The Rural Voice, 2001-10, Page 6PARTS & EQUIPMENT - NEW & USED
TAEESWATER
GRO PARTS
R.R. #2. Teeswater, Ontario NOG 2S0
Phone 519-392-6111
Fax 519-392-8099
TRACTORS
Ford 4610 4 WD w/loader (exc.) $24,900.
Case 1175 $10,000.
Belaris 520A 4 WD, w/loader $6,500.
White 1270 4 WD, w/cab & loader
low hours $16,000.
White 1365 w'loader $10,500.
White 1370 4WD, w/loader, new tires
& paint $17,000.
Nuffield 10-60 w/loader $5,500.
JD 2010 rowcrop $2,500.
Duetz DX90 4WD 513.900.
MISCELLANEOUS
Duck Enterprises dump trailer 52.300.
20 fifth wheel trailer 53.000.
Dearborne 1623 combine w/Ford engine 51,200.
Smyth electronic weigh wagon 51.000.
JD 2500 ars 5 furrow plow 51.750.
JD 1350 ars 6 furrow plow 51,000.
WRECKING
Many makes of tractors. combines. swathers.
haybines. harvesters. forage racks. balers 8 Case
IH 8575 big square baler.
JD 6400. 7400. 8200, 8400. all 4WD 8 a Styre 8160.
Wanted tractors & equipment for salvage and resale
SCHMIDT'S
FARM DRAINAGE
1990 LTD.
• FARM DRAINAGE
• EROSION CONTROL
• BACKHOEING &
EXCAVATIONS
Frank Fischer. Harnston
519-338-3484
"We install
drainage tubing."
2 THE RURAL VOICE
Guest Column
Are you a slave to money?
By Katrina Bos
There is a popular song out right
now by the Verve that says: "You're
a slave to the money, then you die."
This really got me thinking.
Some people's thoughts may
immediately turn to poor people who
desperately need
money to feed•
their families.
Some may turn
to "Mr.
Corporate
America" who
forgets about his
family and friends
and turns his life
over to his quest
for career, pres-
tige and millions.
But could this
apply to anyone
in our rural
communities?
certainly think so. A lot of the
big business ideas have insidiously
crept into our family farms. Farms
are bigger than ever and they're only
getting bigger. Most farmers only
talk in six figures these days. But
with all the talk about profit margins
and cash-flow, it is important not to
forget about good -old common sense.
It is a very logical and intellect-
ually sound idea that your profit
margin increases as you increase the
number of cows you milk, pigs you
feed, birds you keep etc. The more
acres you service with your new
combine, the sooner it pays for itself.
There are a lot of great ideas and
theories out there about how to
increase your income at the least
expense. But are they always valid
and applicable? Do they always
consider all the variables that exist in
real life?
As farmers, we have had to deal
with many "experts" who have never
actually sat behind the wheel of a
tractor. Many things make sense on
paper, but for many reasons, they do
not work in real life. Results from
controlled experiments on half -acre
plots may be very interesting but are
completely irrelevant to someone
planting 500 acres. It's easy to say
that expansion would only add one
hour of work to your day — and
The bottom Iine
is more than
the bottom tine
think of the increase in profit! But
this doesn't consider breakdowns,
illness, cleaning -out and. the already
overwhelming demand on our time
during the busy seasons.
This problem is prevalent in
dealings with banks. You must.
always remember they have a huge
vested interest in convincing you that
"It's all about cash-flow". They will
always tell you "It's better to pay
interest than income tax". Following
their advice will probably give your
accountant more to calculate, you
may impress the neighbours and you
will definitely contribute to the
bank's billion -dollar profits that year.
So once you've sharpened your
pencil and decided that your new
enterprise is feasible and does make
financial sense, the next question is
"Can you afford the expenses that are
nor monetary?"
You must always ask yourself
"What do I value most in life?" If
family is at the top, will this change
bring you more quality time with
your family'? If your health is very
important, will this improve your
health and well-being or simply add
more stress and headaches? If envir-
onmental issues like clean drinking
water are important, how will this
deci§ion affect them? If living a
moral and virtuous life is important,
is this change going to increase your
ability to be the kind of person you
strive to be? Or will it rob you of
even more time that you could be
spending helping in the community
or supporting local charities?
At the end of the day, salesmen
and bankers know that they've done a
good job when they've increased the
profits for their company. Measuring
your success is so much more than
that. AII'the money in the world is
useless if you have no time to enjoy
it. And if you aren't healthy and
happy, what's the point?
Don't let the fancy suits and big
dollar signs lull you into complac-
ency. Quality of life is a very
underestimated expense of "Bigger is
Better". And isn't improving your
quality of life truly what you're
working for in the first place?0
Katrina Bos and her husband farm
near Auburn, ON.