Farming Youtubers

timple23

@farmerphil135 watched your video there on the bale fork, fair play to you for trying to learn a new skill. I'd be a bit concerned about how the box is welded on, by that I'm referring to the design and not welding ability. When you will go pick up a bale, you will flick the grab up, the stress point will be your welds. The law of the lever will be acting against you. What I would have done was welded on smaller box to that bottom box section that would slide up into the box of the frame, it would give a bit more strength to it. I would definitely beef it up, maybe if you could get channel that would slot over the upright box and cut off both sides at the bottom and slide down to bottom box and weld it up. You could be driving down the field with a couple of bales on, fork breaks and goes under the front axle or tractor rolls over.

farmerphil135

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250568#Comment_120250568

Thank you. Yeah I’ve a good bit of beefing to do. Planning on using some flat strips to join the bottom to the uprights front and back along with putting in some corner braces

orm0nd

Good honest informative video from Canning farms up to day. He is one of you tubers I continue to follow and watch.

mayota

I'm also following, interesting videos and a positive attitude. Best of luck to him with the contract rearing and the channel.

kk.man

You would have to take your hat off to that girl down in Kerry. She's a credit the way she works away.

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257685#Comment_120257685

She is……but life is too short for the forking of silage she to be at. A small loader on the tractor would be life changing on that operation (wouldn’t use it for carrying bales as such)

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120258390#Comment_120258390

Sure I know but she's only starting out.

funkey_monkey

Was impressed with her last video of topping and changing the shear bolt too.

orm0nd

AFAIK she has a good job as well, it's a great comfort for her dad that she stepped in and took over .

She's a lovely lass that any parent would be proud of.

dohc turbo2

She paying for a mortgage on the house she said so spending on machine not an option at moment, tbh she a breath of fresh air to watch, I wouldn't be able for the pikin she dose with my back , she is a tough nut though

Say my name

62 years ago....

Saying that. Tom Hanks had the same phone fighting U Boats on his destroyer 18 years previously.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jPZ1F2HVLZM

youllbemine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263015#Comment_120263015

Class video, was that someone in the field trying to avoid the spray from tbw helicopter 🤣

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263833#Comment_120263833

They were suited up. Bar the head, eyes, ears and lungs. Most likely a gps for the helicopter in the field.🤨

youllbemine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263876#Comment_120263876

Would be keen to find out the health status of that individual. The sprays back then wouldn't have been the best...

Injuryprone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120258390#Comment_120258390

I think she's addressed that before that she knows the job could be done alot easier but doing it that way is good exercise for her and saves on the gym membership. It's why she does it that way

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264544#Comment_120264544

I'm in the same boat - a little bit of physical exercise is good for the body and mind.

Not the way to go long-term but once you're doing it by choice, then drive on.

farmingquestion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264544#Comment_120264544

Gym membership still better option for staying fit and healthy if given the choice.

Most farmers are bet by the time they're 70. You won't see many gym exercises for the back with similar form to forking silage.

farmingquestion

I saw one of her videos pop up as a suggestion but didn't click in. They're all too samey. Thumbnail with picture of them with hand on their head with caption of something like "can anything else go wrong!?!"

She'll have the 135 upgraded once the youtube money starts coming in 🤑

Being an attractive woman probably means it's worth at least 30k subscribers anyways.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265072#Comment_120265072

Not too many gym users have reached 70 yet...

roosterman71

Arnie disagrees

If I see any thumbnails with hands on their heads or mouth wide open I will not watch that video as a rule. I’ve noticed recently ads on YouTube are getting longer and often not able to skip, still beats watching tv with all their ads, rte often have ads running for 5 minutes.

farmingquestion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265735#Comment_120265735

If you're using a PC, get adblocker. I watch youtube on the firestick sometimes but I can't stand it with all the ads.

vincenzolorenzo

Fair play to her, she has a great work ethic and the circumstances that lead her to taking over the running of it must have been very difficult.

But given that its a family farm for probably decades I am amazed at how little infrastructure there is. In one video she's spreading dung by hand with a fork out of a transport box. I thought that practice would have been gone in the 1970s, or 80s worst case.

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265877#Comment_120265877

It’s a very small farm worth noting. 6 cows and followers I think.

So the fact that have slatted tank (I think) is huge really. Small loader on the 135 would be life changing. Forking wet first cut silage is back breaking work.

she might even gets a tams grant for loader?

farm to fork

I don't know about you but I inherited a farm from the ring feeder generation who felt cattle needed a good run of a place to thrive. I can relate to karen Moynihan, O'Sullivans farm and I Do Agri starting out taking over making decisions and trying to improve their farm. I remember hanging a gate or putting in a water trough making such a improvement around the place. First milestones of having a concrete floor in a bedded shed, putting in my first slatted tank upgrading the tractor etc. All these changes came with hard work and time. But unfortunately any further improvements will cost at least 50k or more. So fair play to all the youtubers putting their lives on the screen and allowing us to follow them. If they can get an extra income from Youtube fair play to them and I hope they will help develop their farms and achieve all their goals. I have one more bit of building to do and I will have the yard the way I want but at current prices I will have to wait a bit longer.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265877#Comment_120265877

There’s still one youngish enough man, (late 40’s or so) around here that was doing it up to a year or 2 ago. Used to cut all his own hedges by hand too!

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120275574#Comment_120275574

Thanks. And I'm in a similar position as yourself now: I've invested in a few bits and pieces (shed [kinda], tractor, water troughs, reseeding, hanging gates, etc.) but the next investment needs to be €40-50k on slurry storage.

The issues are (1) what enterprise will allow me to repay that type of loan, and (2) where to build that slurry storage. There are two possible locations. If I put it in one place, it means sticking with calf-to-beef or a variation on same, but if I put it in the other then it means dairy. Whatever I decide in the coming months will dictate what I do for the next 10-20 years.

Hence, there's a bit of uncertainty and flip-flopping in my videos at the moment.

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120257685#Comment_120257685

Watched her last night and i take my hat off to her.the way she s handling the whole situation is a credit to her and it was a nice change of pace from the intense pressure going on on our setups and many more dairy farms around the country.i even found myself saying to myself despite my misgivings about the economics of suckling that maybe everything isnt about money.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120275797#Comment_120275797

I think your best option is to seek out a partnership with a small dairy farmer in your locality. They would have the essential elements like equipment and an existing herd.

You would have a lot to offer in terms of additional land, know how and sheds for young stock.

This option would allow you to maybe retain your part time job as well.

I think it would be a good option as you avoid debt and still bring a lot to the table.

funkey_monkey

I thought it was interesting that Canning farms didn't need to cubicle train the heifers before they went back to their owner.

Don't know if that is the norm, but it would allow conversion more cheaply.

ruwithme

Just watching karen here now for first time from above mentions. Grand looking lassie, good delivery.

Lorraine killen should watch her & learn not to be such a poser on camera.

Bound to be a member on the forum here karen??

ruwithme

Picking stone's, jayus, she's like me self, she enjoys a bit of hardship, no harm in that if your making progress.

ruwithme

Twould warm a lads heart that grape work in the passage & the 135 firing up.no harm to gerry, ado & phil,its a great change to listen to this lassie.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120280195#Comment_120280195

Thanks. And I wouldn’t rule out a partnership.

But I’ve a cousin’s advice in the back of my head. He bought a machine for spreading peat under cows with a neighbour, but bought out his share after 12 months. Too much hassle and several near rows. He said never again and “Partners are only for dancing!”

TheDoc77

Hi all,

New lad started up on YouTube about a month ago, Fox’s Sugarloaf Farm, might be of interest to some. He’s putting up about 2 videos a week. He’s a suckler and sheep farmer from Wicklow so a bit different to the dairying. Also does some contracting.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281674#Comment_120281674

It could work out though with the right dance partner. Like Michael Flattley and Jean Butler

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281674#Comment_120281674

A man locally who done very well out of farming had a saying that "the only thing in life you should join are you're hands". I'd definitely second his advice and try to do everything with my own resources and ask no one's permission for anything. Perhaps some people are cut out for partnerships but the majority aren't imo. Someone always ends up feeling hard done by or that there putting in the lions share ect. This only ends the one way and almost always in a falling out.

A friend of mine swears that his father's last words to him before he died were as follows. "Love everyone, trust few and always paddle you're own canoe". That's as good a mantra as any imo.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281900#Comment_120281900

He’s good. No hiding the harder aspects of the game. He has pedigree stock as well so a different element

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120280848#Comment_120280848

I could feel my back twinging looking at it.

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120285605#Comment_120285605

There might be room for lads getting together on some bits but 100% joined-at-the-hip would be very hard. You’d want to get on better with them than with the wife.

And even yourself and the wife need a break from each other too!

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120286454#Comment_120286454

You’d want to get on better with them than with the wife.

Most lads don't get on with the wife at all Siamsa, it's just if they don't keep quite & put up she will walk off with half the farm😅

Marriage is the most dangerous partnership of all

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120286454#Comment_120286454

I think it makes a lot of sense for a few reasons

1. Shared labour - if one person is ill or goes on holiday they you are covered. Also, great to have a second willing person to help for bigger jobs.
2. Shared Resources - ground, animals, sheds, gear. No panic if one tractor breaks down etc.
3. Shared expertise - both parties will have unique skills

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120285605#Comment_120285605

Agree with you and many years ago done Summer work as a chap for a man that had 3 garage sale doing tractors and cars, his only business advice was be master on your own even it was a wheel barrow.

tanko

I see Mr CVX got his Case sold, it was on Donedeal for €26K + VAT.

Stationmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265877#Comment_120265877

Just inherited the family farm - 3 generations on it before me. 60 odd acres of mixed land. No slatted house. 1 1991 Fiat tractor, a bale handler and transport box - that was it!

Odelay

Thought this was interesting. Sugar beet on a slightly larger scale.

@farmerphil135 This will be you next year!😀

SUGARBEET MAFIA - The Story of America's Largest Beet Harvest - YouTube

farmerphil135

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307686#Comment_120307686

I watched it the other night. Some operation and organisation to keep it running.

that outfit could lift all the beet in Ireland😂

Kevhog1988

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120302049#Comment_120302049

dont look a gift horse in the mouth. Its a fair leg up compared to someone starting with nothing

funkey_monkey

@farmerphil135 - what are you going to do differently this year to get high quality silage? I'm assuming that you always aimed for high quality in the past, so what will be different this time around?

Stationmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120310209#Comment_120310209

Oh Jesus no, I love it. I was only making the point to the person that said they were surprised with how little equipment etc was on the Kerry farm that it’s probably my more common than you might think especially on smaller farms in the west.