mikehankin
Member
You don't know any farmers that might be willing to help me with exactly this do you?
Starting a farm from nothing... I mean nothing
- Thread starter mikehankin
- Start date
No, but must be simpler than setting up an actual farm. If the goal is getting urban folk to have a short insight into the farming world, then its a lot like work experience. I think many here would tell you that getting decent, motiviated staff is on a par with securing a tenancy! But you dont want to send someone to an arable farm in winter; you dont want to send someone to be on the business end of a shovel all week. You want someone who will give a week to show them several aspects of a job. So you need to find a decent sized company with a desire for a good public image to say "yes, we will offer a weeks placement where each day they will essentially shadow a different aspect of what we do". That is a lot, lot different from my day job on an arable farm which might be sat inside all week while it rains, and sat in a sprayer all week while it is sunny.
For that you would be better approaching the egg packers / meat processors / veg or salad packers, or other more integrated sectors of the farming ladder as they have the variety. I'd take someone on a weeks work experience for some pennies, but the nature of the job means that it could easily be a week where I do very little, or an awful lot. I expect that many new and young entrants for farming will begin doing some real drudgery, whereas through an egg packer they could perhaps spend a day or two hatching chicks, a day or two collecting eggs, another day sizing / packing them. We do a lot of jobs, but seldom a different one every day.
sheep&cows&stuff
Member
I wouldn't look about funding - you will have enough to borrow for throughout the first few years (like a tractor). Try saving first.
My costing's painted a bleak picture, and from them it is hard to see how it would ever be viable financially - but don't let that put you off - it will all be worth it eventually.
I work full time and have a great career - my main driver for building up is 3 fold :
1 ) Its a healthy hobby - keeps me sane and out of the pub
2 ) I want to retire to full time farming in my 40's
3 ) I want to have built up something to leave to my children (I am only 25 so don't have of those yet)
Another point which I would like to make is probably controversial, but do not be afraid to borrow to buy land. You will never regret it and you will always find a way of paying the mortgage.
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Started with nothing....and still got most of it left
Seasick Steve
Seasick Steve
Look up Gaia trust, would think ideal partnership.
Need some facts, i take it you are in the public sector involved with careers advice / help and looking at ways for agriculture to be part of this,
Either by starting a small farm, or finding partners to join in.
Short term , the biggest bridge to cross would be accommodation , it takes a special type of family to take in an unknown into their home, which is essentially
what many placement would require
Either by starting a small farm, or finding partners to join in.
Short term , the biggest bridge to cross would be accommodation , it takes a special type of family to take in an unknown into their home, which is essentially
what many placement would require
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
http://longlandsfarm.org.uk/
not quite doing what you want to do and didnt start from scratch but helping youngsters learn about farming and making good use of crowd funding/good marketing and a helpful celeb patron (Jon Snow).
not quite doing what you want to do and didnt start from scratch but helping youngsters learn about farming and making good use of crowd funding/good marketing and a helpful celeb patron (Jon Snow).
www.communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk
Hundreds of CSA projects around the UK, would suggest it's a model that fits your aspirations.
Hundreds of CSA projects around the UK, would suggest it's a model that fits your aspirations.
- Location
- South Wales UK
What Nothing ?
- Location
- South Wales UK
Get on the "gravy "train money for old rope !
- Location
- Essex
No one has mentioned education - go and do some short course and it might help you find your answers?
https://www.farminguk.com/farmingcourses
Also check out this website for funding opportunities to get your training subsidised. http://afcp.org.uk/
https://www.farminguk.com/farmingcourses
Also check out this website for funding opportunities to get your training subsidised. http://afcp.org.uk/
Dead Rabbits
Member
- Location
- 'Merica
Reckon you are looking at it wrong. What are you going to sell and how are you going to sell it. ? Don't worry about the production side till you figure that out.
You don't know anything about farming so you are an untainted mind. Capitalize on that.
mikehankin
Member
Great - I had no idea about these guys so I will reach out to them!
mikehankin
Member
Good advice... I guess I need to find a weird product? I know goat meat is making a comeback - any other thoughts for crazy farming enterprises... what would you do if you weren't 'tainted'
mikehankin
Member
Hi Joe Soapy, actually no. I'm a postgraduate student and I'm trying to bridge quite a complicated gap... Young black and ethnic minority groups in cities have almost zero access to the countryside, poor diets and very high unemployment - the farming industry needs more young people and is very un-diverse but obviously has GREAT access to the land and food. But young people can't gain access because they don't have experience... catch 22.
But you're right! accommodation is the issue, I can see that - I'm just hoping someone might be able to help out - even if I have to arrange a caravan!
mikehankin
Member
Also - if I can't sort this out I'm thinking 'maybe I could start a small farm specifically for this purpose'
primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
Has anyone mentioned The Black Farmer? (He'll come up on a search engine.)
There's a chap who might have some pointers for you in relation to bringing BAME (if that's the right term, apols if not) youngsters into rural occupations.
Or Michael Morpurgo? His Farm holidays for City Kids Charity is well established.
Or there might be a farmer who has no successor and would welcome a keen apprentice to train.
There's a chap who might have some pointers for you in relation to bringing BAME (if that's the right term, apols if not) youngsters into rural occupations.
Or Michael Morpurgo? His Farm holidays for City Kids Charity is well established.
Or there might be a farmer who has no successor and would welcome a keen apprentice to train.
Have a word with Sir Michael .... he's been doing it for years.
farmsforcitychildren.org/about-us/
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
So, you want to train young people in agriculture, but have no idea about it yourself. Problem there - it takes any years of experience to be successful at agriculture, so your suggestion that you just start a farm and then use it to teach others is either naive, stupid or downright patronising. I suggest that if you want to help others you need to have the skills yourself first - I'd recommend around 20 years' experience to be a good basis to build upon.
Your next idea, get other farmers to train kids instead, but without any funding. That doesn't seem fair on the farmers to give up their time without any payment. As a suggestion, universities give young folks an education for around £9k/ year, so why not start with that as a plan - offer to pay a farmer £9k to take a trainee on for a year, plus accommodation of course. You do realise that agriculture is a business, just like educational establishments are?
Your next idea, get other farmers to train kids instead, but without any funding. That doesn't seem fair on the farmers to give up their time without any payment. As a suggestion, universities give young folks an education for around £9k/ year, so why not start with that as a plan - offer to pay a farmer £9k to take a trainee on for a year, plus accommodation of course. You do realise that agriculture is a business, just like educational establishments are?
willie waver
Member
- Location
- walking in the ayr
pet hate of mine, people that think they can just start up and call themselves a farmer without any knowledge or experience. go to ag college and learn first. you wouldn't just start up as an accountant or architect or anything else without learning the job first. rant over