As a bit of background, we have a two-generation team with parents who live in an older farm house approaching retirement age but will likely continue to be involved and have their 'own' acres until they can't, and two adult children who farm and will continue to do so.

The real debate is what do to with a 50-year-old house that has had cosmetic updates but is not up to today's standard in terms of size, room size, layout, electrical, plumbing... it's not bad enough to bury it, but not exactly a dream home for a future young family without some extensive renos and additions. It's integral to the farm yard as well, can't really subdivide and sell it.

Does one of the kids move in there and the parents buy or build a retirement house? Do the kids build their dream houses (miles away from the yard due to privacy concerns from spouses) and have the house demolished or rented out once the parents are gone? I never thought that would be a real option but I think I've seen a few people on here say nobody lives at the main yard. Also, when you think of it, in what industry other than farming do people live at the place of work?

 

Our yard is back and to the right of two roadfront houses (my grandparents and great grandparents houses 30-60years ago).

When the great died, hers was sold to a cousin. Then a divorce and two more sales. Then the grands retired and moved to FL, house sold. So neither house is owned by anyone related to farm anymore. Weve been lucky that each owner is amenable to the work and traffic we do back there (on our property, but close).

I live 15mins away, as did my dad when he was the main man. He liked that, I dont. I have plans to build a house in the woods behind the roadfront houses. Weve had small theft in the past, but i mainly just get tired of running up there for every small thing ive forgotten (today, a rare snow day off for me, ordering parts online...guess what, would be handy to just run out to the sprayer and check exactly what i need)

 

We kind of have a similar situation going on. My parents house is older but they have built on some new additions and updated most of it. They are somewhat semi-retired at 70. I live across the yard in a smaller house with wife and 2 kids and brother lives 15 miles away in town. Have been giving some thought as to what we will do with their house when they no longer need it. Is something we will have to discuss with the whole family and figure out what is best. Too nice to sit empty or tear down, but none of us really need it, unless my brother and his family want to move closer to the farm, but think they prefer to live in town. I would always want to be close to the home yard as it would be a PITA to always have to drive out to plug something in or if you forgot something. This is a good discussion, sure there are several people in this situation as well.

 

My brother is at the main yard. My folks at the bin yard 1/2 mile away and I'm 20 miles away. Only 12 as the crow flies though.

95% of the time the commute sucks. The past few weeks it's worked to haul a load of silage from my place each morning so it doesn't feel like wasted time.

With all the theft issues we have here I can't imagine not having someone at the main yard. My house has been broken into, we've had small thefts from the yard and my cousin had his pickup stolen just the other night out of his shop. I could say where 90% of our issues are from but it's not politically correct mind you.

I hate leaving equipment in the field overnight and avoid it at all costs as the fuel tank is definitely going to be empty by morning. One neighbour even sleeps in his truck sleeper by the drill or combine due to all the trouble he's had.

 

Interesting poll Marusko.
Wasn’t sure where I fit but there was a “close enough”.

 

I lived 1.5 miles away from the farm for ten years and it was not good in the long run. It was good when I worked off farm and didn’t need the stress of the farm around me every day but after full time farming and living off farm I’m sure you need to smash or move the old house on the farm yard and build your dream home or a upgrade at least.

 

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Interesting, my main farm has kinda moved? Or I don't really have a main farm anymore.
I live in town and my shop is 3 blocks from my house, brother is also in town 2 blocks from the shop.
Old man is still on what use to be the main farm and I would like to one day invest in the farm by building a house out there and a new shop but easier said than done. Lots of advantages in town like hot food, fuel, and an auto shop in town that we go back and forth with. They do handle oil, and tons of hardware, I cover lots of things they don't but things like filter supplies we can go back and forth on so being in town cuts my overhead and storage in my shop. So many things nice about being in town with the shop.
There is not a lot to be had at my old man's farm but we get use out of it yet. All of our seed storage is out there plus some of our equipment storage. One of our farms we have grain storage on with a drying system we have an empty house we rent out mostly to hunters and dog trainers, just short term stuff.

 

I know that everyone is different but we turned the old farm house into the office and everyone lives off the farm I enjoy working on it but the end of the day I need to get away from it and to be able to relax on a day off I have to not be able to see the farm or else I will always be doing something in the shop or on a tractor

 

The farm is ran by my dad and I. My dad lives on the farm and I'm on the edge of town. We each have our own acres but share labor and I'm starting to buy into some equipment. I chose one of the farming partners but I also could've chose the primary farmer because he has 2/3 and I only have 1/3 of the total acres. There is soft plans where I will be living there in about 5 years.

 

my brother an me are partners in a forage harvesting business. I have 4acres on the edge of town. its the main yard an I live there. brother lives about 3miles away in town.during the season we are out of the yard 90% of the time. Its nice in the off season to walk out to work an home for dinner. off season there are times I don't leave the yard for days. brother will bring out parts an such from town when he comes out. the deere and case/claas dealer have a delivery truck that comes by daily.the company pays property taxes as rent on the 3 1/2 acre yard. I'm 41 brother is 36. he has his place I have mine. no kids in the business .

 

I live across the road from the yard, brother lives down the road.
The old farmhouse in the middle of the yard is used as a store .Sheds are built all round it and the last time i suggested demolishing it my father was alive and he shot that down.
Now iwouldnt like to see it knocked ,my parents reared seven of us in that little house, great memories of growing up living in it.

 

Me and my wife moved into the original house on the farm after we finished college my parents built a new one roughly ten years ago that's 200 yards away but on the other side of a large tree row works very well to help them out my grandpa lives about three miles away bordering all our land we helped each other alot now I'm renting the farm land from each and my parents are focusing on there business in town and grandparents are retiring grandma worked in the bank for 53 years just finished on the first and there gonna keep cows around for a hobby and something to keep busy. All are still involved in the farm they enjoy the farming but have other things going on so they both wanna just help out so far has seemed to be a very nice transition

 

We live in a house where we have title so we can do what we like to the house. It was well built in 1970 but we have done extensive renovations to get it to what it is today.

My parents built a new house in 1989 which could be considered a country manor. Two story job. My workers live there. After my Dad died my mum relinquished the house as they already had one in town and were sometimes commuting to the farm in semi retirement. You can’t rush your parents from shifting out of what they have worked for for their whole lives. Funnily we have had salesman go there to talk to the boss. Our place is our place though.