Career change part two

[Strangelybrown]

I first posted on here about 9 months ago asking about a career change into livestock farming, and since then due to my current circumstances I haven't been able to get started working in agriculture. However, it shouldn't be long now before I can start looking to get my foot in the door.

I know I want a career in livestock farming (preferably sheep as I find them to be fascinating and with significantly lower start up costs compared to dairy or beef) but I am in two minds as to whether I should be training towards another profession at the same time to boost my income when/if I eventually start farming in my own right as opposed to working for others. Some on here say that farming is only for part timers (especially new starters) and you need a second job to make a full time living whereas others seem to do quite well out of just farming.

If I was to work towards a second source of income, ideally it would be something I can do self employed/freelance to give me flexibility e.g. journalism (I have a degree and enjoy writing), one of the rural crafts (walling, fencing, hedgelaying, shearing etc), landscaping.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[daveydiesel1]

Get yourself learned to do foot trimming and get a crush as theres always plenty of work in dairy areas and u can choose when ur out doin it

 

[Strangelybrown]

Get yourself learned to do foot trimming and get a crush as theres always plenty of work in dairy areas and u can choose when ur out doin it

Cheers for the advice. Any idea on start up costs?

 

[vantage]

Cheers for the advice. Any idea on start up costs?

Training?
Crush, £3k-£75k.
Tow truck, as much or as little as you think will do the job.i

 

[Baling Hay]

Also a horrible job!!!

 

[Rossymons]

I first posted on here about 9 months ago asking about a career change into livestock farming, and since then due to my current circumstances I haven't been able to get started working in agriculture. However, it shouldn't be long now before I can start looking to get my foot in the door.

I know I want a career in livestock farming (preferably sheep as I find them to be fascinating and with significantly lower start up costs compared to dairy or beef) but I am in two minds as to whether I should be training towards another profession at the same time to boost my income when/if I eventually start farming in my own right as opposed to working for others. Some on here say that farming is only for part timers (especially new starters) and you need a second job to make a full time living whereas others seem to do quite well out of just farming.

If I was to work towards a second source of income, ideally it would be something I can do self employed/freelance to give me flexibility e.g. journalism (I have a degree and enjoy writing), one of the rural crafts (walling, fencing, hedgelaying, shearing etc), landscaping.

Any thoughts on this?

Where are you based?

 

[Strangelybrown]

Staffordshire at the moment, but want to relocate to somewhere with more farming opportunities in nearish future

 

[Estate fencing.]

(walling, fencing, hedgelaying, shearing etc)

You can’ just become someone who does these jobs and expect someone to pay for the privilege.
Also to make any half decent money out of sheep you really need a couple of thousand ewes and no one in there right mind is going to rent you that much land if you have no experience. I takes a life time to build the skills and contacts to farm and contract in your own right.

 

[Fake it ‘til you make it]

Learn tree surgery. Mess around with a few sheep evenings and weekends.

 

[Baling Hay]

Learn tree surgery. Mess around with a few sheep evenings and weekends.

Is that not illegal?

 

[Strangelybrown]

You can just become someone who does these jobs and expect someone to pay for the privilege.
Also to make any half decent money out of sheep you really need a couple of thousand ewes and no one in there right mind is going to rent you that much land if you have no experience. I takes a life time to build the skills and contacts to farm and contract in your own right.

I presume your last message was meant to say can't instead of can? If so, I would be willing to go through the necessary training to get to the stage where I would expect to be paid to offer the service.

Obviously I'm very new to the industry, and it can vary massively depending on the set up, but I always thought approx 1000 ewes would be sufficient to provide a full time income with a partner earning an off farm income?

If you don't mind sharing on here, could you give me an estimate of your costs per ewe? (Obviously I understand if you don't want to on a public forum)

 

[Strangelybrown]

Learn tree surgery. Mess around with a few sheep evenings and weekends.

Is that on the job training or college courses? Does it provide a decent enough income and most importantly of all is it enjoyable?

 

[Baling Hay]

Is that on the job training or college courses? Does it provide a decent enough income and most importantly of all is it enjoyable?

Which bit are you asking about?

 

[Strangelybrown]

Which bit are you asking about?

Tree surgery

 

[Fake it ‘til you make it]

Tree surgery

Mate of mine learnt on the job and runs his own business now. Enjoys it, working outside, no boss on his case. Money is decent, look up tree surgeon jobs online

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Your best best would be to find someone, maybe on here, who is knocking on but doesn't want to give up on the sheep. Buy a small percentage of the flock and do the same percentage of the workload.

You wouldn't have to go through buying rubbishy sheep and spend your weekends scraping up rusty hurdles and electric fencing or have the dubious pleasure of taking on 2 acres of orchard and flood meadows.

Obviously you will need to do a bit more work to start with while you learn the ropes and in exchange for tuition from your partner.

It might work, it might go horribly wrong. I suspect it will all be down to your attitude and the two personalities.

 

[DrWazzock]

Volunteer to help out on a livestock farm at busy times such as lambing. There are plenty of older farmers needing help. Problem is most of them are tight grumpy old bar stewards like myself. Go to your livestock market and put an ad on the notice board saying you are able to help. Learn at somebody else’s expense.

 

[kfpben]

You could easily get lambing work from Jan- May. Shear May- July.
Harvest/drilling/Autumn work July- November. December off.

That would be a good way to learn (and earn). You can quickly learn about lambing, shearing and tractor driving in short courses at ag colleges.

 

[Devil's advocate]

You could easily get lambing work from Jan- May. Shear May- July.
Harvest/drilling/Autumn work July- November. December off.

That would be a good way to learn (and earn). You can quickly learn about lambing, shearing and tractor driving in short courses at ag colleges.

Anyone can get work in December at the nearest distribution warehouse.

 

[TripleSix]

Anyone can get work in December at the nearest distribution warehouse.

When I went self employed (on the back of 6 weeks of work on a pig farm) I always said I'd find work,even if I went delivering pizzas on an evening, there's always something to do