spider mike
Member
Hi Spud.Hell Mike, thats rough. Have you any siblings?
I'm guessing the old boy is less physically able than he once was, so spends more time doing paperwork than you? I'm assuming you are involved in accountant and bank manager meetings?
I think in your shoes I'd be doing some sums - cost of production, costings for things you can tweak to improve profitability - he'll probably rubbish them (my father did that if he didn't agree with them) but it at least shows a bit of business acumen. Some folk seem to need to do others down to compensate for their own inadequacies.
How did your father succeed his father? (assuming he did just that)
Ignore idle threats - if he plays the farm sale card, call his bluff - remind him just how final that will be for his family legacy.
Money isn't everything - but your nearest and dearest are.
Yes, I have a sister but she gave up on him years ago. She spends alot of time with my mother and tolerates him when he's about the house.
As for anything to do with the business meetings with the bank manager account etc are handled by him I only get told after the event. They usually happen after market type of thing. In the past I tried to get involved only to be told I need to be spraying or fencing times precious and two of us can't be away . I wanted to go and buy livestock but was put down.
In the past whenever I've made a business decision it's not been the way he's wanted the business to go and he hasn't been shy in going through me like a dose of salts. So much so I haven't any confidence to do anything like that any more.
I can run the farm with my eyes closed but the financial aspects now daunt me.
As for the threats it has been known for him to get hot headed and cut his nose off to spite his face