Decisions decisions....

[davieh3350]

A thread similar to holwellcourtfarms I'm needing to make a choice about staying here and muddling along farming and welding, or packing up and going and doing something somewhere else.
The basics... 8 days away from 38. Not married and no kids. No debts and a small amount of cash and a bit off stuff to sell off.

The farm is 3 separate units (all rented) next to each other but split up by hills, a river and trees. I'm not going to say it's a terrible, awkward place and I want better because this isn't the case, but it isn't a very efficient place to have. Most of it I have till I retire, one 30 acre block for another 13 years.
I don't live on the farm, I stay a few miles up the road (only 4 miles, but takes 15 minutes to drive) where I've got sheds I weld and make stuff in. Father who's 70 this year, still stays in the farm house with step mother who's a fair bit younger and who's damned sure she's not moving (to be fair though, the garden is lovely and I'd waste it which would be a shame)


My welding business is ok, mostly smaller jobs which suits me fine, as I can't be farming and concentrating on a big job at the same time.
Handling the steel is a pain as I reload the deliveries onto a hay trailer and take it the last 3 miles by tractor. No decent power supply, a generator powers the bigger machines.
Moving down the glen to another house closer to the farm would mean still having to drive up to the workshop, and I'm not even going to start thinking about building a shed on someone elses ground, done plenty of work on previous places just to end up walking away from it.

All in all... It's a bloody mess of a life. A constant grind without much fun. Always thinking.. I've got to do this.. Got to do that... And at the end of the day not very much to show for it.

I travelled when I was younger and and always wanted to stay for longer in Canada but never did it.
I've been self employed since 16 (with only a few spells working longer term with someone, year and a half at the most) I'm thinking a full time job would be good, it would leave the evenings and weekends for my own projects.

How the hell do you decide what to do

Some views from those who've chucked in businesses, who've gone and never looked back, from those who've stayed and regretted it and the other way round too please.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Well put it this way if you were a decent welder im sure youd get a job in Canada. If you dont go you will never know. It doesnr have to be forever or a long time your skills will still be in demand if you came back.

Dont be a slave to a farm. Its a nice lifestyle if you get the balance right but it can be a pig too. You can have all the benefits of farm life doing less farm work too. You need to have a chat with dad snd stepmum to see how they feel towards supporting you. I wouldnt say "im emigrating" to them, its too extreme

 

[Flat 10]

Not an exciting suggestion but how about putting welding on hold (for yourself anyway) and doing a couple of days a week off farm for someone (welding or whatever). Might get you out and about a bit and enjoying the farm a bit more when you are at home. Sorry not helpful I know but no experience of emigrating.

 

[emd]

What ever you do mate Good Luck.
Often the hardest decisions are the best decisions to make.
Will watch this thread with interest.

 

[JP1]

I don't have all the answers but a few random points:

This Winter's weather has tested us all and that may be dragging you down. I still totally respect what you offered to a fellow TFFer who needed help and space by coming to you to stay and you'd move out for a wee while. Top top offer and proves, in a way, what you might be missing if you leave.

Tenancies and land don't always come easy when they are lost. Is there anything you could do to build an income and steady business plan and still keep the bits of the farming you like / work well? Down here it might be a B&B pig operation, up there you are remote and in a non-pig area so possibly some form of breeding operation?

Some TFFers may be able to comment on developing / changing the welding operation

 

[fgc325j]

A thread similar to holwellcourtfarms I'm needing to make a choice about staying here and muddling along farming and welding, or packing up and going and doing something somewhere else.
The basics... 8 days away from 38. Not married and no kids. No debts and a small amount of cash and a bit off stuff to sell off.

The farm is 3 separate units (all rented) next to each other but split up by hills, a river and trees. I'm not going to say it's a terrible, awkward place and I want better because this isn't the case, but it isn't a very efficient place to have. Most of it I have till I retire, one 30 acre block for another 13 years.
I don't live on the farm, I stay a few miles up the road (only 4 miles, but takes 15 minutes to drive) where I've got sheds I weld and make stuff in. Father who's 70 this year, still stays in the farm house with step mother who's a fair bit younger and who's damned sure she's not moving (to be fair though, the garden is lovely and I'd waste it which would be a shame)


My welding business is ok, mostly smaller jobs which suits me fine, as I can't be farming and concentrating on a big job at the same time.
Handling the steel is a pain as I reload the deliveries onto a hay trailer and take it the last 3 miles by tractor. No decent power supply, a generator powers the bigger machines.
Moving down the glen to another house closer to the farm would mean still having to drive up to the workshop, and I'm not even going to start thinking about building a shed on someone elses ground, done plenty of work on previous places just to end up walking away from it.

All in all... It's a bloody mess of a life. A constant grind without much fun. Always thinking.. I've got to do this.. Got to do that... And at the end of the day not very much to show for it.

I travelled when I was younger and and always wanted to stay for longer in Canada but never did it.
I've been self employed since 16 (with only a few spells working longer term with someone, year and a half at the most) I'm thinking a full time job would be good, it would leave the evenings and weekends for my own projects.

How the hell do you decide what to do

Some views from those who've chucked in businesses, who've gone and never looked back, from those who've stayed and regretted it and the other way round too please.

I not a welder. too ham fisted, but i remember talking to someone a few years back,who does weld, and he
mentioned how much "coded" welders get per hour, i nearly landed on my backside. I don't know what a
"coded" welder is, perhaps you already are, but if not, would you be prepared/could you be trained up ?.
The more skilled you are the more you earn !!.

 

[Dog&stick]

I'm sure some event or some one will come along & changes things for you.Was time more you did the more you made, that's not the case now!. As been said before don' be slave to farm, life' to short, be no thanks, if no one to follow you, as farmers we always seem to be wishing months away, to grow, to harvest, to plant.At your age I was pushing for more, 10 years on I'm gearing down, going let rented land go. MISSED the kids growing up.

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

Not sure what the answer is @davieh3350

Just a couple of observations - if you go abroad, will things really be any different? Ie will you end up welding and doing farm work somewhere remote....?

If you leave what you have now, is it lost for good? Ie tenancy etc.

Brother of a friend was in a similar ish situation a while back. Bought himself a motor bike and started going on organised group tours. Seemed to give him a new focus, met and married his wife through some biker group too. Not suggesting motor bikes are the answer, just that sometimes a new pastime might help.

TSS

 

[Smith31]

Sorry this is going to sound harsh, but your set up does not sound efficient for farming or welding. Plus your stepmother will have a claim on your dads house and land if they are married or have been living together for sometime. So arguments and fall outs maybe coming.

Id try and rent a small industrial unit with good access and power. Then concentrate on welding and fabrication. There is money to be made if you have a efficient, low overhead set up. If welding work dries up, go tractor or wagon driving a few days a week, which still brings money in.

Work set hours maybe 8-5 weekdays, have weekends off, find a partner, have kids and enjoy life.

Work smart, not hard. Good luck

 

[Zippy768]

@ThatsSomeSheep makes a very good point. You will have to work for a living even if you emigrate. Invaribly when one goes on holiday you see people who have left the UK - Australia and Canada are littered with them - and one actually endx up doing and seeing more things on hols, than they do working there.
I also once thought about going to Canada, was lining up a placement for 7 months, in the end I changed my mind and I instead went for 2 months and travelled across it.

My opinion. If you enjoy welding and you are good at it, I would focus on that, and work from that point.

 

[Zippy768]

This is going to sound harsh but your set up does not sound efficient for farming or welding. Plus your stepmother will have a claim on your dads house and land if they are married or have been living together for sometime. So arguments and fall outs maybe coming.

Id try and rent a small industrial unit with good access and power. Then concentrate on welding and fabrication. There is money to be made if you have a efficient, low overhead set up. If welding work dries up, go tractor or wagon driving a few days a week, which still brings money in.

Work set hours maybe 8-5 weekdays, have weekends off, find a partner, have kids and enjoy life.

Work smart, not hard. Good luck

Good post

 

[ollie989898]

Get away to USA or AUS, you will be able to work anywhere with skills like those. Never look back.

 

[Oscar]

Maybe this is not any use but around here in Somerset [within 20 miles]there are at least 6 shed manufactures ,all self start ups over the last 25 years and all seem to be very busy. I put up a few sheds a year as a sideline so talk to these guys and everyone is looking for good welders . Maybe you could find a job near to you like this. One of the firms,[who I worked for 5 years over 20 years ago] has a self employed guy who like you use to have his own buisness, but [not like you]was crap with billing and money and basically failed. However the shed guy took him on, helped him with his problems and allowed him to in affect carry on in his yard but in return he works for the shed guy 3/4 days week and then does his own stuff after. Maybe a large farm/contractor set up near you would allow or be happy for something like that . This would mean you could get out of the hassle your workshop creates but puts you in a position of regular work,plus your private stuff and have some company/social contact as I m guessing you dont see to many people how it is now.
As for the farm , as @JP says above, this winter has been particularly bad weather wise and nothing at the moment is doing very well so financially you are probably propping up the farming with the workshop stuff and sorry to say this but I can t see things turning around any better in the near future. I guess you have to think of the farming as an expensive hobby and only you can decide if thats do able or not.
As for Canada, well I love the place and even have a house out there and go most years for 3/4 weeks. They respect hard working and skilled people so again as mentioned above, I would think finding a job would be easy if you can get the visa s etc but moving abroad is a big step but not set in stone if needed. Worst thing would be family ties and elderly parents etc however its only half a day away on a flight so apart from money for the flights , you could soon be back or they come out.
Best of luck to you.

 

[Nearly]

Did you get enough responses to your advert last year to do a world tour?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

@B&B Pig Man - any thoughts?

 

[7610 super q]

Stay as you are. Grass is always greener etc, etc.
This advice won't be liked by the progressive, professional, top notch, ' perts on TFF, but there it is.

 

[RWG Contracts]

Stay as you are. Grass is always greener etc, etc.
This advice won't be liked by the progressive, professional, top notch, ' perts on TFF, but there it is.

Yep you’re right

@davieh3350 only thing I’d add, this winters been crap so you’re probably feeling a bit low. Wait till middle of summer when you feel better about yourself before making any decisions, should never made big decisions when you’re low

 

[SilliamWhale]

Stay as you are. Grass is always greener etc, etc.
This advice won't be liked by the progressive, professional, top notch, ' perts on TFF, but there it is.

But if you have a feeling you want to travel then its one of the best things you can do. It doesn't have to mean emigrating but if he fancies it for 6 months and needs a freshen up and theres is a means of doing it, then do it.

 

[Werzle]

For what its worth , in my opinion i would keep some ground , just to keep your hand in and also get a job so you can get out and see a few new faces . Theres always weekends for a few of your own welding jobs.

 

[CJ Hall]

Listen if the desire is there to move I think you know what you want to do in life, honestly Davie I'm in a very similar mindset to you and have been for a while, which Provence interest's you the most !