Farming and the ageing process

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Comments in the H&S thread got me thinking as I’m now within a few months of turning 60.

I suppose I am increasingly a bit of a liability.

I won’t drive tractors unless forced to but any machine has to be hitched on for me; Mechanical jobs take me longer as I like to get everything just so - I do most of the slurry scraping and spend hours over it; I can’t milk as the parlour is too fast for me; I can’t roll a cow on my own any more; I refuse to get up at 5am unless we are staff critical; I wear more clothes than anyone else so can’t get through squeeze gaps (might also have something to do with the tum too); I spend longer fussing cows than others; and so on.

But I do do the monthly VAT; I do take some of the fingering; I am generally around the yard when others aren’t; I moan until jobs get done; i am the gofer to the Ag merchants; I am a sounding board even if I get ignored; I get to wear freebies especially beanies ....

Damn it all, I’m not ready to retire thankee
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Nor me .

Fit as fiddle 💪and no retiring any day soon (y)
and as Murdo the Bosun used to say " no holidays " either.

Just need many cups of tea and liquorice....and s n vinegar crisps....to keep me going ....:love:

And cheese and chocolate and lager etc etc...

Happy days.
 

Kevtherev

Member
Location
Welshpool Powys
Comments in the H&S thread got me thinking as I’m now within a few months of turning 60.

I suppose I am increasingly a bit of a liability.

I won’t drive tractors unless forced to but any machine has to be hitched on for me; Mechanical jobs take me longer as I like to get everything just so - I do most of the slurry scraping and spend hours over it; I can’t milk as the parlour is too fast for me; I can’t roll a cow on my own any more; I refuse to get up at 5am unless we are staff critical; I wear more clothes than anyone else so can’t get through squeeze gaps (might also have something to do with the tum too); I spend longer fussing cows than others; and so on.

But I do do the monthly VAT; I do take some of the fingering; I am generally around the yard when others aren’t; I moan until jobs get done; i am the gofer to the Ag merchants; I am a sounding board even if I get ignored; I get to wear freebies especially beanies ....

Damn it all, I’m not ready to retire thankee
You can’t retire as you are an integral link in the chain.
 

topground

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Somerset.
Copied from the Government website, don’t panic, they can’t force you to retire so any suggestion from the young ‘uns that us over 60’s should be forced to retire would require a change in the law that is unlikely given that the default retirement age was only ditched recently. F*ck ‘em!

Working after State Pension age
You can keep working past your State Pension age.
You can usually work for as long as you want to. ‘Default retirement age’ (a forced retirement age of 65) no longer exists.
You can also ask your employer if you can work more flexibly or work part-time. They have the right to reject your request.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
When you can be forced to retire
In some cases an employer can force you to retire at a certain age - known as ‘compulsory retirement age’. If they do this they must give a good reason why, for example:
  • the job requires certain physical abilities (eg in the construction industry)
  • the job has an age limit set by law (eg the fire service)
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Wrong side of 60 and deffo feeling vim and vigour have tailed off... Herself who is an integral part of the livestock enterprise is the same age and has really started to feel old and slow (her words) and it affects what and how we do some jobs.

More gates and alley ways to allow us to funnel stock safely and easily is a must I can see going in sooner than later... Cows won't be around for much longer as although the Hex are quiet, we are both too slow to deal with a difficult calving, or getting a calf to suck.
 
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czechmate

Member
Mixed Farmer
Wrong side of 60 and deffo feeling vim and vigour have tailed off... Herself who is an integral part of the livestock enterprise is the same age and has really started to feel old and slow (her words) and it affects what and how we do some jobs.

More gates and alley ways to allow us to funnel stock safely and easily is a must I can see going in quickly. Cows won't be around for much longer as although the Hex are quiet, we are both too slow to deal with a difficult calving, or getting a calf to suck.


Slow is good, getting a calf to suck👍
 
I'm 56 and when necessary I can put in the hard graft better than any of my much younger employees. I just seem to get into the "zone" and crack on with manual jobs at a good steady pace, when the youngsters keep stopping to look at their phones, roll a fag etc.
The slight problem is the aches and pains for a day or two after.
I sometimes wonder how the youngsters manage to procreate.
 

Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
Comments in the H&S thread got me thinking as I’m now within a few months of turning 60.

I suppose I am increasingly a bit of a liability.

I won’t drive tractors unless forced to but any machine has to be hitched on for me; Mechanical jobs take me longer as I like to get everything just so - I do most of the slurry scraping and spend hours over it; I can’t milk as the parlour is too fast for me; I can’t roll a cow on my own any more; I refuse to get up at 5am unless we are staff critical; I wear more clothes than anyone else so can’t get through squeeze gaps (might also have something to do with the tum too); I spend longer fussing cows than others; and so on.

But I do do the monthly VAT; I do take some of the fingering; I am generally around the yard when others aren’t; I moan until jobs get done; i am the gofer to the Ag merchants; I am a sounding board even if I get ignored; I get to wear freebies especially beanies ....

Damn it all, I’m not ready to retire thankee
You are aware of your shortfalls though so are much safer in that respect unlike a 60 yo who still thinks he/she is 40 and is as agile /strong as they once were
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I'm 56 and when necessary I can put in the hard graft better than any of my much younger employees. I just seem to get into the "zone" and crack on with manual jobs at a good steady pace, when the youngsters keep stopping to look at their phones, roll a fag etc.
The slight problem is the aches and pains for a day or two after.
I sometimes wonder how the youngsters manage to procreate.

There's probably an app... :unsure:
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 43.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.4%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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