As a farmer’s daughter—and now a farmer’s wife—I’ve watched my heroes struggle.
I’ve seen my dad wrestle with rising seed prices, the unpredictability of corn markets, and equipment breaking down at the worst possible times.
And more recently, I’ve watched my sweet husband face some of the hardest challenges we’ve ever known—more equipment failures than we can count, losing leased land to developers, and the crushing weight of rising costs on his shoulders.
Yet when I’m in town, I hear the murmurs:
“Why is produce so expensive these days?”
“Why does meat cost so much?”
“Farmers must be taking advantage of people.”
I want to stop and say, If you only knew.
If you knew the cost to produce that food.
If you knew the heart it takes to feed your family and your community—while fighting just to keep the life of a farmer alive.
Just five years ago, you could lease pasture land for around $500. Today? You’ll pay over $1,500—if the land hasn’t already been sold to a developer to build 104 townhomes.
Yes, you read that right.
We recently lost the lease on 10 acres where we kept 15 cows. A developer came in, offered more than any farmer could afford, and now the bulldozers are clearing the land. Soon, where those cows once grazed, there will be streets and sidewalks.
It’s not the first time this has happened—and it won’t be the last.
And since everyone likes to ask about beef prices, let’s break down the real cost of hamburger:
▶ A 1,000-pound cow these days brings about $2,000 to $2,500 at the sale (and that’s on the cheap end).
▶ Then there’s the processing fee—about $125.
▶ You only get about 60% of the cow back as meat. That’s roughly 600 pounds, and you’ll pay around $1 per pound of hanging weight—that’s another $600.
So let’s do the math:
• $2,250 (average cow price)
• $125 (processing fee)
• $600 (hanging weight fee)
= $2,975 for about 600 pounds of meat.
That works out to less than $5 per pound—before you factor in the daily costs of raising that animal.
Things like:
• Feed
• Hay
• Fly spray
• Vaccines
• Vet bills (which can start at $100 just for the farm visit, before any treatment even happens)
• The cost of land or pasture rent
So if a farmer sells that beef for $6–$7 per pound, they’re only making about $1–$2 per pound to cover all those costs.
Now, ask yourself honestly—if you had a job where you were barely breaking even, would you keep doing it? Most wouldn’t.
But here we are—because for farmers, it’s more than just a job. It’s a way of life.
Young farmers are trying to make it—but it’s hard.
Hard to find land to rent.
Even harder to afford land to buy.
A piece of property that sold for $200,000 just eight years ago now sells for $500,000—sometimes closer to $800,000—because of city growth.
I know this is happening everywhere.
I know it’s inevitable.
But it still hurts.
So, the next time you question why vegetables, meat, and homegrown goods are “so expensive,” remember this:
Farmers are doing everything they can just to break even—to keep the lights on, to keep the tractors running—while making sure you still have food on your table.
And honestly? You wouldn’t do the work, sacrifice the time away from your family, or carry the stress that they do.
And the next time you see a tractor on the road, instead of speeding by or laying on your horn…
Slow down.
Wave.
Enjoy the view.
Because farmers—those proud, hardworking souls—are becoming harder and harder to find.
The Farm Wife Sagas 