Free/Cheap labour for lodging

rounders

Hi lads,
Might be a bit of a strange one but I have a delema. So My farm is getting old and isnt able to keep up with the farm work and I'm moving away from the farm shortly. We also are just after renovating a old farm house on a out farm that we plan on renting out so the idea struck me, would it be able to solve two birds with one stone. I seen websites like http://www.wwoof.ie where international students come work on your organic farm for free in exchange for free lodging. ONly problem is we arent organic farming. Anyone hear of anything simular for dairy farming?

99problems

rounders wrote:

Hi lads, Might be a bit of a strange one but I have a delema. So My farm is getting old and isnt able to keep up with the farm work and I'm moving away from the farm shortly. We also are just after renovating a old farm house on a out farm that we plan on renting out so the idea struck me, would it be able to solve two birds with one stone. I seen websites like

rounders wrote:

where international students come work on your organic farm for free in exchange for free lodging. ONly problem is we arent organic farming. Anyone hear of anything simular for dairy farming?

Just pay for Labour and stop being so mean.

rounders

99problems wrote: »

Just pay for Labour and stop being so mean.

Its more finding someone for the house that wouldnt wreak the place if we were renting out normally. It isnt a case of trying to be cheap and not pay someone. Just trying to solve two problems

greysides

rounders wrote: »

Anyone hear of anything simular for dairy farming?

Yes, I know of a non-organic dairy farm that takes woofers. They all seem happy with the situation. Owner is present to supervise (and work the farm) as many have no agricultural background.

The part time boy

I used to take forgien students at one stage . They might come for 3 to 6 months . They work Monday to Friday . In return they got food and board and a bit of payment . They go around ireland at weekend and explore .

Worked very well but I think the difference is they got feed and were made feel part of the family

greysides

The part time boy wrote: »

I used to take forgien students at one stage . They might come for 3 to 6 months . They work Monday to Friday . In return they got food and board and a bit of payment . They go around ireland at weekend and explore .

Worked very well but I think the difference is they got feed and were made feel part of the family

As I understand it, that is very similar to the situation I know of.

rangler1

greysides wrote: »

Yes, I know of a non-organic dairy farm that takes woofers. They all seem happy with the situation. Owner is present to supervise (and work the farm) as many have no agricultural background.

yea, a member of our discussion group with a very big farm mentioned getting buildings ready for WOOFers....... says they're great value.
Probably be mentioning them in the farming INDO in the next few weeks

patsy_mccabe

Surely they should get the minimum wage at least?

_Brian

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Surely they should get the minimum wage at least?

It's not really an employment situation though, it's an agreement between both parties where one volunteers labour and is provided with accommodation while doing so.

me_right_one

Where abouts in Ireland are you?

tractorporn

99problems wrote:

Just pay for Labour and stop being so mean.

greysides wrote:

Yes, I know of a non-organic dairy farm that takes woofers. They all seem happy with the situation. Owner is present to supervise (and work the farm) as many have no agricultural background.

I know of a hort place down south that takes 15 woofers every summer. The ethos of woofing is knowledge exchange so most of the people coming over are from European citys and have no or very limited experience of farming.

Woofing is not exclusively organic but most of volunteers will be looking for placement in organic hort with a view to gaining the skills to set up their own hort enterprise.

Oops69

what century are you living in, the 19th maybe? , appalling to post this in this day and age .

greysides

Oops69 wrote: »

what century are you living in, the 19th maybe? , appalling to post this in this day and age .

No one is making anyone work for free. It's an organisation that's already set up and functioning. The OP is just wondering if he can make use of it.

The Woofers I've met are intelligent people in their late teens, early 20's mainly, some older, who are looking to travel cheaply and experience a different type of lifestyle. Some have an agricultural background and want to see how it's done in other countries but most don't. They are the 'young' and 'young at heart'. Same kind of situation as those who go/went 'Euro-railing'.
They bring a different view to how things are done (when they have experience to share- as many have been on other similar farms before- they travel from farm to farm for months), others will gain skills and experience that they can use or stories to tell in their dotterage.

On the farm I know, there are usually more than one present so they meet other people of a like-mind and they have their days off to go and explore. To many it's a working holiday. Others maybe decompressing after divorce etc.

rangler1

Oops69 wrote: »

what century are you living in, the 19th maybe? , appalling to post this in this day and age .

Plenty of places availing of it....might surprise you if you link to whatever province you're in.

http://www.wwoof.ie/page/18834

Future Farmer

rounders wrote: »

Hi lads,
Might be a bit of a strange one but I have a delema. So My farm is getting old and isnt able to keep up with the farm work and I'm moving away from the farm shortly. We also are just after renovating a old farm house on a out farm that we plan on renting out so the idea struck me, would it be able to solve two birds with one stone. I seen websites like http://www.wwoof.ie where international students come work on your organic farm for free in exchange for free lodging. ONly problem is we arent organic farming. Anyone hear of anything simular for dairy farming?

Where are you based? How many you milking? What are facilities like?

_Brian

Oops69 wrote: »

what century are you living in, the 19th maybe? , appalling to post this in this day and age .

Seems your the one living in the century of closed minds.
If everyone is gaining something then what is the problem ??

tabby aspreme

OP take a look at "workaway.info" similar to woofers but without the organic emphasis.

davidk1394

Just wondering. Did anyone do this as a back packer or as a host ?? It'd be an interesting way of travelling the world or getting a helping hand when you need it.