Its great being a farmer

Miname

I said i might as well put this up before someone else did, theres so much great stuff to do with farming from watching an animal thrive to that time alone herding cattle or being somewhere you didnt want to be and end up chatting to the only other farmer in the room.
I know its hardship most of the time especially in the dark evenings after coming home from the real job, but i dont think i'd have it any other way.
Anyone else a glutten for punishment and whats it that keeps you at it?

foxylock

Tis hard to beat a good day on the hill at this time of the year,warm sun on your face,sheep thriving,dog working well and the knees not too creaky!! The pressure seems to peel off me in layers the further up i go. Escapism farming!!

Cavanjack

Miname wrote: »

I said i might as well put this up before someone else did, theres so much great stuff to do with farming from watching an animal thrive to that time alone herding cattle or being somewhere you didnt want to be and end up chatting to the only other farmer in the room.
I know its hardship most of the time especially in the dark evenings after coming home from the real job, but i dont think i'd have it any other way.
Anyone else a glutten for punishment and whats it that keeps you at it?

What keeps us all at it is the chance that "next year" might be a good year.

Sam Kade

It is indeed whatever any one else thinks about farmers being begrugers moaners etc.

mahoney_j

Gave 10 years working off farm for a great American multinational.great to see and experience something other than the farm .made great friends from different ways of life,earned decent money,traveled pissed a lot of it away .it was great and glad I did it but always had a gra for cows and the land.
Took redundancy 5 years ago and took over from the da and happy as a pig in sh1 t most of the time.dairy farming is challenging but very fulfilling and the fact you are ur own boss and in control of your daily routine is a bonus .really learnt the value of a start time for ur days work and an end time.im up reasonably early every morning 6.30/6.45 and plug is pulled In evening before 6 unless at silage or something.sunday is a family day and milking us only job that's done.try and take 2 sun evenings a month off from June as well as getting away for a few long weekends or short breaks

_Brian

mahoney_j wrote: »

Gave 10 years working off farm for a great American multinational.great to see and experience something other than the farm .made great friends from different ways of life,earned decent money,traveled pissed a lot of it away .it was great and glad I did it but always had a gra for cows and the land.
Took redundancy 5 years ago and took over from the da and happy as a pig in sh1 t most of the time.dairy farming is challenging but very fulfilling and the fact you are ur own boss and in control of your daily routine is a bonus .really learnt the value of a start time for ur days work and an end time.im up reasonably early every morning 6.30/6.45 and plug is pulled In evening before 6 unless at silage or something.sunday is a family day and milking us only job that's done.try and take 2 sun evenings a month off from June as well as getting away for a few long weekends or short breaks

I probably worked for the same / similar MN (great place to work), took redundancy in 2009.

The thing I really enjoy is over the summer spending maybe half an hour in the evenings after work just standing with stock in the field, no hustle N bustle, just nice quiet time and stock..

TUBBY

Work off farm. Work hard tbh but nothing beats hitting home and actually doing something you can see visual results from - eg topping a thistly field. Could be at a pc all day flat out and nothing to show for it.
top for 2hr. Look back and there is field done.....

Reggie.

It's the freedom and the open spaces for me. Love walking across the fields in any weather looking at stock. Getting to play with the big machinery is a big bonus for me too

greysides

_Brian wrote: »

The thing I really enjoy is over the summer spending maybe half an hour in the evenings after work just standing with stock in the field, no hustle N bustle, just nice quiet time and stock..

I love that too. I've always enjoyed being around animals and it's nice to walk through them when both you and they are relaxed. For a bonus the wild creatures start to be active at that time too and it's great to see those we share the countryside with.

just do it

Being outside, peace, physical work, and animals. Its great watching the place improve year on year.

Nearly forgot my absolute favourite thing - Calvings

poor farmer

Being your own boss ,making decisions and reaping the rewards or suffering the consequences.
The big one is that we largely dont have to go trying to collect money.
The milk lorry comes and sucks up milk and the money is paid into your account.
The cattle are collected and the cheque comes in a few days.

We mightn't be happy with the prices but we dont have to go looking for it.

Reggie.

poor farmer wrote: »

Being your own boss ,making decisions and reaping the rewards or suffering the consequences.
The big one is that we largely dont have to go trying to collect money.
The milk lorry comes and sucks up milk and the money is paid into your account.
The cattle are collected and the cheque comes in a few days.

We mightn't be happy with the prices but we dont have to go looking for it.

That's a fair point about the money lad

micraX

I think it's great raising a plant from a seed and taking care off it, from the planting to the covering, weeding, spraying, feeding, all the way to harvesting washing packing and delivering, real sense of achievement.

whelan2

walk out the door at you're at work.
Love going for the cows on a summers morning, cows full of milk, love closing them in to paddock and hearing them all munching away. Love seeing them lying down back chewing -making milk.

_Brian

whelan2 wrote: »

walk out the door at you're at work.
Love going for the cows on a summers morning, cows full of milk, love closing them in to paddock and hearing them all munching away. Love seeing them lying down back chewing -making milk.

Love the munching sound of them pulling the grass. I let the bullocks out on a fresh paddock during the week and I stood for ten minutes just listening to them , odd the things we like.

onyerbikepat

I lived in Dublin for a few years. Home from work at maybe 5 in the evenings. Sitting on the couch looking out the window, straight on into the side of another house. At home, from the top field, I can see for about 50 miles in every direction.

mahoney_j

_Brian wrote: »

I probably worked for the same / similar MN (great place to work), took redundancy in 2009.

The thing I really enjoy is over the summer spending maybe half an hour in the evenings after work just standing with stock in the field, no hustle N bustle, just nice quiet time and stock..

P&G Brian,hardest part of day was clocking in!!

RightTurnClyde

Love when I finish milking, and take down the strip grazing wire and the cows stampeed into the fresh grass.
Also love going through a heavy cover of fresh grass with the belly of the quad rubbing of the grass. Full tank of milk that evening!
Milking is grand, but I loving growing good grass

Willfarman

Beautiful weather. Love getting out in morning. The warm morning sun and the cattle are stretched full. The lambs are thriving and not a meal bag in sight! The she'd is full of good hay. Pit full of great silage. Golden barley straw packed to the seams! I wouldn't swop for diamonds lads!

Reggie.

Willfarman wrote: »

Beautiful weather. Love getting out in morning. The warm morning sun and the cattle are stretched full. The lambs are thriving and not a meal bag in sight! The she'd is full of good hay. Pit full of great silage. Golden barley straw packed to the seams! I wouldn't swop for diamonds lads!

Now ya said it willfarman

einn32

Im my previous job I used clock watch and getting up in the morning was a challenge. I started to dread the day ahead. Since I started farming I get up earlier without a problem. Time goes fast. It's a career where I actually feel content and feel I'm achieving something.

mix_up

being a farmer is great for someone who has simple needs and doesnt wish to lead a remotely lavish lifestyle of any kind

frazzledhome

I farm for one thing and one thing only, money and creating wealth. The calvings, cute calves, wolly lambs do nothing for me. The challenge of building a business and being able to go to all my kids activities is what it's about for me. Work like a hoor and take holidays and a few breaks with the family

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

I farm for one thing and one thing only, money and creating wealth. The calvings, cute calves, wolly lambs do nothing for me. The challenge of building a business and being able to go to all my kids activities is what it's about for me. Work like a hoor and take holidays and a few breaks with the family

Oh you're a cold fish;). Of all the ways to work and make money though it gives you great freedom and automony that isn't available in other sectors. Sure it has negatives but I don't think you'd like being in an office all day?

Kevhog1988

I get that thing about not having to chase money. Im running family civil engineering company here in uk... Im spending 5/6 hrs a day to amd from sites, late nights in the office but tge biggest pain in the ass is then havjng tk chase payment

The Letheram

Thought of this thread as I stand here in a field with the first 11 cows calved. Cows all grazing or lying flat out in the sun and young calves playing around them. I am standing here 15 minutes watching them. Happy out.

frazzledhome

just do it wrote: »

Oh you're a cold fish;). Of all the ways to work and make money though it gives you great freedom and automony that isn't available in other sectors. Sure it has negatives but I don't think you'd like being in an office all day?

I really can't think of any down side. Some say price or weather but that's the challenge

mix_up

frazzledhome wrote: »

I farm for one thing and one thing only, money and creating wealth. The calvings, cute calves, wolly lambs do nothing for me. The challenge of building a business and being able to go to all my kids activities is what it's about for me. Work like a hoor and take holidays and a few breaks with the family

considering the cost of the assets needed to farm , its not the ideal way to build wealth and most farmers dont make very much money and nothing close to what you would call wealth

that said , not everyone can be steve jobs or michael o leary , dairy farming is probably as good as any means to achieving wealth ,at least in rural ireland

Timmaay

frazzledhome wrote: »

I farm for one thing and one thing only, money and creating wealth. The calvings, cute calves, wolly lambs do nothing for me. The challenge of building a business and being able to go to all my kids activities is what it's about for me. Work like a hoor and take holidays and a few breaks with the family

Largely the same here, farming is a job/business. Enjoyable challenge and all that, but I don't have any emotional attachment to the place. The day it stops being a viable business is the day I'll be moving on! However with quotas going next year, and plenty of scope here to produce cheap milk from grass I think the next few years will be good, how good is up to how well I manage the farm!

frazzledhome

mix_up wrote: »

considering the cost of the assets needed to farm , its not the ideal way to build wealth and most farmers dont make very much money and nothing close to what you would call wealth

that said , not everyone can be steve jobs or michael o leary , dairy farming is probably as good as any means to achieving wealth ,at least in rural ireland

Fair point but with the skills I have/haven't its my way of doing it. Margin may be lower with few windfalls but its consistent if you're in any way switched on. I actually can't think of a better way of building wealth tbh. Any land I've bought has been paid for with other people's assets ie leased land.

Attitude is king. Sentiment has no place in any business.

Base price

Agree with Whelan - out the back door and your at work.
Like others have said the freedom to make your own decisions and living with the consequences. Unfortunately I cannot remain farming on a full time bases - we won't mention the war re factory prices - but I appreciate the fact that I can and do farm part time. Best way of life and work as far as I am concerned.

Greengrass1

Sure is. Myself and tge girlfriend walked to pub this afternoon had dinner and a few bulmers.
Came back and dosed calves.
Where other job could ye have tge freedom to stuff like thaf
For me us progess. Seeing this went well we'll do it that way again and keeping your hands on more of the money you made.
Still have the gra for farming that I had when I finished college.
Its hard to shake

Miname

frazzledhome wrote: »

I farm for one thing and one thing only, money and creating wealth. The calvings, cute calves, wolly lambs do nothing for me. The challenge of building a business and being able to go to all my kids activities is what it's about for me. Work like a hoor and take holidays and a few breaks with the family

I have to say i feel the same way about my full time job and its working out, but theres something completly different with farming, i ensure it pays its way and expands but theres more of a passion with it. i could earn multiples of what i do farming if i spent the same time in the other job, but theres just something about it. Its like heroin only a harder habit to kick.

John_Rambo

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Sure is. Myself and tge girlfriend walked to pub this afternoon had dinner and a few bulmers.
Came back and dosed calves.
Where other job could ye have tge freedom to stuff like that

Advertising. And bill the client for the food and drinks. (I'm not kidding)

Interesting thread. Good to see the different opinions of the workplace and it's a good insight to what makes you tick.

I often stay on my friends husbands farm and what he does day to day is a cross between engineering, large animal circus training, hard labour in a North Korean prison, and a strong man competition (in mud). All this whilst dealing with absalute shysters.

I sometimes help out or I just look on in amazement as I try and clean the muck off my skinny jeans.

RightTurnClyde

Here it is in a nutshell
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj5fImveQxo

GRASSorMUCK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

Count Mondego

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Here it is in a nutshell]

The man's a genius. Best comedian in Engerland.

Sam Kade

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

If he is as sh1te at farming as he is at comedy I wouldn't hold much hope for him.

TITANIUM.

Sam Kade wrote: »

If he is as sh1te at farming as he is at comedy I wouldn't hold much hope for him.

Gotta say that I enjoyed that sketch.
Very good.

Damo810

mix_up wrote: »

considering the cost of the assets needed to farm , its not the ideal way to build wealth and most farmers dont make very much money and nothing close to what you would call wealth

that said , not everyone can be steve jobs or michael o leary , dairy farming is probably as good as any means to achieving wealth ,at least in rural ireland

When you look at land as an investment over the years though it hasn't fared that badly making an bit an acre every year on top of that is a nice dividends too.

There is no other industry I want to work in. Over the years I have had interests in different things they've come and gone but the grá for farming will always be there. Theres no way I could stick to an office job, farming just ticks all the boxes for me.

Reggie.

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

Very good

Dawggone

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

Lol. Loved it.

frazzledhome

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

Lol

Brown Podzol

GRASSorMUCK wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXPgl6HIKYU
This is quite funny, listen to the end very good points.

Very good. Put me in good humour on this Sunday morning.

Miname

Sam Kade wrote: »

If he is as sh1te at farming as he is at comedy I wouldn't hold much hope for him.

your in the wrong thread here sam:D

jfh

i recently finished up working for company, case of moving away if i wanted to stay with them. The day i finished up, i took the young fella(5yr) out from baby sitter,he was bored out of his head wathcing tv, brought him out to farm & let him pretend he was farming. everyday after school i would collect him & spend time with him, never got this chance when working.
there's great freedom in farming, now if i could only make money

Willfarman

The changing of the seasons. Amazing to be picking off ewe lambs for breeding and preparing for the cycle again. Time to replenish the firewood.

Dickie10

I agree with most lads here I cant shake off the love of it since I started to help lambing sheep when I was seven with the mother, me father was in Cheltenham and the older brother at boarding school. ever since that I was hooked. the father bought the place from working on building in England, he would have a good enough intrest but nothing over and beyond. he would definitely be a construction first man, and sure if the farm turned a pound or two so be it. I became really hands on after school as he slowed down with age . the brother is in same mould as my father, in construction without a whole lot of time or intrest in the farm(hes 37 ) now so probarbly wont. the father wants me to take over in my own name the last 2 or 3 years but im just finishing college BA at the minute so finish my last year and then I prob take over when I can get a job to go along with it, cant wait to start on my own name as im basically running the whole farm this last 3 years. I have made every decision on the farm and the auld lad must have complete faith at this stage, were on average up by 6-7k in the last 5 years, so im happy with that although the place was a mess before that when I was in my teens. I really am looking forward to the next few years even if prices are poor at the minute! the day I get that first blue card with my own name....simple things ; )

keep going

Completely missed this thread 3 weeks ago but good to see it.like many people worked at other jobs as well as farming which really proved how much I prefer it.personally I like the way the year gos in my setup, the month arround christmas when days are short I take it fairly handy and then it just ramps up from then untilabout sept when all the big jobs are done and then I usually start a few building jobs and tidying up afew things but which I always get a big kick out of

ABlur

Dickie10
Thanks, lovely post, kind of neutralises some of the other threads on here at the moment and reminds us of why we are farmers!

just do it

Dickie10 wrote: »

I agree with most lads here I cant shake off the love of it since I started to help lambing sheep when I was seven with the mother, me father was in Cheltenham and the older brother at boarding school. ever since that I was hooked. the father bought the place from working on building in England, he would have a good enough intrest but nothing over and beyond. he would definitely be a construction first man, and sure if the farm turned a pound or two so be it. I became really hands on after school as he slowed down with age . the brother is in same mould as my father, in construction without a whole lot of time or intrest in the farm(hes 37 ) now so probarbly wont. the father wants me to take over in my own name the last 2 or 3 years but im just finishing college BA at the minute so finish my last year and then I prob take over when I can get a job to go along with it, cant wait to start on my own name as im basically running the whole farm this last 3 years. I have made every decision on the farm and the auld lad must have complete faith at this stage, were on average up by 6-7k in the last 5 years, so im happy with that although the place was a mess before that when I was in my teens. I really am looking forward to the next few years even if prices are poor at the minute! the day I get that first blue card with my own name....simple things ; )

Fair deuce. Before sign over make sure you've all your ducks in a row to take advantage regarding tax and grants.