Sweet Apple Acres

[Fluttershutter 2,960]

They always portray the Apples as poor farmers just barely getting by but it seems to me they should be filthy rich. They're the only apple farm in town. They have the only zap apple orchard in Equestria.

And they have almost no expenses.

1 They have no morgage. Celestia gave the land to their family.

2 They have no employees. It's just the family.

3 They grow most if not all of their own food. We saw Applejack planting corn as well as apples. Surely they grow all kinds of vegetables.

So basically all they're just paying for is tools and things(Maybe it's because they're putting up a new barn every few weeks)

 

 

[9x18 24]

They could just be "land rich". The Apple family has both the ability and means to provide for themselves, but it may bot translate into a substantial amount of money - plenty to cover their needs and a little more, but not enough to do Scrooge McDuck backflips into.

[Scootalove 10,692]

They are probably rich in agriculture, they are able to sell their apples as apple treats across Equestria but, I don't know if any of the ponies are willing to buy the farm for a lot of money. So, they could be rich from that.

[Ihei 714]

I guess you could consider that. The Apple Family isn't exactly living as poor farmers, they seem to be pretty easygoing. Even if they are filthy rich, they wouldn't go about bragging about it.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

They are not filthy rich, because of the fact that they work their farm. The apples seem to pay off the mortgage and possible debt.

[silverreverb 129]

well, for the most part, family owned businesses tend to smaller for one reason or another. a business focused farm would be considerably larger and would be able to make much more money even with the overhead of a larger business. to me, it seems like the size of the apple's farm is rather small, considering that they live in ponyville, they really only have worry about supplying that town with apples, not all of equestria.

 

also, the apples don't look to be poor. they do well for themselves and according to the show, they only have troubles through the winter months since nothing is growing.

[Foreigner And Lover 207]

I think it's mostly because they are awful at business. The episode with the apple cider proved that. They don't understand the basics of supply and demand or negotiation. But in the end I think it's mostly because being rich wouldn't really match Applejack's characterization.

[A Talking Dragon 257]

There are some factors to consider:

 

- Cost of maintaining the land

 

- Cost to feed all the live stock

 

- Cost of maintaining farm equipment

 

- Only two are around that can really maintain everything. If one goes away or stops, well, see Applebuck Season.

 

- Applejack and Big Mac have been shown, more than once, to get wore down or injured (doctor appointments)

 

- Timber wolves live near by (investment needed to protect the stock)

 

- The Zap Apple harvest only happens once every several years.

 

- Whatever grows from the Zap apple harvest can't be completely collected as it disappears suddenly

 

- It was stated that a highly successful cider season is the only thing that keeps the farm from falling under

 

- Applebloom needs an education and to grow up

 

- Granny Smith is old: medicine cost, A.J stated a desire to get Granny medical care (new hips)

 

- The Apple family in Ponyvile have decline a bit since since the land was offer to them (less resources)

 

- The passing of certain love ones?

 

- Finally, how many times has their home been destroyed? That's not going to be easy on their insurance, if they have it.

 

--

Edited July 23, 2013 by A Talking Dragon

[cuteycindyhoney 13,339]

I always thought of the Apples as turning a nice profit on their produce. After all, ponies line up for both cider and zap-apple jam.

[Shanks 10,817]

I don't think the apples are filthy stinking rich but they are obvious not starving either, they do have certain advantages which the OP has pointed out but they do also have their own unique expenses such as farm tools and of course paying the doctor for the occasional injury and it has been implied that Granny Smith has hip problems and probably a few other problems related to age which of course also cost money. And it is mostly Applejack and Big Mac that are doing the work and even though their strength, endurance and efficiency is admirable there is only so much they can do by themselves.