Covid-19 It’s home! Made us think yesterday.

[Derrick Hughes]

No telling anyone what too do but there are loads of elderly out there who should not be going out too shop , i have two i shop for . Just means getting a bit extra when i get my own

 

[Lili]

Please contribute to your local food bank if you can. Most have collection points in the local supermarkets.

 

[ollie989898]

Please contribute to your local food bank if you can. Most have collection points in the local supermarkets.

I would add, to supplement this, if at all possible, can you at least include some low GI foods in any donation to any food banks- I have met diabetic people who used food banks and they find it near impossible to manage their condition because they are basically obliged to eat whatever they are given. Include some low GI foods and label them as 'to be given to diabetics where possible'.

 

[Ivorbiggun]

Except that if they have staff they are risking their own lives to keep the country in food
Boris should be clapping for farmers , many who are putting their own family at risk

Typical agricultural way of doing things, do as little as possible about it, bury your head in the sand, ignore it and hope it goes away.

 

[Scribus]

Use common sense. They had to come up with one simple quick effective rule. There are exceptions that can be made. They didn’t have time or resource to write hundreds of pages of exemptions. They left that down to common sense and discretion.
The spirit of it is don’t mix with other people unless it’s absolutely essential.
I repeat, this alarmist talk of total lockdown only spreads fear and does nobody any favours.
So if a builder is fitting a garage door and not meeting anybody then I can’t see a problem. If somebody is organising a street party then it’s not very wise.
You talk of a police state yet you are the one who pedantically portrays the “rules” as absolute. They are not.

Oh stop being such an unquestioning conformist and start thinking for yourself rather than rattling out the pandemic fear porn.

 

[DrWazzock]

Oh stop being such an unquestioning conformist and start thinking for yourself rather than rattling out the pandemic fear porn.

I had typed a carefully crafted lengthy response to that but I really can’t be bothered. Life’s too short to waste on social media drivel like this.

 

[v8willy]

How many on this forum are living on inherited wealth by this i mean living in farmhouses inherited from their family or farming land that has been in the family for years even if people have expanded a smallish farm is a good start. Try saving up to start your own farming business today by the time you have saved enough everything will probably have passed you by. For sure people buy on credit but it is the way of the world it's why both parents are out at work as long as the money is coming in its all good and there's nothing wrong with that. No one really expected this or the response of the world governments. I would never buy household items on credit or hp but i borrow money for machinery. I worked for a year in the states the world's biggest economy and everything was bought on credit every year the farmers would spend their profits then head to the bank for a planting loan. It's a system that generally works well. If you are a farmer and can go out on the land you farm everyday you are very lucky but think about those who don't have this trapped in towns in flats or small houses with mounting debts and don't sneer but be thankful for the fact that your life is going on much as before

Nothing wrong with a bit of credit, I'd say we nearly all have some myself included, but there is living within your means, there are plenty who don't.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Typical agricultural way of doing things, do as little as possible about it, bury your head in the sand, ignore it and hope it goes away.

Who said they are ignoring it
I dare not use any of the tractors , the boys have their own and stick to that , they have a loader each , no one who visits the farm is allowed in the office , all social distance is observed
My Brother and sister are in isolation in the farmhouse, i get food for them and leave it at the door , dont stop to talk to anyone , i dare not even use the quad ,

 

[Lowland1]

Nothing wrong with a bit of credit, I'd say we nearly all have some myself included, but there is living within your means, there are plenty who don't.

Without doubt there are people who cannot budget but i believe there are a lot more people who don't like their jobs than like their jobs which is why it's easy to get a large percentage of the population to sit at home on 80% salary the problem comes when they work out it is imprisonment not vacation and when they find out their jobs won't exist when this is over. Saving for a rainy day in this day and age is pretty difficult for most so as long as everything is ticking along nicely it's all good but now it's not and it may not come back for a while. What we as farmers should be worrying about is wether at the end of all this people will have money for food. I don't believe that it's going to get people thinking about the benefits of home produced food so much as the benefits of cheaper food as there won't be any money left. The government should have stuck with its original plans look at how Sweden is getting on not quite business as usual but less of a hole to climb out of.

 

[Yale]

Without doubt there are people who cannot budget but i believe there are a lot more people who don't like their jobs than like their jobs which is why it's easy to get a large percentage of the population to sit at home on 80% salary the problem comes when they work out it is imprisonment not vacation and when they find out their jobs won't exist when this is over. Saving for a rainy day in this day and age is pretty difficult for most so as long as everything is ticking along nicely it's all good but now it's not and it may not come back for a while. What we as farmers should be worrying about is wether at the end of all this people will have money for food. I don't believe that it's going to get people thinking about the benefits of home produced food so much as the benefits of cheaper food as there won't be any money left. The government should have stuck with its original plans look at how Sweden is getting on not quite business as usual but less of a hole to climb out of.

Yes,the sh!t will hit the fan when in 3 months those on 80% of salary are forced to apply for universal credit as their job is no longer there.

I don’t think it’s hit home yet as people are too preoccupied.

 

[czechmate]

My thoughts some two months ago was that, farmers producing rice, potatoes, pork (maybe cereals) were going to be in a much more secure situation than those producing high quality (expensive) beef and lamb.
Btw - I produce high quality (expensive) beef.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

My thoughts some two months ago was that, farmers producing rice, potatoes, pork (maybe cereals) were going to be in a much more secure situation than those producing high quality (expensive) beef and lamb.
Btw - I produce high quality (expensive) beef.

Beef sales were massive in Supermarkets, but catering trade got hit as we know , the classic pub sunday roast for one , Supermarkets can play with you now as less competition

 

[czechmate]

We (our actual farm) has fat animals backing up now and no idea when anything will leave. The problem being made worse by 50% (all males) going previously to Italy.
No idea either about what the price is doing.
What will be, will be. First thing is to get out the other side alive

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Yes,the sh!t will hit the fan when in 3 months those on 80% of salary are forced to apply for universal credit as their job is no longer there.

I don’t think it’s hit home yet as people are too preoccupied.

Preoccupied with Zoom chat and online exercise routines ?

 

[Lowland1]

Beef sales were massive in Supermarkets, but catering trade got hit as we know , the classic pub sunday roast for one , Supermarkets can play with you now as less competition

Not true people filled their fridges and freezers with more than they needed demand will only pick up when this is gone. We are seeing this with vegetables only when they have been eaten or gone rotten will they need more. Without doubt the retailers are playing a game but people will be looking for burgers before sirloin.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Not true people filled their fridges and freezers with more than they needed demand will only pick up when this is gone. We are seeing this with vegetables only when they have been eaten or gone rotten will they need more. Without doubt the retailers are playing a game but people will be looking for burgers before sirloin.

Think a lot of households will be looking to cook Sunday lunch with big families at home , we are for one , we normaly dine out on Sundays

 

[czechmate]

Not true people filled their fridges and freezers with more than they needed demand will only pick up when this is gone. We are seeing this with vegetables only when they have been eaten or gone rotten will they need more. Without doubt the retailers are playing a game but people will be looking for burgers before sirloin.

And pork so much cheaper. Maybe the price of pork will rise

 

[MrNoo]

The government should have stuck with its original plans look at how Sweden is getting on not quite business as usual but less of a hole to climb out of.

I only hope you will be saying the same thing in three weeks time, I fear you wont

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Swedens population is 10 Million, so not quite the same is it

 

[Martin Holden]

The ones shouting the loudest down here are the ones mortgaged up to the hilt, Porsche 911 on tick and a profitable business with staff to pay. Non stop ranting about how the Gov should bail out his business/pay staff etc from the comfort of his million plus pound house. I am unsure how I feel regarding this, feel for his staff but dont feel for him. I guess if you live beyond your means when something like this event occurs, you're out on your arse.

Hmm, I follow your thinking but he may have started with not a lot and created his own wealth. Right now he can’t sell his house to survive - who would buy it anyway? For sure, a free market economy encourages borrowing to grow and its when this extends into more luxury items like huge houses and super smart cars that issues can arise. I don’t begrudge any self made person from enjoying their gains after all whatever they buy keeps someone else in a job and so on. However living beyond your means is an issue. But look how many huge businesses do this! 4 weeks of the cash tills being silent and many are facing destruction!! It’s the way of the world today.