When you raise cattle, investing in a "bull" market is natural. Just ask 15-year-old Keeley Edgar, who lives and works on his family's whopping 600-acre farm in Ayr, Ontario, 50 miles southwest of Toronto. Keeley has been corralling stock shares into an investment portfolio for four years.

"I started asking my dad about different ways to invest money when I was 11," says Keeley, "My dad invests. He got some shares from his grandfather and grandmother when he was nine or so. The first stock I bought was one my dad had owned. It had always been a good company, and my stock broker thought it was a good investment."

Now he owns 370 shares in companies such as Bell Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, and Time Warner.

And with the results and growth he's seeing so far, you might say he's happier than a pig in slop.

Roundin’ Up the Fundage

Working on the family farm has helped Keeley get a headstart in investing. “When I was little, I would ride around on the tractor with my dad. Then I started doing odd jobs and worked my way up. I love farm work. I like being my own boss and I love being outside in the fresh air."

Money from farm chores such as raking, baling, and hauling hay goes into Keeley’s investment fund. He also earns cash working for a nearby poultry farm that has 30,000 chickens. (And you thought your little sister made too much noise!)

A saver since he was a just a young ‘un, Keeley stashes almost all of his earnings in the bank. Then, usually toward the end of the summer, he'll pick a promising company, consult with his broker, and take another plunge in the market. However, he picked up his Time Warner shares in January, because "I liked the merger they were going to make with America Online,” he says. “It's been a fairly good stock to own so far. I'll buy a stock anytime, if I see one I like."

Scoutin’ the Trail

In the coming months, he's looking at picking up shares in Motorola, Intel, and Petro Canada. He tracks his stocks on the Internet after school everyday, and uses the Net for investment research.

Keeley doesn't advise leaping into investment pastures blind. Before purchasing stock, he spends plenty of time scoping out companies, looking for that potentially profitable needle-in-a-haystack opportunity — just as any dedicated farmer/investor would.

"I usually watch the stocks for a while before I buy," Keeley says. "I look for a good company that will give me a steady raise over time and not one that will make me money tomorrow."

Hittin’ Pay Dirt

Since he’s invested for several years, he knows there will be occasional dips and dives in the market. No more nerves for this guy, though, because he’s in it for the long haul. Keeley’s main goal is to harvest long-term profits from his investment decisions.

“There are high commissions, so I don’t want to buy and sell everyday,” says Keeley. “I like to keep track of what’s happening with my stocks, though, and keep up on the news.”

His advice to other young investor wannabes? “Start with a company you’re interested in. It’s a good learning experience that way,” he says. “Say you buy Coca-Cola. Chances are you probably already know a little bit about the company and the product. Don’t just jump into it. Make sure you talk to somebody knowledgeable before you begin.”

Keep Those Dogies Rollin'!

Keeley Edgar feels he has inherited a lot of good qualities from his ancestors, including the patience to be a good investor. After high school, he plans to attend college (the University of Guelph, half an hour from his home), then manage the family farm started by his great-great-great-grandfather. The land has been in his family since 1837.

“I’ll be taking over the farm in another seven years or so,” says Keeley. “And I’d like to make it bigger.” He hopes to put some of his investment profits to work by reinvesting in more types of livestock.

“I’d like to build a new barn, expand the livestock operations, and get into poultry because there’s more money in that. It’s also more stable than the hog and beef industries,” Keely explains.

So far, Keely says his parents and broker have been super supportive of his market moves. However, he’s definitely noticed that when it comes to spending money, not many people choose stocks over Big Macs and CDs. “None of my friends or siblings invest,” he says. “But I like to save money, and investing in the stock market is a natural way for me to do that.”

Da Bulls and
Da Bears

Bull? Bear? What are animals doing on Wall Street? Well, in terms of the market, bull and bear refer to very specific actions in stock prices. A “bull market” means that stock prices have been rising consistently for a period of time, and they’re up by at least 20%.

On the opposite end, a “bear market” means that prices have gone through a prolonged fall, also by 20%. A bear market also means that people are feeling pessimistic about investing, while a bull market may be accompanied by a lot of optimism.

"I like to save money, and investing in the stock market is a natural way for me to do that."