farm's newest additions, three wether goats acquired as "groundskeepers and animal chaos," were introduced. While not directly contributing to the farm's business, their upkeep constituted an expense. The speaker playfully teased the imminent revelation of their feeding costs, only to be interrupted by the goats' opportunistic attempt to steal hay. "Hey, you guys! Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! No, no, no, don't eat the hay! No! Come with me! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Come on guys!"
Before leading them away, the speaker highlighted the goats' even greater struggle with icy conditions compared to the poultry, demonstrating their precarious footing. "Come on, whoa! Easy! Don't jump! Don't jump! You're going to hurt yourself! I know I Ed the metaphor for of a billy goat on ice, but in my experience, goats aren't actually all that good on the ice. Come on, boys, let's go!"
The goats were finally fed their preferred alfalfa pellets and hay. Their preference for the former over the latter was noted. The nearby catnip patch prompted a humorous observation about the potential benefits of goat manure for its potency. Abby's attempts to pilfer the goats' hay were also documented.
A question was posed to the audience regarding winter goat poop management. Unlike the summer months with rotational grazing, the frozen accumulation in their winter yard presented a challenge. Sweeping seemed impractical, and individual "raisinette" collection was deemed absurd given the sheer volume. A friend's warmer climate solution was inapplicable. The speaker's current approach involved a deep litter bedding system using straw, but space limitations and the cost of straw were concerns.
The cost of feeding the goats amounted to approximately $2 per day for alfalfa pellets and $1.43 per day for hay, totaling less than $3.50 daily. However, the bulk of hay expenditure was directed towards the cattle.
The speaker then gestured towards a large hay pile. "This mountain right here, this is where all my hay goes, and it gets spent on these large Fantastic Beasts that you see right here!" Greetings were offered to Joey Rone and Macho Man, the latter appearing "pretty Frosty," a natural state for their shaggy breed, whose thick coats were maintained by their substantial hay consumption. Cattle hay cost approximately $50 per day, equating to roughly one bale daily or seven per week, with the girls consuming more than the boys. Including the goats, the total daily hay cost reached about $52.
A significant cost-saving aspect of the farm was its reliance on well water, eliminating a water bill. The electricity cost for pumping water was estimated to be minimal.
Bedding constituted another significant daily expense. Abby's penchant for using stacked straw bales as a perch was noted. Maintaining animal warmth and hygiene through wood chips, straw, and waste hay averaged about $5 per day during the winter, a figure differing considerably from the summer months.
Electricity costs for lighting, water pumping, and fencing also amounted to approximately $5 per day. Farm maintenance and repairs averaged around $10 per day, or $300 per month. General veterinary supplies and medications added another $3 per day, with miscellaneous expenses contributing an additional $2, often manifesting as numerous small $5 increments.
A substantial daily cost was property taxes, totaling $24.66 per day for the farm in Peacham, Vermont. The speaker clarified that the farm was mortgage-free, making property taxes the primary ongoing ownership expense. Office-related expenses added about $3 per day, and a $5 daily "rainy day fund" addressed unexpected but frequent needs like new water buckets or broken hoses.
The grand total of daily farm operating expenses amounted to a surprising $127, significantly higher than the speaker's initial estimate. This figure prompted a reflection on how different cost breakdowns appeared depending on the analytical perspective, particularly when compared to the farm's income.
An editorial note clarified that a direct comparison between the farm's income and expenses was not straightforward due to the allocation of costs across various animal-related activities. However, a pie chart breakdown revealed that land cost (20%) and hay cost (40%) were the largest expenditures, followed by feed (13%), farm maintenance, and utilities, with smaller percentages allocated to bedding, the rainy day fund, animal care, and veterinary expenses.
The speaker noted that this detailed financial breakdown addressed a frequently asked question. A disclaimer was added regarding the exclusion of dog and cat food due to sponsorships, emphasizing the variability of individual farm expenses. Finally, viewers were directed to previous videos detailing the farm's purchase and setup costs, as well as a video on the history of farmland in America.