Why do you farm?

just do it

This question has always puzzled me, why am I giving so much of my time to an incredibly low margin business? I think the Dragons of Dragon's Den would laugh at me if I went to them with my business plan for the farm:rolleyes:. Why not sell up, buy a chipper in a local town, employ a few nice girls to serve chips, and sit back and count the money?

So there are tons of reasons - outdoors, enjoy animals etc

Then this morning it struck me while thinking about the kids who got a huge box of second-hand toys yesterday. It's an adult version of a child's game!;) It's not about business at all!!!

Muckit

I'd ask the question differently.....

Why farm a 'big' farm (60+ acres) part time?

Farm a small farm efficiently. Maximum 'therapy' and minimum hassle

case 5150

just do it wrote: »

This question has always puzzled me, why am I giving so much of my time to an incredibly low margin business? I think the Dragons of Dragon's Den would laugh at me if I went to them with my business plan for the farm:rolleyes:. Why not sell up, buy a chipper in a local town, employ a few nice girls to serve chips, and sit back and count the money?

So there are tons of reasons - outdoors, enjoy animals etc

Then this morning it struck me while thinking about the kids who got a huge box of second-hand toys yesterday. It's an adult version of a child's game!;) It's not about business at all!!!

While farming isnt the best paying careers in the world, not a job you finish at 5 on a friday evening and walk away and come back to monday morning, its a job that is 24/7, one that is rewarding and why i enjoy doing it, is i am producing a product of high standard that is been exported globally to millions of people, and its nice to know that ours business as farming the product we sell let it be milk, beef, lamb etc is been eating or drinking by people millions miles away and also farming is one of the older professions and it nice to know that we are carrying on in the steps of our fore fathers that broke there axxes building up land for us to farm today cause without what they did we all b stuck in sum ole office, sorry rant over

1chippy

For the pure love of torture and hardship.
its better than any therapy and is more or less a lifestyle choice. as for the toys, i wouldnt worry too much. how many townies would give their left nut just to get to drive a tractor or own a suck. we were all reared with second hand toys and a lot more people are doing it nowadays than you can imagine.
farming isnt as bad a living as we think. try sitting in an office for thirty to forty years looking at a pc( and not allowed to look at donedeal or boards):D.

GERMAN ROCKS

i think it can be very profitable once done right. thing is that any profit we make goes back into the business out of our own choice. we decide we would like a new tractor when one 20 years old will do the exact same thing. also we think automatic cluster removers will save time etc. my father always says at least with farming you will never go hungery.

johngalway

1chippy wrote: »

For the pure love of torture and hardship.

+1 :pac:

Better than being stuck in a cubicle 8 hours a day and traffic X more hours a day, may as well be locked up!

whelan1

johngalway wrote: »

+1 :pac:

Better than being stuck in a cubicle 8 hours a day and traffic X more hours a day, may as well be locked up!

ye , but each to their own i suppose... also the fact i would be useless at anything else- not saying i am good at what i am doing.... think its a great life for kids, rearing animals etc understanding where your food comes from ( that it doesnt just come from a fridge in tesco)

redzerologhlen

The money isint super but its a living and once your not in debt you will live away comfortably on it. I have no interest in becoming a millionare out of it but if I can pay the bills and have a bit left to play with I will be happy. I know people that have a half a million in the bank and when they die it will still be there because they are afraid to spend a penny of it, cant see how that would make anyone happy and no good in the world to them. Hours wouldnt bother me one bit, would be a lot happier to be doing something on the farm than have my arse plonked down in front of the tele. I love to watch calfs grow and thrive too and the fact that you are always trying to improve the place. There is always something to be done and if you have an interest its your hobby aswell, there is a living to be made out of it and you are your own boss. Sure what more could you want!!

bbam

While our modest farm isn't the most profitable we're making improvements all the time.... For us it's a hobby that can pay a few €€'s. Working a "regular" job is much harder and stressful than farming, even a bad day farming is better than being in an office..
If I had a better set up I'd jack the off-farm job in a heartbeat, but alas that's a pipe dream now...

I can't imagine not having land and cattle to tend to, like many I grew up with it and know no different, it's the best therapy after a crappy day on the road or in the office... Many pay to have therapy, we are lucky enough to have therapy that leaves a few €€ as well..

I know many full time farmers look down on and complain about part-time farmers distorting the market... For many of us it's not a choice but the only way we get a chance to farm at all...

Kovu

For some, it's more of a life than a business, despite only part time farming. I think my Dad would go insane without cattle to look after. Sure what else would he do?
He's passed that onto me which means that despite me working in a different county, I asked my neighbours if I could help them with their cattle when calving. Now I know it's not much to get up and check a cow at 2am or so, but they just couldn't get their head around the idea that someone wanted to willingly get up and look at cattle. So I've calved two of the four they have and have loved every minute of it. It's almost as if it's in the blood. Growing up with cattle and having a wonderful childhood being chased by bullocks and strupping cows just means a lot more when you look back. I will happily leave my job when my father retires and return to farming. It's such a .......how can I say it, contented life.

pakalasa

Spring is in the air, alright.
I wonder would people feel the same, when it's dark and wet on a December night.

Kovu

pakalasa wrote: »

Spring is in the air, alright.
I wonder would people feel the same, when it's dark and wet on a December night.

Been there, done that. Changed into a drier jumper:D

Indubitable

Until I got my farm, my life felt incomplete like there was always something missing.

Only way I can describe it really.

grumpyfarmer

Cos I done what was expected of me when I left school...

Richk2012

just do it wrote: »

This question has always puzzled me, why am I giving so much of my time to an incredibly low margin business? I think the Dragons of Dragon's Den would laugh at me if I went to them with my business plan for the farm:rolleyes:. Why not sell up, buy a chipper in a local town, employ a few nice girls to serve chips, and sit back and count the money?

So there are tons of reasons - outdoors, enjoy animals etc

Then this morning it struck me while thinking about the kids who got a huge box of second-hand toys yesterday. It's an adult version of a child's game!;) It's not about business at all!!!

Whats this they say about Farming ....... Its a disease and once you have it that you cant get rid of . No matter what sort of hardships we're enduring from diseases such as T.B in cattle , to Toxa-Plasma abortions in sheep , its the will and determination we have to stop , and overcome these obstacles that sets us apart from the average joes , despite watching our hard work diminish when good herds/flocks that has been built up over years start to fall apart with such problems . Although il never cause myself a back injury carrying around my wallet , I can never see myself not farming .....

theroad

Because the worst day on the farm is better than the best day in the office...

fastrac

Because they said I couldn"t

Juniorhurler

Strictly for the glamour.:D

bob charles

Richk2012 wrote: »

No matter what sort of hardships we're enduring from diseases such as T.B in cattle , to Toxa-Plasma abortions in sheep , its the will and determination we have to stop , and overcome these obstacles that sets us apart from the average joes , despite watching our hard work diminish when good herds/flocks that has been built up over years start to fall apart with such problems .

I think what you said makes sense, Im after a terrible few months with animal health, but the one thing that is on my mind constantly is how can we beat these problems

My main reason for farming is to pay of the debts

monkeysnapper

dar31

some days i do wonder, but the rest of the time i do love it.


ive been trying to get a video up for the last week with no success,

calves out in a paddock for the first time, noting better

Bleating Lamb

just do it wrote: »

This question has always puzzled me, why am I giving so much of my time to an incredibly low margin business? I think the Dragons of Dragon's Den would laugh at me if I went to them with my business plan for the farm:rolleyes:. Why not sell up, buy a chipper in a local town, employ a few nice girls to serve chips, and sit back and count the money?

So there are tons of reasons - outdoors, enjoy animals etc

Then this morning it struck me while thinking about the kids who got a huge box of second-hand toys yesterday. It's an adult version of a child's game!;) It's not about business at all!!!

NOT TO PUT IT BLUNTLY BUT TO ASK THAT ? YOU ARE NOT A REAL FARMER!!....there was never much out of it but you get fresh air and a sense of satisfaction with things that go right.

just do it

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

NOT TO PUT IT BLUNTLY BUT TO ASK THAT ? YOU ARE NOT A REAL FARMER!!....there was never much out of it but you get fresh air and a sense of satisfaction with things that go right.

What's a real farmer? Sorry I didn't realise a bit of a sense of humour wasn't permitted;)

Seaba

For me its all about the cattle. I don't care about tractors or fancy machinery. I am never happier/more content than when walking through the field looking at our cattle. A quality heifer calf thats only a month old and you are already excited at the thought of giving the bull to her and seeing what kind of calf she'll bring, a nice bull calf that you know will be ready to go in 24-30 months, a cow with a nice bag of milk.
The day you go to the mart with a few nice ones is a great feeling - did it 15 years ago with Dad and when the first heifer came into the ring the place went quiet - she wasn't a show heifer or anything but she was a good looking white-ish Charlaois with a lovely head. Dad was inside the box selling her, I was around the ring, fellas beside me saying 'lovely animal' to one another - was never as proud in my life.

Jack C

For me farming is a bit like going to mass. My father did it, my fathers father did it and his father did it, but I know there is'nt really any point cause I get nothing out of it at the end.

Kovu

Seaba wrote: »

For me its all about the cattle. I don't care about tractors or fancy machinery. I am never happier/more content than when walking through the field looking at our cattle. A quality heifer calf thats only a month old and you are already excited at the thought of giving the bull to her and seeing what kind of calf she'll bring, a nice bull calf that you know will be ready to go in 24-30 months, a cow with a nice bag of milk.
The day you go to the mart with a few nice ones is a great feeling - did it 15 years ago with Dad and when the first heifer came into the ring the place went quiet - she wasn't a show heifer or anything but she was a good looking white-ish Charlaois with a lovely head. Dad was inside the box selling her, I was around the ring, fellas beside me saying 'lovely animal' to one another - was never as proud in my life.

That's it. Right there. Never as proud a feeling as the reputation you can build for having good healthy stock.