Are you planning to jump ship?

[teslacoils]

Thought that a little sad for a moment... but then reminded myself that I can count on three fingers who I can rely on! Myself, the missus and most of the time, the old man.... covid seemed to put pay to socialising.... Don't tend to argue at home, got you lot for that

My new years resolution in 2019 was to get a new friend. I achieved this in 2022. The bar for friendship for me is "has this person come to my house for tea, or have I been invited to theirs for tea"? Tea being a meal served in the late afternoon. People are so mobile now and we very rarely have people in our lives that have that level of bond that you have with friends from your childhood that you grew up with. So yeah, it doesnt sound like many. And I have a lot of friendly acquaintances. But I know that the few I put in the friends bracket will *always* have my back when needed.

 

[Red Fred]

My new years resolution in 2019 was to get a new friend. I achieved this in 2022. The bar for friendship for me is "has this person come to my house for tea, or have I been invited to theirs for tea"? Tea being a meal served in the late afternoon. People are so mobile now and we very rarely have people in our lives that have that level of bond that you have with friends from your childhood that you grew up with. So yeah, it doesnt sound like many. And I have a lot of friendly acquaintances. But I know that the few I put in the friends bracket will *always* have my back when needed.

I find that quite a few of my close friends from school and college have fallen off the perch over the last few years and once they are gone, you can't replace them as you will never share those times again. I have begun to see every year as a bonus and find myself thinking "I've had a whole 5 years extra compared to Norm and Elaine" This has altered the way I think about the future as I realise I'm no longer indestructible.

 

[teslacoils]

I find that quite a few of my close friends from school and college have fallen off the perch over the last few years and once they are gone, you can't replace them as you will never share those times again. I have begun to see every year as a bonus and find myself thinking "I've had a whole 5 years extra compared to Norm and Elaine" This has altered the way I think about the future as I realise I'm no longer indestructible.

You have to work to maintain them. Especially with distance. Currently planning on visiting my best friend, who i havent seen in two years. In fairness, he does live 7000 miles away.

 

[som farmer]

Long way to go yet and a lot of events could happen between now and then , I recon at "best" labour could be in hung parliament territory .

thought rishi was another useless politician.
but he has got a few things sorted, with the EU and other 'problems', doesn't change with the wind, and thinks of the future.

still not certain, but not writing him off, just yet.

we most certainly need a steady pair of hands at the wheel.

 

[L P]

thought rishi was another useless politician.
but he has got a few things sorted, with the EU and other 'problems', doesn't change with the wind, and thinks of the future.

still not certain, but not writing him off, just yet.

we most certainly need a steady pair of hands at the wheel.

PMs you don't hear daily news of are always doing a good job.

 

[serf]

thought rishi was another useless politician.
but he has got a few things sorted, with the EU and other 'problems', doesn't change with the wind, and thinks of the future.

still not certain, but not writing him off, just yet.

we most certainly need a steady pair of hands at the wheel.

Not saying sunak will win or win outright but with the way the migrant job and other world events are going and folks are p!SSEd with it all the likes of reform could be the king maker who knows ....

 

[neilo]

thought rishi was another useless politician.
but he has got a few things sorted, with the EU and other 'problems', doesn't change with the wind, and thinks of the future.

still not certain, but not writing him off, just yet.

we most certainly need a steady pair of hands at the wheel.

I wouldn’t disagree and, if he’d been in post instead of the previous two, he might have prevented so much damage being done.

He’ll get blamed when the actions on the watch of those two bring the government down though, and not get the credit due to him.

 

[neilo]

Not saying sunak will win or win outright but with the way the migrant job and other world events are going and folks are p!SSEd with it all the likes of reform could be the king maker who knows ....

I disagree. The handful of people that vote for Reform will just be those that want the Tories to veer even further to the right. Those people will only take from the Tory vote, weakening their position still further.

Labour ‘should’ have a majority in the bag, but I wouldn’t put it past them to squander that lead and need to rely on the resurgent Lib Dem’s for power.
Boris is primarily responsible for blowing the 2019 majority, although he’ll not carry the can for it.

 

[Hanspree]

I pressume he meant 300k in upgrading existing milking setup and if it was worth as opposed to startup , but I could be wrong .

Yep, already milking 150. Cow building roof to replace, calf shed and with new regulations extra slurry storage. Yes there is grants, but it seems to depend where you are in the country, not much money readily available in Lancashire, and you still have to borrow the money first.
All this just to milk the same number of cows. Get the usual speel you need to milk more cows to pay for it, then onto the hamster wheel where you can’t get off.
Things are changing, and the banks will have the last say. They’d rather I spent £200,000 to convert to holiday cottages than milking cows. So would I for an easier life, then work for someone else part time.

 

[Gedd]

I find that quite a few of my close friends from school and college have fallen off the perch over the last few years and once they are gone, you can't replace them as you will never share those times again. I have begun to see every year as a bonus and find myself thinking "I've had a whole 5 years extra compared to Norm and Elaine" This has altered the way I think about the future as I realise I'm no longer indestructible.

Im the same age bracket as you 65 was my easing off age but theyve moved the pension age back to 67 so carry on till 65 ease off till 67 then see how i feel (if im still around) have a mate 77 planned to hand tenancy in this autumn unfortunatly he has the big C and probably wont see xmas that has concentrated my mind a bit

 

[serf]

I disagree. The handful of people that vote for Reform will just be those that want the Tories to veer even further to the right. Those people will only take from the Tory vote, weakening their position still further.

Labour ‘should’ have a majority in the bag, but I wouldn’t put it past them to squander that lead and need to rely on the resurgent Lib Dem’s for power.
Boris is primarily responsible for blowing the 2019 majority, although he’ll not carry the can for it.

Well the "Red wall" would be more likely to go to reform than labour so there's a fair chunk ,

but labour might get some of the SNP seats and could push them back up the poll so who knows .

Theres a long way to go yet , you never know Labour might announce a policy

and scare the horse good and proper .....

 

[Pilatus]

I found this year was the first year I didn't really enjoy the annual battle to get the grass home, which has always been my main driving force since I left college 40 years ago. I didn't do any hay in June as I had a random whole farm inspection which caused major stress, although everything turned out OK and I received my compliance form. After that, the weather and breakdowns conspired against me.
It coincided with my 60th birthday which put a damper on things, My sisters kindly gave us a few days in Devon as a birthday present, but it was hard to switch off as it was one of the few periods of decent weather. However as someone remarked on here at the time, "go away- you'll soon forget the hay making but you'll always remember your time away" and so it has proved.
I'm now at the point where I am starting to suffer physically, needing a day off after a couple of days of one-man tractoring. With no children to carry on, I'm seriously counting the days down now until I downsize. I have no intention of sitting around doing nothing, but think I will be better off phasing out the cows and giving up the tenancy, keeping our little flock of Dartie sheep on our own 50 acres and doing jobs with my old tractors on a small scale. We have managed to rent out our own barns which has eased things, and I enjoy helping Mrs Fred with her RDA youngsters at the stables. As has been said, the only real obstacle is untangling the spider's web that seems to bind a stock farm togetherbut I think it is partly imaginary.
My plan has always been to get to 63, then spend a couple of years tidying up and getting rid of un-needed stuff before being gone at 65, but suddenly 63 is just a couple of years away and 65 is less time from now than I spent as a student.

Older age, when you have less drive certainly creeps up on us all quicker than we think.
Very, very hard to convince youngsters to start a pension fund however small when one’s in one’s early thirties, unfortunately I didn’t.

 

[Red Fred]

Older age, when you have less drive certainly creeps up on us all quicker than we think.
Very, very hard to convince youngsters to start a pension fund however small when one’s in one’s early thirties, unfortunately I didn’t.

Luckily I religiously paid into a pension for many years so I still aim to take it easier at 65, especially with our bit of building rent coming in. If you are not careful you just end up working for its own sake rather than any real benefit, and time runs away.

 

[Chasingmytail]

Havent bought straw for the cattle yet. Concerned as financially cant afford it considering selling the cows.

 

[killie_cowboy]

Long way to go yet and a lot of events could happen between now and then , I recon at "best" labour could be in hung parliament territory .

I think things are set up for 1997 all over again. Tories are dead in the water and labour are going to roll over the SNP in Scotland. To top it I'll be voting reform as pointless as it may be and encourage others to as well. The Tories only serve the rich, they have no political stance or morals. If it means labour get in so be it, they're two sides of the same coin now socially.

 

[Jonp]

Havent bought straw for the cattle yet. Concerned as financially cant afford it considering selling the cows.

It was about this time last year that I sold all my cows, no grass and feeding them outdoors for 150 days over winter just didn't stack up. Hard decision but the right one.

 

[serf]

I think things are set up for 1997 all over again. Tories are dead in the water and labour are going to roll over the SNP in Scotland. To top it I'll be voting reform as pointless as it may be and encourage others to as well. The Tories only serve the rich, they have no political stance or morals. If it means labour get in so be it, they're two sides of the same coin now socially.

I'm with you really on Voting Reform , what you got to loose is my theory !
If you vote for these pretend conservatives they will think we agree with them so the only way to make them take note is not to!
As you say even if it gives the other useless cretins a possibility of getting in ....

You sound like you were here for the 97 election with how you write even though you weren't even a fetus at the time

 

[Bald Rick]

Yep, already milking 150. Cow building roof to replace, calf shed and with new regulations extra slurry storage. Yes there is grants, but it seems to depend where you are in the country, not much money readily available in Lancashire, and you still have to borrow the money first.
All this just to milk the same number of cows. Get the usual speel you need to milk more cows to pay for it, then onto the hamster wheel where you can’t get off.
Things are changing, and the banks will have the last say. They’d rather I spent £200,000 to convert to holiday cottages than milking cows. So would I for an easier life, then work for someone else part time.

Apologies … I didn’t realise that you are “one of us”

You have a very tough call to make tbh at 48 with kids too young to know if you have a successor(s) set against spending £300k just to improve infrastructure to appease a government who flips and flops at the stroke of the pen depending which environmental NGO is shouting loudest.

Out of interest, do you farm in an area of Lancashire that attracts tourists/visitors? Occupancy rate is key to profitability on holiday lets and it might be worth a chat with Sykes to get a handle on the current and future market. We did and from that have put in for planning to develop a tumbledown farm Bailiffs cottage with a focus on disabled access as it’s USP

 

[DrWazzock]

Can’t jump anywhere at the moment. Looking after my wife. Didn’t think we’d end up like this. Cooking Sunday dinner as I type as well as making a frame to fit the slug pelleter on the 135. I would hope to take more of a back seat as my brother’s family gets old enough if they want it. Ideally I’d like to do more technical / mechanical work. I am gradually changing things and streamlining / winding down the arable. But it does take time to do in an orderly fashion. No beet this year. A bit sad but had to go. Last year was a nightmare not because I dislike beet per se but juggling it with wife’s care was difficult.
I can see this farm ending up as mostly livestock / grass. Would be best thing for it really. I’ve no regrets though really. I’ve done different jobs in different places. Farming is just one of them.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Well the "Red wall" would be more likely to go to reform than labour so there's a fair chunk ,

but labour might get some of the SNP seats and could push them back up the poll so who knows .

Theres a long way to go yet , you never know Labour might announce a policy

and scare the horse good and proper .....

Fair point, The hillbillies all used to vote democrat but now vote Trump.