'Cowshed Cinderella' - wins £1.3million from her parents

[Devil's advocate]

Why should those that stay on the farm have to subsidise those who leave with the freedom to do what they want?

Why should those who are pushed out into the real world, have to go with nothing or not much.

I don't get this argument. About farms folding.

Say 4 kids & three work hard and leave home, its tough out there but they build a life.

Dopiest of the four stays at home & does the work that someone on 20K would be happy to do.

There is a £2-£5 million asset in the farm, why on earth should that not be divided fairly.

Plus many of you put so much importance on farm work as if it is so much more important than anything else. I can think of many daughters who have looked after parents with illness for years. But then all the money has to go to little Fred because he is struggling on the farm. Even though he has an asset worth millions.

Every family is different & some farmers are poor some are rich. But if a farmer is poor should he be encouraging kids to stay at home?

I know very few who are disinherited & are happy about it. The only ones I can think of are daughters who have married a richer husband than their brother.

The best thing to have is a close family, that is more important than money. It is much likely to stay close if there is no resentment about money.

 

[kiwi pom]

There's always going to be a one sided argument on here because this is a farming forum so the majority of posters are probably those that stayed on farm rather than those that for whatever reason left.
What happens if you have 3 kids that want to stay and only work for one, especially if the oldest is female?
If one stays at home and didn't replace a "worker" then was there a position to begin with?
What would you do if they all left? Employ someone? (by some peoples reasoning it would then be better to leave the farm to the worker)
In my opinion those that stay over value their worth to the business and under value the benefits they receive. Plenty of farms succeed and expand employing staff rather than family, so you're not doing anything that staff cant do in a lot of cases. Staff don't expect to inherit the business though.
What would people do if they hadn't stayed at home?
It doesn't bother me either way, I'm certainly never going to inherit much, it just amazes me that some families put a bit of dirt before their family.

 

[Cowcorn]

Why should those who are pushed out into the real world, have to go with nothing or not much.

I don't get this argument. About farms folding.

Say 4 kids & three work hard and leave home, its tough out there but they build a life.

Dopiest of the four stays at home & does the work that someone on 20K would be happy to do.

There is a £2-£5 million asset in the farm, why on earth should that not be divided fairly.

Plus many of you put so much importance on farm work as if it is so much more important than anything else. I can think of many daughters who have looked after parents with illness for years. But then all the money has to go to little Fred because he is struggling on the farm. Even though he has an asset worth millions.

Every family is different & some farmers are poor some are rich. But if a farmer is poor should he be encouraging kids to stay at home?

I know very few who are disinherited & are happy about it. The only ones I can think of are daughters who have married a richer husband than their brother.

The best thing to have is a close family, that is more important than money. It is much likely to stay close if there is no resentment about money.

How do you suggest a farmer service a multi million debt from buying out his siblings ? Land may be worth thousands per acre but the annual returns are very modest. What about the expensive education the other siblings recieved to help them make a good career and the the help with house purchase etc ? A record of such assistance should be kept in the intrest of fairness . My father certainly did he forgot nothing even if some of his children did ! He stated clearly in his will that he gave the home farm to me his eldest son and other land yo his second son because we had EARNED it .

 

[glasshouse]

Why should those who are pushed out into the real world, have to go with nothing or not much.

I don't get this argument. About farms folding.

Say 4 kids & three work hard and leave home, its tough out there but they build a life.

Dopiest of the four stays at home & does the work that someone on 20K would be happy to do.

There is a £2-£5 million asset in the farm, why on earth should that not be divided fairly.

Plus many of you put so much importance on farm work as if it is so much more important than anything else. I can think of many daughters who have looked after parents with illness for years. But then all the money has to go to little Fred because he is struggling on the farm. Even though he has an asset worth millions.

Every family is different & some farmers are poor some are rich. But if a farmer is poor should he be encouraging kids to stay at home?

I know very few who are disinherited & are happy about it. The only ones I can think of are daughters who have married a richer husband than their brother.

The best thing to have is a close family, that is more important than money. It is much likely to stay close if there is no resentment about money.

"You dont get the arguement about farms folding"
Plenty of sons come home to a disaster situation where things have been allowed to drift.
They either get a grip of the situation or the farm goes under

 

[kiwi pom]

How do you suggest a farmer service a multi million debt from buying out his siblings ? Land may be worth thousands per acre but the annual returns are very modest. What about the expensive education the other siblings recieved to help them make a good career and the the help with house purchase etc ? A record of such assistance should be kept in the intrest of fairness . My father certainly did he forgot nothing even if some of his children did ! He stated clearly in his will that he gave the home farm to me his eldest son and other land yo his second son because we had EARNED it .

If you had had an older sibling that was willing and able to do what you did, what would you have done upon leaving school if your father had said "sorry no room for you but I'll pay for you to go to university"?
I do agree though if the other siblings had a lot of money thrown at them Uni, house purchase, car etc and they then wasted it, its on them. I have no sympathy for them.
There's plenty of examples of those that have to leave not getting much though.

 

[Devil's advocate]

"You dont get the arguement about farms folding"
Plenty of sons come home to a disaster situation where things have been allowed to drift.
They either get a grip of the situation or the farm goes under

In what way is it a disaster?

I'm not argueing that one size fits all.

In the above situation, value the farm when the sibling comes home. Then make a will to divide up the value at that point, either pay out the other sibling then or make a will to pay out sibling at death index linked to land value or inflation.

The sibling should be paid for all work he/she does. If that is not possible someone is sub standard & a sale sign at the gate is the answer.

 

[Devil's advocate]

If you had had an older sibling that was willing and able to do what you did, what would you have done upon leaving school if your father had said "sorry no room for you but I'll pay for you to go to university"?
I do agree though if the other siblings had a lot of money thrown at them Uni, house purchase, car etc and they then wasted it, its on them. I have no sympathy for them.
There's plenty of examples of those that have to leave not getting much though.

Spot on.

Must admit when we were growing up we were told the one who did best at school got the lot. It sort of pushed us on a bit.

Homework we were told was more important than farmwork. Although we always had to be available to do the farmwork. I'm grateful for my upbringing, my brother & I are both wealthy & more importantly close.

 

[glasshouse]

In what way is it a disaster?

I'm not argueing that one size fits all.

In the above situation, value the farm when the sibling comes home. Then make a will to divide up the value at that point, either pay out the other sibling then or make a will to pay out sibling at death index linked to land value or inflation.

The sibling should be paid for all work he/she does. If that is not possible someone is sub standard & a sale sign at the gate is the answer.

Whre there is a domineering grandfather who refused to modernise, still employing loads of men and doing stuff that paid 20 years before but now severdly out of date.
Thats a disaster

 

[Henarar]

Say 4 kids & three work hard and leave home, its tough out there but they build a life.

Dopiest of the four stays at home & does the work that someone on 20K would be happy to do.

There is a £2-£5 million asset in the farm, why on earth should that not be divided fairly.

Plus many of you put so much importance on farm work as if it is so much more important than anything else. I can think of many daughters who have looked after parents with illness for years. But then all the money has to go to little Fred because he is struggling on the farm. Even though he has an asset worth millions.

who made it worth millions ? not Fred
who cares if its worth millions ? not Fred
its only worth millions if its sold and Fred isn't going to sell it he is going to pass it on to the next generation, so how has Fred gained from it being worth millions ? he hasn't it would have been just the same if it was worth a couple hundred K just like it was only a few years ago
it may be worth next door to nothing tomorrow anyway and it wouldn't be the first time that has happened and it wouldn't take much to make it happen
stuff your millions

 

[fgc325j]

Spot on.

Must admit when we were growing up we were told the one who did best at school got the lot. It sort of pushed us on a bit.

Homework we were told was more important than farmwork. Although we always had to be available to do the farmwork. I'm grateful for my upbringing, my brother & I are both wealthy & more importantly close.

This is the best posting on this subject that i've read. Hope it turns on a switch in
some farmer's head.

 

[glasshouse]

Spot on.

Must admit when we were growing up we were told the one who did best at school got the lot. It sort of pushed us on a bit.

Homework we were told was more important than farmwork. Although we always had to be available to do the farmwork. I'm grateful for my upbringing, my brother & I are both wealthy & more importantly close.

There was only teo of you? Thats a lot easier than four or more

 

[DRC]

who made it worth millions ? not Fred
who cares if its worth millions ? not Fred
its only worth millions if its sold and Fred isn't going to sell it he is going to pass it on to the next generation, so how has Fred gained from it being worth millions ? he hasn't it would have been just the same if it was worth a couple hundred K just like it was only a few years ago
it may be worth next door to nothing tomorrow anyway and it wouldn't be the first time that has happened and it wouldn't take much to make it happen
stuff your millions

Your banking on the next generation wanting to farm. What if Fred’s children don’t want to farm, but Fred’s sisters children do. Your way, would mean Fred’s children getting very rich and selling the farm.
It’s very complicated and should be addressed at the earliest opportunity.

 

[Henarar]

Your banking on the next generation wanting to farm. What if Fred’s children don’t want to farm, but Fred’s sisters children do. Your way, would mean Fred’s children getting very rich and selling the farm.
It’s very complicated and should be addressed at the earliest opportunity.

not at all he can leave it to his sisters kids, I simply said the next generation
don't get so hung up on what something is so called worth, it may be worth nothing tomorrow

 

[roscoe erf]

you can't take the f**ker with you somebody has to have it years ago it was first born son

 

[DRC]

you can't take the fudgeer with you somebody has to have it years ago it was first born son

That happened near here recently . 4 children in their 50s. Dad left it all to eldest son, who said stuff it, I want out, and so the farm got sold , even though the others wanted to continue farming

 

[unlacedgecko]

That happened near here recently . 4 children in their 50s. Dad left it all to eldest son, who said stuff it, I want out, and so the farm got sold , even though the others wanted to continue farming

Did the others not get a share of the proceeds?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Why should those who are pushed out into the real world, have to go with nothing or not much.

I don't get this argument. About farms folding.

Say 4 kids & three work hard and leave home, its tough out there but they build a life.

Dopiest of the four stays at home & does the work that someone on 20K would be happy to do.

There is a £2-£5 million asset in the farm, why on earth should that not be divided fairly.

Plus many of you put so much importance on farm work as if it is so much more important than anything else. I can think of many daughters who have looked after parents with illness for years. But then all the money has to go to little Fred because he is struggling on the farm. Even though he has an asset worth millions.

Every family is different & some farmers are poor some are rich. But if a farmer is poor should he be encouraging kids to stay at home?

I know very few who are disinherited & are happy about it. The only ones I can think of are daughters who have married a richer husband than their brother.

The best thing to have is a close family, that is more important than money. It is much likely to stay close if there is no resentment about money.

I was disinherited. I'm very happy about it.

For the small price of £400k I have been freed from everything, including any requirement to associate with my hateful cow of a mother as she dissolves into senility. Fair trade I'd say.

 

[worker]

not at all he can leave it to his sisters kids, I simply said the next generation
don't get so hung up on what something is so called worth, it may be worth nothing tomorrow

It is highly unlikely he would leave it to his sister's kids, just like it is highly unlikely it will be worth nothing tomorrow

 

[DRC]

Did the others not get a share of the proceeds?

I believe they did. My point was that the older one made the decision to sell, which goes against the reasoning by some on here, that if you leave it to one sibling , the farm will continue in the family.

 

[DRC]

not at all he can leave it to his sisters kids, I simply said the next generation
don't get so hung up on what something is so called worth, it may be worth nothing tomorrow

It is important what it’s worth. You might be glad of a few million if your forced to retire through ill health or need care in old age.