Growing Into Your Farm's Success 

Best channel on RU-vid. The thoughts and examples are very real in today's crazy world of business. I own my on business for 42years and part time farm cattle too, I found out years ago, bigger is not always better. You spoke about something that people never figure out in life and that is quality of life and peace of mind, money is not everything life has to offer. Thank you for down to earth approach of common sense, everyone needs a little does of common sense this day and time.

Good video, the best decision I made as a farmer was to create a side hustle for extra income streams. There's so much dignity and respect to be an independent woman. I spent my 30s working and investing. I'm now 41. It has really helped me and my family financially stable. Saving doesn't bring financial freedom, the right investment does.

Wish Pete had a larger platform to reach more of an audience. This guy has so much knowledge and life experience that needs to be passed on to my generation and younger generations. A plethora of knowledge and I’m thankful for you taking the time to record this.

Hi Pete Thanks for showing us how Peanut was doing we were praying everything would work out love your Channel

I love the day to day videos and the tractor restoration videos, but I really like these interior looks into your thinking and planning.

There’s such a good feeling knowing that you’ve achieved your goals, and being at peace with where you’re at. I loathed performance reviews, because telling your boss that you’re doing what you love, and that you DON'T want his job, we’re a death knell in most large companies. After being downsized at 51 and starting my own handyman business, I came to realize that being forced to do what I enjoyed most, was the best thing for me. We made it work and are now retired comfortably. I have an online business making handmade Cordura products, and refuse to promote the business beyond where it’s at. I just need an enterprise to have something to do in the winter in NE Ohio, and enjoy my outdoor hobbies the rest of the year. Love your channel and always look forward to your Dad humor and your wisdom of years.

"Soft-start" also applies to established farms that are shifting focus a little. I'm operating a small dairy with a corn-silage-based ration fed in the feed bunk. Any nutrition the cows get from pasture has been incidental. I have not been aggressively rotating pastures and pushing high consumption of grass during the growing season. I've been wanting to begin aggressive rotation of my pasture fields, and reduce the amount of feed that I need to purchase. I've been daunted by the thought of building a mile and a half of all-weather cow lanes, including elevating and crowning the lane base, adding drainage, running water lines, building fences beside the lanes, hard-surfacing the lanes with gravel, stringing electric fences everywhere, etc. Beyond the lanes, I would need to terminate my fescue pastures and plant improved specie mixes, plant winter and summer annuals over a portion of the acreage, and correct a number of erosion problems in the fields. The list feels overwhelming. I'm realizing the importance of a "soft-start." Right now, I'm focusing on just getting the basic cow lane fencing in place so I can try intensive rotational grazing this spring and summer. I'll worry about adding the "all-weather" aspects of the cow-lanes later. I'll graze fescue for now, and consider planting something better next year.

Just a few acres, my wife and I started our small farm two years ago. My entire family enjoys the videos you generate they carry the right balance between information and entertainment. Two things we really commend you on is sticking to the intent of your channel. Many content creators have lost their way in my opinion and over the last two year started to steer their content to attract more clicks based on political ideology. The other thing I like about your content is no product placement or paid promotional stuff. So many of my favorite channels have turned into infomercials and I no longer watch them. Thank you for creating quality content that is enjoyable and informative.

I think your business plan should also include the great work you do on the internet as a content provider with a world wide group of customers

Hi Pete, I’m hoping to start a farm of my own in the coming years and these videos inspire me so much!!

Well done - you were an overnight success in 9 years! Some of us do not realize how slowly the increases progress and how tough it can be getting started. Keep up the good work!

When you talked about planning, I was reminded of a great adage: "Plans are useless, but planning is everything."

Since you brought it up… Can we discuss efficiency? Especially farm layout, equipment choices, livestock housing, range/field operation, effective butchering, and ultimately sales/marketing. I LOVE the insight. We too come from a business background and have early retired to a property just begging to be rejuvenated into the small farm it was just over a decade ago. I see your discussions and it just reawakens the day-to-day challenges I absolutely miss having been a business owner. Someone today in the comments called you a mentor - I’m 61 and feel exactly the same. Your style of sharing/instructing is so down to earth. My wife and I love ever every video you and your wife produce - thank you both so much!

As a retired businessman, you are spot on Pete! God bless you and family! You have found what few do, CONTENTMENT!

Pete you would make a fantastic agriculture instructor

It’s so good to hear someone speak of using common sense in doing things. I’m 79 and given the things happening in the world, It sometimes looks like society has taken leave of common sense. The quality of life your animals live is a testament to raising good, healthy food humanly and environmentally, and earning a living and enjoying your life and being happy in what you’re doing!

thanks for the peanut update. i wish you had been around 25 years ago when we were trying to get our farm off the ground. YOU'RE absolutely right about keeping your farm in customer's minds thru out the winter. also i hadn't thought about the colored eggs, but it makes loads of sense. anything that sets you apart from the crowd. ahain thanks for all the videos and advice.

Hi Pete. Hope the weather turns up for you.

Yep. You got to be motivated and STAY FOCUSED! Roll with the ever-changing situations… and a good partner helps does’nt it Pete! Hillary is invaluable to your farm operation and of course your lives! Great informative video!

Enjoy hearing your thoughts and insights! Found your channel because of looking for information on my '41H. Stayed for the information!

First I agree with Janet. Years ago our company was concerned about customer satisfaction. I see you Pete have taken that a big and important step beyond to building customer loyalty. Best wishes going forward. OleDave

Happiness is contagious, your thoughtful and deliberate dialogue on how you have attained the ever-changing goals of your farm is informative and delightful. Your happiness equates to your viewers happiness as well.

These vids are giving me less anxiety. I just bought an 11 acre farm and thanks to you I'm getting good direction. Thank you.

So glad Peanut is doing better!

I'm glad your dialed in and on top of your game! I'm real happy for you! GOD Bless you and yours!

Great video Pete. The idea of being a farmer is a hot topic right now. Big dreams of hitting it big. Like a gold mine!!! You have explained it very well what is really like. Not all sugar. Well explained Pete. I really like the info on customer direct interest in your product compared to your competition. Colored eggs and Dexter beef. This should be mandatory for all new farmers to see. thanks

Thank you. Beautifully said. Encouragement on building a meaningful life. You have beautiful, well raised animals.

Peanut is just too cute for words. Glad she doing well!

I feel it here too Pete ! Just getting into spring and then winter says 'Im back' !

Pete, you have quite a team of people who make you're farm go, Hillary is one hell of a great work partner, and then you have you're dad who helps you, and then you work with tractors that haven't costed you an arm and a leg, you love what you are doing, that must help, I'm no farmer, but I love watching you do what you do so well, and then you make great videos to help someone like me know what you're doing. Keep up the good work.

Love this video Pete! Very informative, and appropriate for me right now!

Great insight and wisdom from a husband and wife who made it happen. God Bless, Daryl

I think what makes Pete’s farming a success is the knowledge Pete possess. You $ave thousands of dollars on tractor repairs and restoration. People also need to factor in the machinery needed for farming…

Pete go back I was listening while enjoying watching tge cows eat ... Aaahh!!! satisfaction ... call me weird ... remember to stay safe and stay blessed

Pete...!! Every single video you produce is a riveting TED talk. Just another side hustle for you to consider. Live in Burlington, Ontario and look forward to every episode. Thank-you.

Oh zee weez more snow Pete. Pigs are so sweet. Love learning from you. God bless ❤

Pete, I have tremendous respect for your work ethic, intelligence and thoughtfulness. This was a fantastically informative episode. Well done.

Thanks for all the advice Pete! I look forward to all your videos. I have an upcoming opportunity to buy 60 acres, probably this year. It's been a small farm in the past, and my plan is to restore the place to its former vitality. I'm learning so much from you. By the way, I just bought your book...can't wait to read it!

Masterful job today, Pete! As a teacher,it is very gratifying to me to see you chop it up into bits and " bytes", interspersing the serious with the silly, but always getting it to the irreducible minimum. I get to glean and underscore a lot of things I've been seeing for myself in this small farm odyssey that started at the feet of a grandfather like yours who farmed with IH tractors, yet I also get to hear the dialogue your greatest fans carry on with you! They respond in a first name basis and howl with mirth at your terrible Dad jokes or dialogue today with a pig. BUT, bottom line, they are picking it up in intangible ways that would never be recorded on an IEP. Today we watched the video after lunch and then headed out to the farm we work on with raised beds, laying hens and 8 South Poll steers. They proceeded to just gently intermingle themselves among those 600 lb steers, rubbing heads and reminding each other in whispers to go slow and be gentle. These are the same guys who last August were terrified of a chicken... You and Hilary have had a part in that and I'm very appreciative of the time you put in. It is reaping benefits into years none of us will ever see. Blessings to you both!

Sorry Pete for not giving you a thumbs up on everything I see on your channel. It is not because I do not want to but it’s that I stream everything and the provider does not give me the ability to comment one way or another. I will try harder next time because your videos are very informative! You are a great teach, keep it up! We need you educating us even though we know farming of any kind is not easy! We pray for God’s perfect Will, Health, and His Prosperity for you and your family!! Thanks again!

Pete you are truly a wonderful, intelligent person. Sharing your experience is a blessing to others❤️

Pete, you are a great teacher and mentor. I appreciate you sharing your history as my wife and I are on a similar trajectory as you and Hillary. Keep up the good work and knowledge transfer.

Fantastic video Pete, unfortunately I’m too old to start a small farm but your philosophy should be a perfect model for anyone young enough to take advantage of your advice.

Pete, another fantastic video! As a sophomore in business school in DC, I love these types of videos because they show the real world examples of things that I have learned about in class. It is clear that you have extensive “local knowledge” and knowledge of your customer base which has enabled you to gain a competitive advantage over your competitors. I’m already looking forward to your next video!

Love your videos...have a small farm also ( also with old, but well maintained equipment)...but have you ever thought about writing children's books...about your farm? You have such a lovely sense of humor...

I know this video is almost a couple weeks old, but I greatly appreciate these type of videos when you do them. I watch most of what you put out, but these are particularly educational for me. My wife and I moved our family out to 20 acres in mid 2020. Though our intent was mostly to get away from the city and madness, we began raising some livestock. It has grown into a decent supplemental income and may end up being more. Anyway, thanks for these!

Good to see Peanut is doing better. You make some real good points on starting a business while growing and managing it through changes. Thanks, have a good night.

It's great you had enough business background to know the difference between growth and success. Expanding to the ragged edge where you can't take care of your well being is not talked about enough. It's not just a numbers game. You've got a life to live!

Thanks Pete for your thoughts. Hope Spring comes soon there!

Thanks Mr Pete this is such great information on starting a small farm business. I'm in my first year of raising cows on a bartered lease farm. Keeping the ratio of cows to my grass has been working out well. Not getting to big is great advice and thankfully we don't need much. The yearly break down is very helpful and give us an idea of what to shoot for and how many years it may take us to make a profit. Thank and blessings

REALLY PETE!!! Pigs in a blanket! Now thats FUNNY!🤣🤣🤣

I had no idea there was a poultry exemption until I watched this. Thank you!

💥 awesome bit of knowledge you’ve just passed along to all of us !

Love that you keep things down to earth and candid.

Congratulations Pete!! Hustle on and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

HI there again Pete from NZ. My first goal was to grow my own vegetables, fruit, nuts and meat. But, your experience and business model show what and how to do it. I see that making a small business with poultry and eggs is a good starting point. Thank you so much for sharing your true life experiences in a dimple down to earth way!

You are so easy to listen to. You explain everything so well. I am always intrigued in your topics. Thank you

I own a general contracting company in Hawaii. And these tips go quite well with my business also. Mahalo for your insight. 😎🤙

"Growth is not always great". Truer words never spoken. So many successful small businesses fall into the trap of "if I get bigger I'll make exponentially more money." It rarely works out that way. Many end up over extending themselves and lose their business altogether--------a business when smaller was successful! I have personally seen this more than a few times in my 70 years.

Pete, this is one of the best videos you have done - for me it's the best because of the message in it on planning & thinking about where I want to take my farm from here - thanks.

Glad to see calf is doing better

Pete like I said before you truly inspire me and I really look up to you and what you do. I have been wanting to farm ever since I could remember and that opportunity I think is finally going to happen soon! Thanks for everything you do and all of your personal experiences of your own farm! I truly appreciate it and I thank you for it! Just keep doing you Pete cause we all love you for it!

Congratulations on hitting the sweet spot! Very insightful and inspiring to those of us who are still working it up. Thanks, Pete.

So Inspiring, keep up the good work and life Pete.

Thank You Pete! I’m in the growth, building time in my business. I’m trying to find that sweet spot of max profit, quality of life, and sustainable output at the size I want to be at. Growth is not always good and it doesn’t always mean more profit. Especially in a labor intensive business. I have a trusty 656 also. Love that tractor.

Who needs TED Talks when we have Pete of "Just A Few Acres Farm". Nuff said!

Thank you for taking the time to explain and enlightening to us on the ins and outs to your farm life!!!

good video I think your advice applies not only to farming but even to a small business owner like myself knowing where you are and where you want to be ......good advice

Wow it sure is nice seeing “Peanut” looking so good…. I think she is a keeper for sure as a replacement heifer for the farm !!! Keep the awesome videos coming as I look forward to each and every one !!!

When I started my company I was told what you have said. Main thing was I needed cash to sustain it for 3 years before break even I was told. Did not happen that way by the end of year one I had profit to expand more and to pay all family expense. By year 3 I had created a retirement plan and 10 years later I had something I did not expect. I retired at 68 from the company as I did not want to die working. Be careful how you progress or you will wake up one day and say "Life is over and all I have is a profitable enterprise for my children to enjoy". Once running well step back and sit on the porch and pet the cat before the cat is gone and you can not walk to the porch.

I like how you got to a point you're happy with and can just sit back and enjoy it. that's secretly what I think a lot of people wish they did instead of getting in over their head. thanks for another great video Pete I look forward to following your videos through spring since this will be my first spring watching the channel

Fantastic advice! I really enjoyed listening to your business overview of farm life - a lot of the advice shared is applicable for those of us who are not fortunate enough to have farms - this video was so well-structured and cogent and contained lessons I will not soon forget.

Love these videos I farmed for a number of years but after 17 surgeries just can't anymore harf physical work but work that makes u feel good.

Hi Pete over the pond in the uk 50+ and just starting up similar little farm to you. I'm binge watching your channel and picking up loads of information. Thanks bud grate info for us all. Martin. 👨‍🌾🐂🐑🚜🏡

Another very informative vlog Pete. GBY BOTH ALWAYS 🙏❤️💙🤗✝️

Yay Peanut!! You're right, she is pretty cute, for a cow 😆 Love them piggies 💙💛

Good evening, you too are very talented and smart in my books. Keep up the great work

Awesome advice! Thanks Pete! God bless! Hugs🤗💜 So glad that Peanut is better! Such good news!

I’m sorry for not commenting more on your well thought out shows. Today I felt even more informed. Thank You & good luck to you both moving forward 🦃🐖🐄🐓🦚 & I had a good chuckle on your comment on 5yr planning teehee 🤭

Loved the video! You have always inspired me, do what I love. It is a bit hard building it slowly and I find many people don’t understand that, but I keep paddling along.

Thanks, Pete! We appreciate your wisdom and experience.

We got snow fall as well and April seems rather coldish for now at least. The hardest thing is getting Land these day's and for me it was not even that. I had no decent far equipment. The old things I had where too broke and where just worth scrap value. I had no tractor and that was the first thing get a tractor. Easy said then done cause even the used ones where kind of too expensive for there age and wear. I tried to look for smaller tractors like you folks in the states have the Farmall A and C and some equivalent to them. But I found soon out that the smaller tractors costed much more then a larger one. So I ended up with a Belarus tractor that is parts wise more common where I live. But lot of them are now self propelling antics, however the wear and condition is very dependent on what kind of maintenance did it get. Once I got one tractor, a few years later I got another one and then also slowly I got decent equipment to be self sustainable. You can farm even with antic machines but you must be prepared to have your own stuck of parts and be ready to do most of the work yourself. Just my 5 cents of life experience here.

Little peanut and her visitors are too cute. So glad she's improving

Glad you are feeling comfortable enough to take the good off the gas a little and relax. Can't wait to see where you're going to direct your efforts next!

Amazing video !! All I have to say. Thank you for defending our way of life. (Small farming)

Thanks Pete for your wisdom. You are a great teacher!

Great video, many thanks for taking your time to share your experiences with us.

Thanks Pete always a great video

Great information! Thank you!👍

Love your insight. I’m going to start a small farm soon. And I learn so much from your program. I got turned on to you from my father. I can’t wait to put knowledge to plow.

I really enjoyed the video and I definitely always love how you just say it the way it really is no sugar coating no bull I think it's just great

Fantastic!!! Thank you for this video. Certainly agree with you one thousand % on handling the quality of life 👍

Thank You Pete ! GOD BLESS !!!

Love your channel and the information you share. Thanks Pete!

I always enjoy your videos. I learn something with every one of them.

I just love how you are with your animals , because yes they are for consumption but you give them the utmost care and love before the dreaded day x

Pete, your wonderful words of wisdom are valuable for most enterprises. Thank you for sharing and caring...

It's always so awesome to hear from a happy person. I love every video, even the wrenching.

This is one of your best videos. Thanks. 😷

This is a fantastic video. Anyone considering trying to start a farm that can sustain itself from a financial standpoint should be required to view this video. Your words are so true. You have truly “walked the walk”. Thank you Professor!