Living on or off the farm?

Muckit

I suppose things have changed a lot and not every one is in the position or even wants to live on their farm/near farm yard.

Each has it's merits I suppose.... so

What are the advantages/disadvantages of living on or living away from the farm?

mf240

Just tell her your sorry.

jfh

depends on the farm, i'm living a few miles from the farm myself. regards calving cows, it's very difficult as you can imagine.
however there's definate advantages to it also, to physically get away from the farm can be a break.

Muckit

No I haven't been relegated to the dog house..... just yet :pac:

No was more talking about the situation where with many lads parents still living in the home house next the yard, some might build next door or others, like myself, might be living away in a local town or village.

At present I live off farm, but debating if I should move closer and want to hear what other lads think!

Conmaicne Mara

Don't live on the farm, cannot see any advantage to living off farm unless selling the land in future.

Dont be daft

I'd prefer to live on-farm. Security and the ease of having everything right there.

Not just having the farm beside the house but the house beside the farm if you get me. Even small things like getting a knife or a screwdriver or having a shower after a slurry "incident", the house is an integral part of the farm in my eyes.

Also be nice when the kids are growing up to always have that link between home life and the farm. The farm wasn't some cruel place in the back of beyond were they got hauled out to only to be slaved for the day.

And from someone with a fragmented set up, time spent on the road over and back fooling around, is a disaster.

Timmaay

I'll build a house at some stage down the line on the farm hopefully. I think I'd pick the opposite end of the farm, away from the current yard etc, important to have some sort of disconnection, easier to manage time and have some form of escape, but not too far away that it would be an inconvenience to get to the yard in a rush.

Going forward...

Live right next to the farmyard here. Moved here a few years ago after doing it up. One thing it has done is kept the farmyard very tidy though and all meant quite a bit more concrete to clean up its appearance etc. Wouldn't go back now.

AntrimGlens

I've lived three mile from the farm for the past seven years and found it difficult enough. I'd be driving out every morning to check stock or try and get something done and then rushing back to the house for a shower before heading to work and then the same in the evening. Having kids now i find that i'm tied to the house more and something as simple as checking stock is a rushed job and i hate not being able to just dander round the yard when there nothing else to do in the house. While it only takes 5 min to get to the farm from the house now realistically its half an hour by the time you get changed into farm clothes, get out there look around and get back into the car and get back home. We're building on the farm at present and hope to be moved in by the autumn and i hope it brings the relief which i need. the wifes not from a farming background and needed the time since we got married to get ajusted to moving to the farm, but she still reckons it'll be difficult for her but realises that having kids its the best place for them to grow up. I have a brother and sister(non farming) who both have houses on the farm as well as the parents which sometimes means it can be like a kibbutz but we built at one edge of the farm, with separate access and away from the yard to give us the impression of being still away from the farm. The wife thinks i'll spend even more time on the farm when we move out which she's not impressed with, but if the kids are on the farm i'll need to be looking after them - or thats what my excuse will be.
Suppose the advantages of living off farm was that the brother had to get up at night to check cows calving and he'd ring me if there was any bother, but then i took a month off for lambing. Pros and Cons to it, but i'm looking forward to getting back onto the farm to be honest and into our own house as opposed to moving into the house i grew up in.

Manoffeeling

Live off farm. Better quality of life and gives the kids a broader view of the world.

KatyMac

House in front of yard. Awful handy for calving etc. But trucks, tractors have to pass by back door to come in which can be a nuisance. On the other hand no-one arrives on the yard without someone seeing them and the dogs let us know as well - can be useful for some 'visitors'.

Birdnuts

I spend about a third of my time on the place in North Mayo. Thankfully I have good, reliable people running the show when I'm not there.

redzerologhlen

I think you can only answer that question yourself Muckit. Personally I would prefer to live on the farm, I dont hink my sanity would last too long in a town.

1chippy

I live off the farm.its sometimes great other times just a nuisance having to drive 3 mile at 4 in the morning to check a cow. Sunday morning i head off and on a few occasions ive had to bring the cows and calves in for one reason or another and simple things like heading back to get the breakie or as was said already to put on a pair of trousers that didnt have calf scour all over them become a major pain. I hope to move bback onto it when ive my real house built which wont happen till after i put up a slatted shed.

yellow50HX

Was living about 5 miles away, very awkward trying to get back to check cows at night.
Built a house at home last year about 200m away from the yard and parents place. Gives us and the folks our own space but still close enough. Being close is very important espically come winter and calving time.

moy83

I was living away from the farm and I was never at home it was a complete pain . I built at home then but away from the yard . Hopefully next year Im going to flog this house and build up at the yard. Ill be a happy chappy then :-) and that will be the end of my travels

Muckit

redzerologhlen wrote: »

I think you can only answer that question yourself Muckit. Personally I would prefer to live on the farm, I dont hink my sanity would last too long in a town.

You'd be surprised redzer. I'm here nearly ten years now and can see the +'s for living near a town just a much as for living out the country. That pint of milk or loaf of bread etc etc Plus not that I'm an alco, but pub not far away either :pac:

redzerologhlen

Muckit wrote: »

You'd be surprised redzer. I'm here nearly ten years now and can see the +'s for living near a town just a much as for living out the country. That pint of milk or loaf of bread etc etc Plus not that I'm an alco, but pub not far away either :pac:

Everyone is different sure muckit. Have lived in more urban areas when I was in college and gone away on holidays to city's and stuff but I was always happy coming home heading into the wilderness.

kevthegaff

i used to live at home but it was way too far 10 miles away, now done up the house and living on the farm, the only dissadvantage is muckits advantage not near a pub:(

mahoney_j

I live about 4 miles from farm in a nuce estate in local town.It is good in some ways like when 6 o clock comes and cows are milked you are finished whereas if you were living on farm u could stay fooling around till 8 or 9 o clock.It dosnt bother me at the moment as parents are syill alive and can keep an eye on things,Spring time can be a bit tough though with cows calving strong but ive installed 2 cameras one in cow shed and one in calving pens both of which are internet cameras and can be monitored from my laptop/I phone.Married with one child at the moment and wed all love to be living on farm within next 3 to 5 years but like a lot of others we are trapped in negative equity with current house.I do have a .75 tracker though and bank of ireland aint getting that back of me anytime soon

jack77

living 6 miles away, wish i was with in walking distance,had calves with pneumonia & scour last year and brother was away so had to go up every morning and evening before and after work, work is the opposite direction so was actually passing my door both times, would love to be able to take my kids for a walk up the field and check the cattle in the evening, i think they'd have more of a connection with the place. it is nice sometimes to be away i guess,