Can a very small farm pay its way

[le bon paysan]

All I know is that when I left the UK I was a tenant and small cottages on the estate were £150+ a week, hate to think what they are now. In 5 years time this farm is paid and the cottage in 7 years. When I die my 2 girls will have a house each and ground to do what they like with. It's only 72 Hc of a farm, small by most standards, but I could never have left them this if I had stayed in England. There is never much cash about to flash around but what I've never had I wont miss. There was a bloke on the news last night with £900 a month interest only mortgage on a house. I'd rather be me!

 

[roscoe erf]

All I know is that when I left the UK I was a tenant and small cottages on the estate were £150+ a week, hate to think what they are now. In 5 years time this farm is paid and the cottage in 7 years. When I die my 2 girls will have a house each and ground to do what they like with. It's only 72 Hc of a farm, small by most standards, but I could never have left them this if I had stayed in England. There is never much cash about to flash around but what I've never had I wont miss. There was a bloke on the news last night with £900 a month interest only mortgage on a house. I'd rather be me!

+1 these interest only mortgages are a time bomb heard on the news that most people with one will have to sell their home to pay back the capital.

 

[sleepy]

id rather have what ive got and owe nobody than have 10 times more and sit waitng for the bank to call my overdraft in!!!

I bet your farm was not purchased by your forefathers with that attitude.

 

[John 1594]

I bet your farm was not purchased by your forefathers with that attitude.

considering that we dont actually own much land, the majority of it is rented. Grandfather bought the house and the yard in 1963 for £1100.

 

[rob1]

I bet your farm was not purchased by your forefathers with that attitude.

Yes but it was much easier years ago. I know of someone whos great grandfather started by selling milk from one cow he had grazing verges he and then his son built enough capital to put 6 of the next generation into small farms. Try doing that now

 

[John 1594]

Yes but it was much easier years ago. I know of someone whos great grandfather started by selling milk from one cow he had grazing verges he and then his son built enough capital to put 6 of the next generation into small farms. Try doing that now

totally agree, in 1961 grandad borrowed £600 of his dad to buy a brand new county ploughman crawler, he spend the next 2 years contract ploughing with either a single furrow of a double furrow deep digger plough, it worked every day regardless of the conditions, he did have a makeshift cab though!

After 2 years the crawler was wore out, but he had earnt enough money to buy the house outright

 

[roscoe erf]

totally agree, in 1961 grandad borrowed £600 of his dad to buy a brand new county ploughman crawler, he spend the next 2 years contract ploughing with either a single furrow of a double furrow deep digger plough, it worked every day regardless of the conditions, he did have a makeshift cab though!

After 2 years the crawler was wore out, but he had earnt enough money to buy the house outright

try doing that today eh

 

[snowhite]

all i say is don't bite off to much , if you get a bad year or two , which is known to happen , you will be running after things for the rest of your life , life is to short and this is not a trill run

 

[John 1594]

all i say is don't bite off to much , if you get a bad year or two , which is known to happen , you will be running after things for the rest of your life , life is to short and this is not a trill run

like grandad always says, if you cant stand one bad year you might as well not bother in the first place

 

[roscoe erf]

all i say is don't bite off to much , if you get a bad year or two , which is known to happen , you will be running after things for the rest of your life , life is to short and this is not a trill run

are we back on the bird seed again

 

[snowhite]

like grandad always says, if you cant stand one bad year you might as well not bother in the first place

things are not like then i think , if you had a profit then you could put it away for the bad day ,
think that has gone out the window , since we moved to france we have had 4 dry years 2 have being the driest ever the last dry year followed the milk crises when even the best could not make they way ,

 

[snowhite]

are we back on the bird seed again

i know now you are a man , "all ways running after the birds "

 

[IANTO]

Couldn't get post to work earlier, wanted to say- I have googled farm size and its telling me the UK average is 54 Hc. and the French average is 56 Hc, that was a surprise as all you here about is the UKs big efficient units. Probably shows just how many family farms are out there

The following table gives the average Utilised Agricultural Area per farm. UK 55.4, France 48.6. French Farms must have more buildings, tracks, woodland, ponds and other excluded areas for SFP Purposes. Perhaps you all have Swimming Pools of Private Golf Courses.

What is striking at first sight is French Agriculture's share of GDP at 1.4% compared to the UK's 0.4%. I suspect that the added value in France comes from the Wine Growing Areas in sales of Wine, Champagne, Brandy, Armagnac, Calvados etc.

TABLE II: basic figures of community AGRICULTURE
 
Columns
1.Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) (1000 ha)   
2.Number of farms (1000 farms)   
3.UAA per farm (ha)  
4.Employment in the sector (agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing)(1000 people)   
5.Production of the sector of agricultural activity (million EUR)   
6.Share of agriculture of GDP/GVA (%)   
7.UAA classed as less-favoured area(%)
         2006    2005    2005    2006    2006    2006    2000–03
BE    1382.0    52    26.9    83    6 827    0.7    20.4
BG    5190.0    535    5.1    252    3 471    6.2    —
CZ    3566.0    42    84.2    182    3 567    0.8    50.4
DK    2699.0    48    53.6    87    8 133    1.1    1.1
DE   16951.0    390    43.7    844    40 070    0.6    49.6
EE       762.0    28    29.9    32    542    1.7    39.8
EL      3254.0    834    4.8    533    10 470    3.1    82.7
ES    25359.0    1 079    23.0    944    37 327    2.3    81.3
FR    29538.0    567    48.6    977    60 645    1.4    44.0
IE      4307.0    133    31.8    117    5 498    0.9    52.8
IT     14710.0    1 729    7.4    982    43 076    1.7    51.0
CY    169.0    45    3.4    15    618    2.3    90.5
LV    1 856.0    129    13.2    122    851    1.9    72.7
LT    2 791.0    253    11.0    187    1 612    2.3    43.7
LU    129.0    2    52.7    4    244    0.3    100.0
HU    5 809.0    715    6.0    188    6 001    2.5    19.2
MT    10.0    11    0.9    3    127    1.2    100.0
NL    1 899.0    82    23.9    259    22 110    1.7    11.1
AT    3 240.0    171    19.1    217    5 699    1.0    75.3
PL    15 957.0    2 477    6.0    2 304    16 173    2.4    51.2
PT    3 767.0    324    11.4    604    6 767    1.8    86.7
RO    14 117.0    4 256    3.3    2 843    14 365    7.2    —
SI    491.00    77    6.3    92    1 064    1.5    73.9
SK    1 939.0    69    27.4    101    1 770    1.1    50.2
FI    2 301.0    71    32.1    114    3 756    0.5    100.0
SE    3 150.0    76    42.1    98    4 382    0.4    52.1
UK    16 761.0    287    55.4    382    21 558    0.4    47.1
EU-15    145 404.0    5 843    21.4    6 244    276 562    1.1    57.4
EU-25    162 796.0    9 688    16.0    9 468    308 888    1.2    55.1
EU-27    182 103.0    14 479    11.9    12 564    326 725    1.2    —
Sources: European Commission, ‘Agriculture in the European Union — Statistical and economic information — 2007’; European Commission, ‘Rural development in the European Union — Statistical and economic information — Report 2007’, November 2007.

It makes one wonder whether UK Agriculture as a whole, is efficient as UK Farmers Claim.

To come back to the original question.
In most of the EU there appear to be thousands of Farmers making more per Hectare, and earning a living on very few hectares.







..

 

[snowhite]

The following table gives the average Utilised Agricultural Area per farm. UK 55.4, France 48.6. French Farms must have more buildings, tracks, woodland, ponds and other excluded areas for SFP Purposes. Perhaps you all have Swimming Pools of Private Golf Courses.

What is striking at first sight is French Agriculture's share of GDP at 1.4% compared to the UK's 0.4%. I suspect that the added value in France comes from the Wine Growing Areas in sales of Wine, Champagne, Brandy, Armagnac, Calvados etc.



TABLE II: basic figures of community AGRICULTURE

Utilised Agricultural Area​

(UAA)​

(1 000 ha)​

Number of farms​

(1 000 farms)​

UAA per farm​

(ha)​

Employment in the sector (agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing)​

(1 000 people)​

Production of the sector of agricultural activity​

(million EUR)​

Share of agriculture of GDP/GVA​

(%)​

UAA classed as less-favoured area​

(%)​

2006​

2005​

2005​

2006​

2006​

2006​

2000–03​

BE

1 382.0​

52​

26.9​

83​

6 827​

0.7​

20.4​

BG

5 190.0​

535​

5.1​

252​

3 471​

6.2​

—​

CZ

3 566.0​

42​

84.2​

182​

3 567​

0.8​

50.4​

DK

2 699.0​

48​

53.6​

87​

8 133​

1.1​

1.1​

DE

16 951.0​

390​

43.7​

844​

40 070​

0.6​

49.6​

EE

762.0​

28​

29.9​

32​

542​

1.7​

39.8​

EL

3 254.0​

834​

4.8​

533​

10 470​

3.1​

82.7​

ES

25 359.0​

1 079​

23.0​

944​

37 327​

2.3​

81.3​

FR

29 538.0​

567​

48.6​

977​

60 645​

1.4​

44.0​

IE

4 307.0​

133​

31.8​

117​

5 498​

0.9​

52.8​

IT

14 710.0​

1 729​

7.4​

982​

43 076​

1.7​

51.0​

CY

169.0​

45​

3.4​

15​

618​

2.3​

90.5​

LV

1 856.0​

129​

13.2​

122​

851​

1.9​

72.7​

LT

2 791.0​

253​

11.0​

187​

1 612​

2.3​

43.7​

LU

129.0​

2​

52.7​

4​

244​

0.3​

100.0​

HU

5 809.0​

715​

6.0​

188​

6 001​

2.5​

19.2​

MT

10.0​

11​

0.9​

3​

127​

1.2​

100.0​

NL

1 899.0​

82​

23.9​

259​

22 110​

1.7​

11.1​

AT

3 240.0​

171​

19.1​

217​

5 699​

1.0​

75.3​

PL

15 957.0​

2 477​

6.0​

2 304​

16 173​

2.4​

51.2​

PT

3 767.0​

324​

11.4​

604​

6 767​

1.8​

86.7​

RO

14 117.0​

4 256​

3.3​

2 843​

14 365​

7.2​

—​

SI

491.00​

77​

6.3​

92​

1 064​

1.5​

73.9​

SK

1 939.0​

69​

27.4​

101​

1 770​

1.1​

50.2​

FI

2 301.0​

71​

32.1​

114​

3 756​

0.5​

100.0​

SE

3 150.0​

76​

42.1​

98​

4 382​

0.4​

52.1​

UK

16 761.0​

287​

55.4​

382​

21 558​

0.4​

47.1​

EU-15

145 404.0​

5 843​

21.4​

6 244​

276 562​

1.1​

57.4​

EU-25

162 796.0​

9 688​

16.0​

9 468​

308 888​

1.2​

55.1​

EU-27

182 103.0​

14 479​

11.9​

12 564​

326 725​

1.2​

—​

Sources: European Commission, ‘Agriculture in the European Union — Statistical and economic information — 2007’; European Commission, ‘Rural development in the European Union — Statistical and economic information — Report 2007’, November 2007.

It makes one wonder whether UK Agriculture as a whole, is efficient as UK Farmers Claim.

To come back to the original question.
In most of the EU there appear to be thousands of Farmers making more per Hectare, and earning a living on very few hectares.







..

interesting

 

[John 1594]

small nail, big hammer

 

[snowhite]

small nail, big hammer

how you use the hammer is important , ( and use all the safety gear )

 

[IANTO]

interesting

Appologies.

It looked fine before I posted it.

Had another go and edited the post. Perhaps it looks a bit better.

Can anyone tell me how to cut and paste a table into a post.

 

[snowhite]

Appologies.

It looked fine before I posted it.

Had another go and edited the post. Perhaps it looks a bit better.

Can anyone tell me how to cut and paste a table into a post.

have a whisky and it will look ok ,

 

[Shutesy]

Guys and gals back on topic of small farms please, please keep witty banter to the off-topic section.

 

[grumpy]

Guys and gals back on topic of small farms please, please keep witty banter to the off-topic section.

well to answer the op no,