- Location
- Essex
Government policy has certainly not prevented the loss of the family farm.
Its not just agriculture though is it!
Just look at retail.
Almost every sector of the economy is dominated by huge multinationals.
Its all the fault of the NFU and RT.
Regardless of the reasons, there is little to admire in the get bigger or get out buisness model whatever the industryIts not just agriculture though is it!
Just look at retail.
Almost every sector of the economy is dominated by huge multinationals.
Its all the fault of the NFU and RT.
You could say exactly the same thing about globalism and things like the EU…Farm size is an indication of declining viability which is driven by the corporate food system. There just isn't enough time on a mixed family farm to do it all properly and still keep the records up to date. Something has to give.
There must have been nearly 20 farmworkers in the 70s where I grew up. Now there is one and a one man band contractor.
I'm not criticising big farms.You could say exactly the same thing about globalism and things like the EU…
Farm size is an indication of declining viability which is driven by the corporate food system. There just isn't enough time on a mixed family farm to do it all properly and still keep the records up to date. Something has to give.
There must have been nearly 20 farmworkers in the 70s where I grew up. Now there is one and a one man band contractor.
Well I don't mind not getting rich doing this but I would be happier if I wasn't doing so much of it myself. It would be great to afford to employ someone or find a partner to bolt on a couple of new enterprises. Although if I employed a full time worker at the moment, I would probably end up breaking even.An interesting post. If there were 20 farmworkers in the 70's can I take it you consider that was a good thing, in which case do you have a view on the appropriate number of farmworkers there should be now in the village/area you lived? I come from a long line of farm labourers. None of my cousins nephews or nieces work in Agriculture now. I am just the remaining one vaguely involved.
I know. We are a collection of small farms.I'm not criticising big farms.
Well I don't mind not getting rich doing this but I would be happier if I wasn't doing so much of it myself. It would be great to afford to employ someone or find a partner to bolt on a couple of new enterprises. Although if I employed a full time worker at the moment, I would probably end up breaking even.
You will have noticed, given your family's experience and knowledge, how little the general public understand or care about food or farming. It's like we're becoming a different species.
I think it was a good thing with more people making a living on the land, they were all housed, went to the pub, kids at village school etc.
Hi, thanks for reply. Sympathise with your situation. A struggle.
Am not totally sure I agree that the general public do not care about farming. I live in a village in south Lincolnshire surrounded by arable farmland. I generally socialise with non farming folk - as that is who lives in the surrounding villages - and they all express an interest in what is happening in the fields once they know what I do for a living.
As to my family well my generation, so me and my cousins, mostly older, are all in our 60s. Our parents being farmworkers encouraged education and getting away from working on the land as labourers as they had done. And so my cousins are either retired teachers, bank clerks, servicemen or tradesmen - my brother is a welder by trade. Only I ended up anyway involved in Agriculture, and then as a 'hanger on'. And my family experience I can think of is mirrored by other similar families who accompanied me at primary school in the 1960's in my original Fenland village.
As ever, interesting times. H.
And the villages around me seem thriving with expensive houses, a thriving pub just opposite our house and a full school with waiting list. That despite not a farmworker in the village. And so that is rural life in today's South Lincolnshire.
Very true...we are becoming a communist state day by day sadly...I just get this feeling that nobody would be allowed to have anything “of their own” if corporate and state powers had their way, except of course for the very richest who seek to control it all. It’s all part of a steady drift : 40 year mortgages, zero hour contracts, then sell your home to get the state to look after you in old age.,The complete loss of “self” to becoming a serf/client/claimant. We used to manage alright without all that.
UK business has been 'for sale' for some time, we have something like 50% foreign ownership, by various measures. UK CEO's and directors are cashing in £m every week. Be interesting to know if the same business model operates in France or Germany.......?Its not just agriculture though is it!
Just look at retail.
Almost every sector of the economy is dominated by huge multinationals.
Its all the fault of the NFU and RT.
Its the great re set, in the future you will own nothing rent everything and be happy.......oh and make the big corporations even richer.I just get this feeling that nobody would be allowed to have anything “of their own” if corporate and state powers had their way, except of course for the very richest who seek to control it all. It’s all part of a steady drift : 40 year mortgages, zero hour contracts, then sell your home to get the state to look after you in old age.,The complete loss of “self” to becoming a serf/client/claimant. We used to manage alright without all that.
4 separate points there,Its the great re set, in the future you will own nothing rent everything and be happy.......oh and make the big corporations even richer.