Blog > The 70's & 80's, I asked an old timer
I asked an old timer the other day how he’d compare land prices and farming hardships today to the 70s and 80s.
He didn’t answer right away. Just smiled, shook his head, and said, “Well, land is higher now, but back then the worry felt heavier.”
He told me land prices in the 70s and early 80s felt expensive for their time, especially when interest rates climbed into territory that makes today’s numbers look friendly. Buying ground meant betting everything you had on a crop you hadn’t planted yet, with equipment that broke often and margins that stayed thin. You didn’t talk about stress much, but everyone felt it.
Farming then wasn’t about spreadsheets and software. It was about grit. Long days, sore backs, and learning the sound of an engine well enough to know when something wasn’t right. If prices dropped, you tightened your belt. If the weather turned, you prayed. If both went wrong, you figured it out anyway.
He laughed and said, “We didn’t have much cash, but we had confidence. Maybe stubbornness too.”
Today’s farmers deal with bigger numbers, more technology, and more outside pressure. Land prices are higher, inputs cost more, and decisions are scrutinized from every angle. But the heart of it is still the same. You’re betting on the land, the weather, and yourself.
What struck me most was when he said, “The work never scared us. It was just part of life. And somehow, even when it was hard, those were good years.”
If you lived it, you know exactly what he means. Hard work. Tight years. Small wins that meant everything. And memories that still bring a smile.
The good old days weren’t easy.
Dennis Prussman,
Premier Land & Auction Group
Real Broker, LLC,