My farming days are quickly coming to an end..........a couple pics.

Quads,
I only know you from your postings on this site.
But I have a lot of respect and appreciation for your input, character, humour and ethics.
If I can gleen that from your comments and pictures, you must have a collection of family and friends who appreciate and love you so much more.
Praying for the silver lining,
Larry

So sorry to hear about your cousin.
As for those first cousins they should
be ashamed of themselves for not
helping you. All I can say about that
is: Karma is a biatch.
Good on you for taking
care of the animals without any expectations
and again I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

Edited my post after reading a little more of the thread.

Quads,

Take this for what it is worth but get a GOOD estate lawyer.(Maybe you can trade him some wood and that old ugly spitting maul for his time) :lol: I really feel sorry for what I know you have and will be going thru.

Gary

I had thought about the lawyer direction myself.

The downside is the expense, balanced against what you really want to gain, which may not be anything material anyway.

Of course, if you were to collate evidence like the note from "a cousin thanking you for looking after the livestock for them", you might end up having a little fun with some people who might let their greed get the better of them........

Things often have a habit of working out long term anyway, any greedy cousins will have plenty to squabble over amongst themselves.

Me, I'd ensure the livestock were taken care of.

Then retire out of it peacefully.

After setting up the greediest ones up against each other........ ;-)

The cattle buyer is supposed to come and look at the herd today. So it shouldn't be long now. I wouldn't hire a lawyer, I don't want anything from the old farm. I don't own much myself, but what I do have was worked for and paid for and it's all I need. Of course, the cousins that want the most are also the ones that already have the most. HAHA! Funny how that works......gives me a good chuckle anyway. Greed is a strange thing and it drives them crazy knowing that I cannot be swayed by promises of money and possessions like they are. I'm tired, time to get out of farming for me anyway. Maybe I will get a calf and just keep it for a pet..........

Quads, sounds like there must be an executor. The cattle purchase is happening quickly. If this was an intestate (without a will) situation, its moving pretty fast. Who gets them money from the sale of the cows?

I was thinking that Quads. Get a few cows for some milk anyway. Can always give milk away. Some around here have just a few milkers and worth it to them. My family went through the same thing when grandpa died. My aunt wanted the farm so bad he gave it to her to shut her up. Five years late gone in divorce. Other aunt got the other house. Gone in 6 years. Dad and his brother got 55 ac. with 1/2 mi. river frontage in Shawano co. They split it up and we all still have the land. We camp on it quite often and think of grandpa. Again, the greedy ones lost it. I would post pics if I knew how on a Macbook.

It's really nice to have some land that you can go to with your family and think of your Grandpa

As to:

Don't worry, we all know what greedy people look like....... ;-)

Sorry for the loss of the cousin, and maybe the way of life for you as well. It's good to see that you're not willing to also lose your soul in the process. These things bring out the worst in families.

quads, Really sorry to hear this. 62 is way to young. Take care and good luck with the outcome.

The lady that I had never met before, one of the first cousins from his mom's side, went to the courthouse first thing the morning after he died and had herself declared in charge of the estate (trustee maybe? I don't know exactly how it works, but as of yet there is no will found). The cattle purchase has to happen quickly because nobody is paying me to milk the cows right now and the longer they keep them the more feed that has to be purchased etc. I assume that when the cows are sold, that money will be put into an account and used to pay me (my pay isn't much and I'm not really worried about it anyway) and used to pay the taxes, bills, etc.

It's a shame that the sadness of your loss, and the possibilities of legal wranglings, are overshadowing what was on the first page one of the best pictures I have ever seen involving cows.

Might be worth turning up at the courthouse with your camera when all the cousins turn up with their claims.

I can envisage the perfect picture of greed, avarice, and misery all encapsulated in a few faces if it turns out the farm was mortgaged and nobody knew............ ;-)

Quads is one of those classy, under-stated guys -- a man of character . . . one of those members that I would love to meet in person one day since you can tell from his posts about the character of this man . . . and in my book he is truly one of those guys to be respected and appreciated.

Sorry to here that Quads! The pictures are beautiful and would be a treasure for anyone to have as a memory. You are truly a blessed man despite life's little roadblocks.

Pete

Quads, just came across and read your thread. Thank you for sharing those beatiful pictures. Please don't let all the havoc and fighting get in the way of your grieving. So sorry about your loss. Your cousin should be remembered and sounds like you were the closest to him. I do hope the cows get sold quickly so you can go on with your retirement and life. You should rest assured that your hearth.com family wishes the best outcome to you and the farm.

The good times are not gone or forgotten, only burned on your hard drive my friend. You keep the good with you always. Good luck.

Thank you all so very much! You guys are great.

My family got out of farming before I came along. I always wished I could have inherited a farm...Barns are among my fav things to shoot photos of. I'm crossing my fingers that the farm stays a farm!

Quads sorry for your loss.

good luck with the settlement of the estate.

you might want to get down in writing of an easment or write of way for you to access your woodland.

I know that's always an Hot topic on Tractorbynet.

and if the farm gets sold you could loose your fast and quick access path.

just an thought for you.

sublime out.

Quads:

I would like to say thank you for your dedication to the Dairy industry. Every time I read one of these posts, it reminds me yet again why it is that I keep hanging on with farming and why it is that my main goal is to pass the farm on to the next generation. Those cows are a way of life that cannot be replicated, and it really is a sad day when they have to go down the road. My hat is off to you sir, may you always have the fond memories of your time spent taking care of the herd. Rest assured I will do everything I can to keep the tradition alive and well, for you and others that have spent their life time before me nurturing this way of life we can be proud of.

Sincerely
another SE MN Dairyman

Thank you and welcome to the forum! I'm honored that you chose me as your first post! HA! I miss the cows, and even now, over a week after they have gone, I still catch myself looking out in the pasture for them. But all things change and this is just one of those changes, like it or not.

Hey quads, change is about the only constant there is! Make the most of it!

Indeed Dennis! Indeed!

Its funny, being a city boy (originally from Queens NY) I never thought a dairy farmer would become attached to their cows. I assumed they were viewed like edible farm animals and just were not emotionally valued. I would probably get some what attached, but I guess I thought they were too much of a pain to maintain and the farmers exploited them for all they were worth.
Thanks for opening my eyes.

It's kind of hard to explain, but when you live your work, your work lives through you. sorry but that is about the best I can explain it. Most times when you talk to any dairyman he/she will say it IS their life, and when something like this comes along, that forces them to quit (health reasons, death, financial) they are not quitting because they want to, but because they have to. the heart is there, but they cannot continue for those reasons.