Forums
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New resources
Latest activity
Trending Threads
Resources
Latest reviews
Search resources
FarmTV
Farm Compare
Search
Tokens/Searches
Calendar
Upcoming Events
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
New Resources
New posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Forums
Farm Business
Agricultural Matters
Decisions decisions....
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Old McDonald" data-source="post: 5049858" data-attributes="member: 47276"><p>I am a bit late in coming into this thread, but felt I had to post purely on the basis that I decided soon after joining the forum that you were the sort of bloke I would get along with.</p><p></p><p>Whilst I do not know the actual land you farm, you have provided sufficient information in past posts that I do know your immediate locality. I drove down and back up the A9 and on to Edinburgh every couple of weeks for a few years before moving here. I also really enjoyed those photos of Dalnaspiddal you posted. I will try not to influence you one way or the other with what I post, but cannot guarantee that I will be unbiased. I thought of sending this as a PM, but other posters have suggested they are in a similar dilemma and I hope they might benefit from reading it.</p><p></p><p>There may not be many other TFF members that are as familiar with your area and so they cannot appreciate the splendour. I accept that some will know it even better than me. It has a reasonable climate compared with most other parts of the world. I know you have experience of foreign parts and do not like the heat. How about the prospect of winters like in Canada? Northern continents are all cold a few hundred miles from the sea. You live where you were born and raised; you have lifelong friends and at least some family nearby; a tenancy of land you can never recover if you leave; and a few more things that would just lengthen the post, but you get the gist.</p><p></p><p>As you know, I have also farmed around the world more than probably any other TFF member. All very well for folks to tell you what you should and should not do about settling in a foreign land when they have never done it themselves, acknowledging that some posters have done so. My wife and I have bought and farmed two places in Northumberland, one in Australia, one in the far north of Scotland, one in Portugal, and the next in some unknown place. It is exciting to land in a foreign country, buy somewhere and then live on it. It is also, as has been pointed out by others, not always as green as you think it might be. There is still the day to day work to be done, bills to pay, taxes to be found, groceries to buy, household chores and maintenance.</p><p></p><p>If you are intending to take up employment in a foreign country are you certain you have the required certification to take up the work you want to do? Have you previously had full time work as an employee? Did you like it? I know you have various welding certificates – find out if they would be acceptable in whatever province of Canada you would like to try, or for the whole of Canada. Check out other countries too where you might fancy living. Sometimes wages are high, working conditions good, but the cost of living can be high too so that you are no better off financially. On the other hand Portugal and southern Europe in general is lower wages and much lower cost of living. You have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. That might end in a few years, but if you are contributing to the country they are unlikely to kick you out.</p><p></p><p>I like pigs, my favourite animal, but since 1979 there has not been a mart anywhere near me where I could sell them. The only mart that I know of here is about 20 miles away. Once a month and cattle only. An abattoir the same distance will take all stock, but it took me 10 weeks and some hassle to get paid the last time I sent stock there. Previous experience was not a lot better. Reluctant to chance it again. Check out the markets before you go committing yourself to anywhere. You could find they are further away than at present.</p><p></p><p>It was suggested by [USER=11368]@Sweepa[/USER] that to find out whether you really do want to leave your farm that you try Edinburgh. A good suggestion I think, although my personal choice from where you live would be to try and find work in Inverness. It might be more difficult than you think. It is a quicker travel back to Pitlochry, subject to Drumochter being clear, whenever you feel like it. Any reason not to give it a try before giving up your tenancies? Could be a no-risk option for you.</p><p></p><p>My wife and I have been married a little short of 50 years, so have travelled the world together. I am certain it is easier for two people than one to settle into somewhere new. It does not have to be a wife/husband. Two mates certainly can give support to each other just as well when settling in. I would not be in too much of a rush to find a wife either. I know of one poster who was your age before he married, and I would be surprised if there are not more who were older.</p><p></p><p>We have one son (an Astrophysicist with the Jodrell Bank team at Manchester University) and there is no way in the world he is going to take over whatever place we leave when we die or possibly retire. That does not stop us looking ahead to pastures new whilst still endeavouring to make progress on the land we hold at the time.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Old McDonald, post: 5049858, member: 47276"] I am a bit late in coming into this thread, but felt I had to post purely on the basis that I decided soon after joining the forum that you were the sort of bloke I would get along with. Whilst I do not know the actual land you farm, you have provided sufficient information in past posts that I do know your immediate locality. I drove down and back up the A9 and on to Edinburgh every couple of weeks for a few years before moving here. I also really enjoyed those photos of Dalnaspiddal you posted. I will try not to influence you one way or the other with what I post, but cannot guarantee that I will be unbiased. I thought of sending this as a PM, but other posters have suggested they are in a similar dilemma and I hope they might benefit from reading it. There may not be many other TFF members that are as familiar with your area and so they cannot appreciate the splendour. I accept that some will know it even better than me. It has a reasonable climate compared with most other parts of the world. I know you have experience of foreign parts and do not like the heat. How about the prospect of winters like in Canada? Northern continents are all cold a few hundred miles from the sea. You live where you were born and raised; you have lifelong friends and at least some family nearby; a tenancy of land you can never recover if you leave; and a few more things that would just lengthen the post, but you get the gist. As you know, I have also farmed around the world more than probably any other TFF member. All very well for folks to tell you what you should and should not do about settling in a foreign land when they have never done it themselves, acknowledging that some posters have done so. My wife and I have bought and farmed two places in Northumberland, one in Australia, one in the far north of Scotland, one in Portugal, and the next in some unknown place. It is exciting to land in a foreign country, buy somewhere and then live on it. It is also, as has been pointed out by others, not always as green as you think it might be. There is still the day to day work to be done, bills to pay, taxes to be found, groceries to buy, household chores and maintenance. If you are intending to take up employment in a foreign country are you certain you have the required certification to take up the work you want to do? Have you previously had full time work as an employee? Did you like it? I know you have various welding certificates – find out if they would be acceptable in whatever province of Canada you would like to try, or for the whole of Canada. Check out other countries too where you might fancy living. Sometimes wages are high, working conditions good, but the cost of living can be high too so that you are no better off financially. On the other hand Portugal and southern Europe in general is lower wages and much lower cost of living. You have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. That might end in a few years, but if you are contributing to the country they are unlikely to kick you out. I like pigs, my favourite animal, but since 1979 there has not been a mart anywhere near me where I could sell them. The only mart that I know of here is about 20 miles away. Once a month and cattle only. An abattoir the same distance will take all stock, but it took me 10 weeks and some hassle to get paid the last time I sent stock there. Previous experience was not a lot better. Reluctant to chance it again. Check out the markets before you go committing yourself to anywhere. You could find they are further away than at present. It was suggested by [USER=11368]@Sweepa[/USER] that to find out whether you really do want to leave your farm that you try Edinburgh. A good suggestion I think, although my personal choice from where you live would be to try and find work in Inverness. It might be more difficult than you think. It is a quicker travel back to Pitlochry, subject to Drumochter being clear, whenever you feel like it. Any reason not to give it a try before giving up your tenancies? Could be a no-risk option for you. My wife and I have been married a little short of 50 years, so have travelled the world together. I am certain it is easier for two people than one to settle into somewhere new. It does not have to be a wife/husband. Two mates certainly can give support to each other just as well when settling in. I would not be in too much of a rush to find a wife either. I know of one poster who was your age before he married, and I would be surprised if there are not more who were older. We have one son (an Astrophysicist with the Jodrell Bank team at Manchester University) and there is no way in the world he is going to take over whatever place we leave when we die or possibly retire. That does not stop us looking ahead to pastures new whilst still endeavouring to make progress on the land we hold at the time. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Farm Business
Agricultural Matters
Decisions decisions....
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top