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Inheritance

245

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    With all due respect to you block you know absolutely NOTHING about farming, farms, or the business of a farm.

    Farming is not a job like general op in a factory or working in the civil service. I am not looking down on these jobs either because I work at a similar job myself. you cannot decide after the Leaving Cert "hmmm, I think I'll go farming". Its a job that is bred into children at an early age to love the farm. No one who understands farming would take a small holding and divide it into four unworkable parts.

    As for the two cents one buy the other three out.... And where would the money for this come from with Milk being made at a loss, high regulations being put on food production and small quotas being enforced through world trade talks. how also do you divide up the plant of the farm? the €60k tractor, the milking parlour, the hay barn, slatted units, cubicles, silage pits and the various machinery. then come the legal difficulties access to the land, access to water, energy, dont go there bambi on the quota's.

    Imagine if you split up a factory, the boiler, air compression, goods in and out, office space, factory floor. These are all facilites that are needed. Of course the urban attitute is to throw money at the problem. Buy another air compressor, build a wall down the floor. It doesnt work that way either. splitting the farm would weaken it and every one would end up with nothing. 40 acres a piece.

    The two boys might be able to work out a partnership but I have never seen a girl in 25 years do a bit of work on a farm to deserve it. I am sorry but the best way is to leave the bulk of it to the one person or sell the whole thing. Do make a proper informed will or decision or the solicitor will have the fat of the farm.

    Ask any of the people who have contributed and said be fair and split it even or think of the girls. Ask them what they would do with it in the morning if they inherited? They would sell it, without even thinking. Very few Irish people inhertit a farm they usuallly get it because they have been working on it since they were knee high.

    Op here. My daughter is differen. She is always out on the farm helping. She wouldnt sell it. She would work it and would be able to too. I think that is basically where the problem is. she knows she would be able to work it and doesnt see why it should be left to the 2 lads.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    It would seem to me (and I know nothing about farming by the way so this is a purely objective opinion) that the only way to split an estate, ANY estate, whether it be land, property, cash or any other asset, fairly, is to sell the estate in its entirety and split the proceeds among the children.

    Alternatively, the children who want to run it can buy the others out - I totally disagree with Skooterblue on this idea, if 1 out of a family of 4 wish to buy out the others they are going to the bank with an asset of a total value of almost 2 million (to use a hypothetical estimate from an earlier post) to secure such a loan against. Or they could be bought out over time, and instead behave like investors who regain their capital out of profits at a later point. If the farm is not making enough money to buy the others out over time or for a loan to be paid back by the 1 buying out then I fail to see why 1 would even want to take on the farm?

    Personally if I were a son in a family of 4 and my father left me the whole farm and nothing to my siblings I would sell it and make an equal split of the money.

    If I were a daughter and my father left the whole farm to a brother and zero to me I would feel very very hurt about it.

    At the end of the day its an asset, and children should be treated equally. Otherwise there will be bitterness and recriminations down the line.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭skooterblue


    It would seem to me (and I know nothing about farming by the way so this is a purely objective opinion).

    Alternatively, the children who want to run it can buy the others out - I totally disagree with Skooterblue on this idea, if 1 out of a family of 4 wish to buy out the others they are going to the bank with an asset of a total value of almost 2 million (to use a hypothetical estimate from an earlier post) to secure such a loan against. Or they could be bought out over time, and instead behave like investors who regain their capital out of profits at a later point. If the farm is not making enough money to buy the others out over time or for a loan to be paid back by the 1 buying out then I fail to see why 1 would even want to take on the farm?

    Personally if I were a son in a family of 4 and my father left me the whole farm and nothing to my siblings I would sell it and make an equal split of the money.

    If I were a daughter and my father left the whole farm to a brother and zero to me I would feel very very hurt about it.

    At the end of the day its an asset, and children should be treated equally. Otherwise there will be bitterness and recriminations down the line.

    Farming is not completely objective. Take most family business, most last three generation and then they are bought out by business corporations. Take 90% of family farms they are owned by Nth generation of farmer families. The last person who made it law to divide up farms equally between families was Oliver Cromwell. We all know how that farm ended. Clue: Over dependence on potatoes in 1847.

    In this day and age, who would be brave enough to go for a car loan even to their credit union? Now imagine going to a banker and the banker will not see a farmer but a business man. the Banker will ask the business man how are you going to pay me back €1.5m in 20 years and keep up repayments with rising price of oil and milk being sold at a loss and the price stagnating? What happens if the farm fails how is he going to recoup his loss? Would you lend €1.5million to a non profit organization?

    Farms arent left to people they are earn hard with no guarantees. I have been waiting for my farm 17 years, working since I was 15 every summer and weekend. Its a guys responsibility to work on a farm. I don't know of one farmers daughter who hasn't been to college or gotten a good job.

    With all due respect you are not a farmer you have no love for farming or respect its way of life and all you can see is an asset you can sell to meet some material need. Give the farm to the one that loves it most or sell the whole damn thing if they are not farmers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭sofia11


    I agree with treating children equally. It's about being valued equally and the distribution of assets gives this message to each of the children. This farmer's wife is a very fair minded woman in my opinion and thats very important. The old fashioned idea was to give all to the male children and expect the female children to look after the parents in their old age, what a swizz that was! This woman doesn't want to lose her daughters because rest assured that is what happens, she loves them all equally. I know a couple who have devided thier assets equally between one daughter and three sons where one can buy the others out if they want and they have been honest to their children about it. In that family all children are treated equally and fairly and as a result their is good co- operation between them all. Not so for alot of families where there is the 'favourite' who gets all or most and other family members are aware of this even though it is not discussed openly, like putting all your eggs in one basket. How will this child treat you in old age,etc. Just my opinion.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭skooterblue


    Op here. My daughter is differen. She is always out on the farm helping. She wouldnt sell it. She would work it and would be able to too. I think that is basically where the problem is. she knows she would be able to work it and doesnt see why it should be left to the 2 lads.

    Does your daughter have her Green Cert (National Cert in Agri/Hort/Eq)? Start perparing for this to ease the burden of stamp duty on her when she inherits the farm. Have the boys got good jobs (Business/trade/civil service/guards/college)? Cut the boys and girl their site (not more than 1.5/2 acres a piece) and start from there.

    The other reality is the farm girl probably marry a farmer and will go to her new farm. I think it would be odd another man moving onto the farm. You might want to consider early retirement. I am not sure if Teagasc (National Agricultural training and advisory) have any offers on at the minute. Your husband and daughter could split the work load between them. It would be very smart for anyone who is taking over the farm to chase the green cert. it cost about 2k and takes 18 months.

    remember its not an asset it's a legacy for future generations


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭skooterblue


    sofia11 wrote: »
    I agree with treating children equally. It's about being valued equally and the distribution of assets gives this message to each of the children. This farmer's wife is a very fair minded woman in my opinion and thats very important. The old fashioned idea was to give all to the male children and expect the female children to look after the parents in their old age, what a swizz that was! This woman doesn't want to lose her daughters because rest assured that is what happens, she loves them all equally. I know a couple who have devided thier assets equally between one daughter and three sons where one can buy the others out if they want and they have been honest to their children about it. In that family all children are treated equally and fairly and as a result their is good co- operation between them all. Not so for alot of families where there is the 'favourite' who gets all or most and other family members are aware of this even though it is not discussed openly, like putting all your eggs in one basket. How will this child treat you in old age,etc. Just my opinion.

    If you weaken a farm the farm will not survive. the four small farms will not survive and will be either sold to a neighbour or for some other purpose. this is not a collection house belonging to a landlord. This is a unified farm where every field and drain and ditch plays a part in it. Although the lovely "little house on the prairie" attitude is ideal, a partnership in agriculture is a miserable existence if you dont believe me ask Podge and Rodge. This is not a joke. I have 4 uncles in two partnership and they were professionally disasters, it consists of one brother shafting the other and the two of them begin tied to the farm. its like song title "when a heart breaks it dont break even". I have other uncles who at 25 were given their own individual farm. these have turned out better professionally. One of the partnerships, one of the brothers wanted to be a PE teacher and wanted to go out twice a week to the gym while the other had to work.

    I know of no farmers daughter under the age of 35 who didnt go to college and have a job. In fact to support a family the farmers wife now needs to go out and work. Farming is a tough job and it is a heavy mantle to bear, both physcially and mentally. People who work 9 to 5 in offices and factories have never stayed up all night waiting for a cow to calf and then for it to be born dead. They would never understand why you would cut off a lambs tail. they are far removed from nature. They dont understand why a sow would reject a piglet and think she is a bad mother. when the Piglet is weak and probably would not survive in a big litter.

    I think you need to do what is best for your family and divide equally by selling or do what is right for future generation and select the strongest person to inherit the farm


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,193 ✭✭✭[Jackass]


    The fair thing to do is to split it 4 ways (all 4 kids equal).

    But if it's a family farm and your husband inherrited it, he may well want to keep it in the family name. The O'Sheas farm is the O'Sheas farm and it'll be run by O'Sheas etc.

    It's old skool! But that's the way it is in some parts of the world. I'd say split it equal, but I kind of don't think that's really going to happen.

    As a matter of interest, why would the girls be so upset? Is it because they want a piece of the money pie? There's not much else to leave them?

    At the end of the day, it's yours and your husbands farm and you can do whatever the hell you want with it. I don't know why the kids would be so freaked about it. Especially the one who has no intention on ever setting foot on it to keep it working.

    And would the others really give up the life they've built so far to come back and work the farm?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,746 ✭✭✭0utshined


    iguana wrote: »
    However if they randomly left everything to one or both of my brothers I'd be really hurt. It would make me feel as if I had been less loved and less important to them throughout their lives. It's not as if I want their money, but I want to feel equally loved. I also know that if for some reason I inherited everything I'd share it equally with my brothers as that's what would be fair.

    I take your point but they've shown their love through their actions already, raising and supporting their kids. I'm sure it would irk somewhat but the kids need to realise they are adults now and should respect their parents decision. It is their choice, whatever their reasoning may be. With you on the equal share thing but it may not apply in this case.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    OP here. Things got sorted if thats what you could call it. Ny daughter asked my husband what he was going to do with the farm saying it wasnt fair letting her do things on it and then giving it to the boys. He said he is going to leave it to the boys. She was upset so we discussed it and she said she will remain civil to her father while she lives with us. She is going to move out when she starts work which is a few months away as she can not live with a man that is so sexist. The relationship that they had is now gone but she said his decision will not affect our relationship.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    0utshined wrote: »
    I take your point but they've shown their love through their actions already, raising and supporting their kids. I'm sure it would irk somewhat but the kids need to realise they are adults now and should respect their parents decision. It is their choice, whatever their reasoning may be. With you on the equal share thing but it may not apply in this case.

    But the point is that "their decision" as parents is being decided by the father only, The mother should have an equal say, its the de valuing of the women that is my main issue, i know some people are traditional but the mother would have worked hard all her life too and she deserves some respect in how they leave their home, the mother feels that her daughters will be broken hearted and she wants to divide it equally,

    Challenging the fathers morals is difficult because he has always been this way, but his wife should have a say also, Its like the father still considers the farm his alone when it is actually as much his wifes.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    OP here. Things got sorted if thats what you could call it. Ny daughter asked my husband what he was going to do with the farm saying it wasnt fair letting her do things on it and then giving it to the boys. He said he is going to leave it to the boys. She was upset so we discussed it and she said she will remain civil to her father while she lives with us. She is going to move out when she starts work which is a few months away as she can not live with a man that is so sexist. The relationship that they had is now gone but she said his decision will not affect our relationship.

    Why is it all up to him OP? It's your land too surely. Have you told him you're not happy about the 'solution' he's come up with.

    I really feel for your daughter to be honest. She's at home on the farm and being disinherited in favour of two brothers who aren't even there?

    Look, if your husband doesn't want to divide up the farm, I can understand that (though I wonder why he prefers to divide up his children in a will they aren't happy about). But the only fair thing to do is tell the children now, whoever wants a stake needs to be home working the farm right now. They can't move away and expect to come back in twenty years to 170 acres. That's ridiculous.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    OP here. Things got sorted if thats what you could call it. Ny daughter asked my husband what he was going to do with the farm saying it wasnt fair letting her do things on it and then giving it to the boys. He said he is going to leave it to the boys. She was upset so we discussed it and she said she will remain civil to her father while she lives with us. She is going to move out when she starts work which is a few months away as she can not live with a man that is so sexist. The relationship that they had is now gone but she said his decision will not affect our relationship.

    To be perfectly honest- thats not sorted. One party has been badly hurt by the comments of another. If the stated position as it stands is allowed to remain- you end up with a daughter who is going to cut off all ties with her brothers, on your husband's death. I've seen it happen several times.

    It also does not address what happens to you- his wife. Why is the farm not being left to you? What happens to you in your old age- should he die first?

    The current situation is not tenable.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    smccarrick wrote: »
    To be perfectly honest- thats not sorted. One party has been badly hurt by the comments of another. If the stated position as it stands is allowed to remain- you end up with a daughter who is going to cut off all ties with her brothers, on your husband's death. I've seen it happen several times.

    It also does not address what happens to you- his wife. Why is the farm not being left to you? What happens to you in your old age- should he die first?

    The current situation is not tenable.

    Op, would you not have the right to challenge him on this, it seems that you care for your daughters needs but not your own, a trait in a traditional family where the mother looks after everyone else needs but her good self's, you have the right to challenge your husband on this issue for your sake, i am sure there is a life time of events wrapped up in it but it can be done, if you got the right advice you could approach him with an alternative.

    Also do the brothers not respect you either, do they somehow think they have a right to the inheritance above you? If you their mother asked them to share it out equally what would they say?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭Oh The Humanity


    Your poor daughter.

    Does your husband not realise how much this has hurt her?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    smccarrick wrote: »
    What happens to you in your old age- should he die first?

    Afaik at that point the 1965 Succession Act kicks in and the wife is automatically entitled to one third of the estate no matter what her husband has willed. That act is oft abused but this sounds like a genuine case for which it was intended.

    http://www.bporco.ie/live/367.html

    The wife will be left with the unpleasant decision of whether to invoke or not to invoke that right. Unfortunately whatever she chooses by making the decision she is likely to ultimately be unfairly blamed for a situation she didn't want to be in.

    Sadly the situation is not sorted. It's only beginning. And if it continues in this direction the only people who are going to benefit from the husband's intransigency are the solicitors on all sides.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,484 ✭✭✭username123


    Dreadful outcome. Keeping the land together and passing it onto a male heir is more important than hurting a daughter. Very sad and out of touch with reality. TBH if I were your daughter Id move off and never bother my barney with either parent again, by supporting your husband you have let your daughter down badly imo.


  • Posts: 22,785 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Look.

    OP
    Theres practicalities here.

    170 acres is just about viable as one unit to farm on.

    Why on earth would one want to split it up into un viable units? Especially now with the way farming has gone.
    A site sounds reasonable for the siblings that don't get the rest of the land.

    As regards the father being sexist...if he's like most farmers I know it's not a question of sexism at all,it's a question of leaving the land in the family name.
    Thats why farmers nearly always leave it to sons.
    It's his decision.EG Murphy land is always going to be Murphy land...it will be purcells land if left to the daughter and purcell marries her and his sons names will be purcell..

    OP-you as his wife though are entitled to one third of the farm.He cannot make a will without taking that into account.
    You could wave that stick at him if you want to push things for the daughters 5 acres...if doing so is worth the extra argument grief and hassle.

    By the way any child of a land owner does not have the right to complain as it's their parents decision.
    Once they know where they stand,they can waste as much or as little time working the land as they like if they know they are getting nothing other than a site to build a house on.


  • Posts: 22,785 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Un-reg wrote: »
    Sadly the situation is not sorted. It's only beginning. And if it continues in this direction the only people who are going to benefit from the husband's intransigency are the solicitors on all sides.
    How so?
    Once the owner looks after his legal obligations to his wife and is of sound mind and body when making the will and there has been no ambiguity as to who is being left the farm in the will in the several years/decades beforehand-then the other siblings once reared,educated and given a site [optional] havent a leg to stand on looking for more.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Op here. My daughter knows if Im left last she wont be left out. She says that doesnt even matter now as she now knows her fathers intentions and the fact is he intends to, whether he gets to or not, favour one child over another. I dont think there is anything else I can do. If i die first I know my hsband will do this. He will have to live knowing a daughter doesnt talk to him because shes not going to change her mind.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 174 ✭✭kiwikid


    Farming is not a job like general op in a factory or working in the civil service. I am not looking down on these jobs either because I work at a similar job myself. you cannot decide after the Leaving Cert "hmmm, I think I'll go farming". Its a job that is bred into children at an early age to love the farm. No one who understands farming would take a small holding and divide it into four unworkable parts.
    totally agree.
    I have never seen a girl in 25 years do a bit of work on a farm to deserve it. I am sorry but the best way is to leave the bulk of it to the one person or sell the whole thing. Do make a proper informed will or decision or the solicitor will have the fat of the farm.
    I disagree that a girl if they have been brought up to farm cannot do a good job of it. Look at the agri colleges women and men are being trained to farm as well as getting the grounding in the home farm themselves so you are wrong there - bit i agree the solicitor will be the biggest winner.

    if the OP brought up the children to be out mucking it in the farm since they were children it is indeed bred into them and unfair if the girl who did as much work had to stand back and see it all go to one person.
    As for feeling hurt - i think the simplist is to value the farm and get the inheritor to mortgage and pay back the others. You would soon see if they are interested in farming for life then.


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  • Posts: 22,785 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    kiwikid wrote: »
    i think the simplist is to value the farm and get the inheritor to mortgage and pay back the others. You would soon see if they are interested in farming for life then.
    The farm would make no money if that was done and would have to be sold as the siblings would go bankrupt in jig time.
    No farmer would do that as a solution,it would be madness..
    Fact is,on a farm that size theres only room for one sucessor realistically for viability and thats at a push.
    There is room for giving a site to the other siblings.

    Anyone in the family thinking otherwise in todays farming world is deluding themselves and needs to snap out of it in my opinion.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    All of the children are educated and in jobs. Noone is working the farm except my husband and that is the way it will remain. Any advice appreciated.
    The point that is missed here is that OP says none of the children are working the farm. Will the anointed son leave his job and his life to come home to work a possibly unprofitable farm? Or will he inherit it all, carve it up himself and sell it for development? So much for 'Murphy land' in that case.

    As for sites it's quite possible at the end of this that the siblings will have no interest in living next to one another.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 174 ✭✭kiwikid


    The farm would make no money if that was done and would have to be sold as the siblings would go bankrupt in jig time.
    No farmer would do that as a solution,it would be madness..
    Fact is,on a farm that size theres only room for one sucessor realistically for viability and thats at a push.
    There is room for giving a site to the other siblings.

    Anyone in the family thinking otherwise in todays farming world is deluding themselves and needs to snap out of it in my opinion.
    None of the children are farmers primarily.
    I know of plenty of farms that were left to people who did not work them for their primary job - they leased them or used them as collatoral for other ventures. Its the similar mentality - Dad died suddenly and wouldn't have wanted the farm split so siblings sold the shares to one who kept it on, but that one had to pay them for their shares.
    I think the father is being miserable not to give a 5 acre plot to the girl instead of just a site however it seems she is a lot her fathers daughter if she is being so dogmatic about it - a site is bloody good in this day and age - and this is coming from someone who came from a family farm where a boy will get all and there is no cash or sites to divide. Difference is here - the rest of us were not reared to farm and we went off in life and did something else.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    The point that is missed here is that OP says none of the children are working the farm. Will the anointed son leave his job and his life to come home to work a possibly unprofitable farm? Or will he inherit it all, carve it up himself and sell it for development? So much for 'Murphy land' in that case.

    As for sites it's quite possible at the end of this that the siblings will have no interest in living next to one another.

    OP here. its profitable. The son in question would continue in his job and farm it at the weekend and evenings. Its a beef farm so not the same work involved with regards to getting up in the morning regards milking. The daughter who is most unhappy has said that she wont be able to live anywhere near the farm now and would sell her site to buy another one somewhere else.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭skooterblue


    Look.

    OP
    Theres practicalities here.

    170 acres is just about viable as one unit to farm on.

    Why on earth would one want to split it up into un viable units? Especially now with the way farming has gone.
    A site sounds reasonable for the siblings that don't get the rest of the land.

    As regards the father being sexist...if he's like most farmers I know it's not a question of sexism at all,it's a question of leaving the land in the family name.
    Thats why farmers nearly always leave it to sons.
    It's his decision.EG Murphy land is always going to be Murphy land...it will be purcells land if left to the daughter and purcell marries her and his sons names will be purcell..

    OP-you as his wife though are entitled to one third of the farm.He cannot make a will without taking that into account.
    You could wave that stick at him if you want to push things for the daughters 5 acres...if doing so is worth the extra argument grief and hassle.

    By the way any child of a land owner does not have the right to complain as it's their parents decision.
    Once they know where they stand,they can waste as much or as little time working the land as they like if they know they are getting nothing other than a site to build a house on.


    Black Briar where have you been while all this nonsense has been going on. you seem to be the only person who knows how a farm actually works. Maybe the truth is a 170 farm isnt really viable in this day and age as all the children have gotten jobs else where. There is no real interest from any of the siblings as none of them have a green cert.

    Seriously OP I think you will have to have a family meeting and you at the end of the day will have to decide what to do with the farm. Does any one remember King Solomon and the two women from the bible? two women with new born children slept side by side. During the night one of them rolled over on her child smoothring it. they both came before the court and Solomon decided as he could not come to a conclusion was to divide the living baby in half equally. the real mother spoke up and said rather than kill the child let the other mother have it. Case closed.

    Why have none of the children done the Green cert? You havent mentioned any one having done it? Its not hard or time consuming? relative to paying stamp duty its a cheap option. Its a pity it is so hard to sell property at the minute of any kind. I am not sure any of them deserve it. Wait till the time is right and put it under the hammer or private treaty.
    because :
    1) no one has shown any real commitment other wise they would be working it and have green certs
    2) I dont think in the modern world 170 acres can support a family though it may have done well in the past.
    3) they have chosen different career paths
    4) They seem to be interested in their "share" of the Farm but not the FARM
    5) I dont any of them would give up their freedom of 9-5 for the farm.

    This daughter is using emotional blackmail to get the result she wants. She knows the farm cant be split. 5 acres is too big an amount to remove from the farm in relation to quotas. Regardless where it is on the farm. Even on a drystock farm cattle have to be moved and fed at the least of times. Modern employers dont understand farms. IE "I was up all night with a cow calving", now imagine that X30, or "I need time off for baling/ slurry/silage".

    OP dont think you are the bad person here or your husband. I know someone like you daughter and when wills dont go her way on come the water works. Luckily I had a hard grandfather who would have none of my aunts nonsense, called it "the gift of the tears" and promptly put her in her place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Black Briar where have you been while all this nonsense has been going on. you seem to be the only person who knows how a farm actually works. Maybe the truth is a 170 farm isnt really viable in this day and age as all the children have gotten jobs else where. There is no real interest from any of the siblings as none of them have a green cert.

    Seriously OP I think you will have to have a family meeting and you at the end of the day will have to decide what to do with the farm. Does any one remember King Solomon and the two women from the bible? two women with new born children slept side by side. During the night one of them rolled over on her child smoothring it. they both came before the court and Solomon decided as he could not come to a conclusion was to divide the living baby in half equally. the real mother spoke up and said rather than kill the child let the other mother have it. Case closed.

    Why have none of the children done the Green cert? its not hard or time consuming? relative to paying stamp duty its a cheap option. Its a pity it is so hard to sell property at the minute of any kind. I am not sure any of them deserve it. Wait till the time is right and put it under the hammer or private treaty.
    because :
    1) no one has shown any real interest other wise they would be working it and have green certs
    2) I dont think in the modern world 170 acres can support a family though it may have done well in the past.
    3) they have chosen different career paths
    4) They seem to be interested in their "share" of the Farm but not the FARM
    5) I dont any of them would give up their freedom of 9-5 for the farm.

    OP here. It will never go under the hammer when we are alive. That isnt an option for my huband or me as the house is right beside the yard and loads of fields. No of them has the green cert although they would do it. They are interested in their share because the realationship between two of them is not good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 174 ✭✭kiwikid


    OP here. its profitable. The son in question would continue in his job and farm it at the weekend and evenings. Its a beef farm so not the same work involved with regards to getting up in the morning regards milking.
    its not ideal tho hey? animals have to be maintained monday to friday but you know that - could you be trying to persuade yourself that he is going to continue to do this long term or just pack it in and sell / lease at a later time?
    The daughter who is most unhappy has said that she wont be able to live anywhere near the farm now and would sell her site to buy another one somewhere else.
    Well she sounds very much like her father now! Why not offer her the value of 5 acres / 1 site.

    Actually i think you are foolish to be discussing your will now anyway. Your children especially your daughter is being painted as vultures! - actually the term my grandmother used to use was being a "Dog in the Manger" about it.
    forgot about the green cert! - surely if any of them were interested they would have done it when it was available online.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 168 ✭✭skooterblue


    let her move out of home. Find a site, finance a site and sell her site if she can find one. LOL she can show her teeth but can she bite? I dont think so.

    Actually the point about the green cert was made ages ago


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 174 ✭✭kiwikid


    Actually you would be surprised but Animals don't take Saturday and Sunday and off as well as public holidays, church holidays, Honica and Barmitzva's
    either. they do like to be feed and watered 7 days a week at regular times.
    :eek:
    oi smartarse i was referring to OP's suggestion that inheritor could farm on weekends only.
    Many's the weekend home from college after a night out i was co-midwife to a shed of sheep, so im glad my brother did the green cert/ agri-college even to keep it on as a part time business to his own job.

    I am amazed that op thinks the farm will stay in the family when given to one kid with no interest in it. or that kid will be bothered farming at weekends.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,006 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    kiwikid wrote: »
    its not ideal tho hey? animals have to be maintained monday to friday but you know that - could you be trying to persuade yourself that he is going to continue to do this long term or just pack it in and sell / lease at a later time?

    Well she sounds very much like her father now! Why not offer her the value of 5 acres / 1 site.

    Actually i think you are foolish to be discussing your will now anyway. Your children especially your daughter is being painted as vultures!
    forgot about the green cert! - surely if any of them were interested they would have done it when it was available online.

    Op here. Its not 5 acres she wants. she just said that to her father when he said he would be dividing it between the lads. My daughter isnt like that. She just cant understand why it is being left to the boys. She said she would have no problem if it was left to my other daughter and then wouldnt care if she got a site. On top of everything she claims that we have always treated the boys more favourably than the girls. The eldest boy thinks he wont have to do the green cert to get the farm- something to do with it being passed to him by the time he is 35. My daughter is young- just finished college so she would do it now like.

    The reason it was discussed it because we saw an article about it and my daughter said to my father its not fair her doing stuff on the farm to see other people get it which is true.

    The main issues are my son and daughter dont get on and my daughter feels that we have also treated the boys better. That has made the situation so much worse.


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