Hit me with the truth.

My long story short. I Grew up on a dairy farm that belonged to my grandad. He retired when I was early teens and I consider them the best days of my life. I have 2 children of my own now and I would love for them to have a sense of freedom I had. I'm thinking of renting land and making a start on my dream with a handful of sheep. I'm from the east Midlands, Leicester area.
Does anyone have any advice, no matter how harsh ?.
 
Thankyou for your reply. I have little experience, I would happily volunteer on a farm in exchange for experience. I work full time as a shunt class 1 driver. I feel I have strayed off on the wrong path completely. Rather then jump in with two feet I'd take more of a five year self plan to get on board, gain experience and work out what is best for me.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
My long story short. I Grew up on a dairy farm that belonged to my grandad. He retired when I was early teens and I consider them the best days of my life. I have 2 children of my own now and I would love for them to have a sense of freedom I had. I'm thinking of renting land and making a start on my dream with a handful of sheep. I'm from the east Midlands, Leicester area.
Does anyone have any advice, no matter how harsh ?.
You made a good start asking here

Plenty of folks starting with a flying flock of sheep, often keeping their existing or regular or full time employment

I don't have many sheep, I do have cattle and a full time job

If you can deal with the strains of farming after hours with the missus and young children etc, I'd go for it

Hopefully there will be a few sheep keepers along in a minute

Like I told my Daughter at her graduation "Don't let your dreams be dreams"
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
As you are in full time employment, would it not be better to buy your own land then slowly create a kind of small holding, allowing a sheep farmer to graze your land for free, with some form of knowledge building on their part. Just need to have grazing license etc drawn up to protect your interests?
 
You made a good start asking here

Plenty of folks starting with a flying flock of sheep, often keeping their existing or regular or full time employment

I don't have many sheep, I do have cattle and a full time job

If you can deal with the strains of farming after hours with the missus and young children etc, I'd go for it

Hopefully there will be a few sheep keepers along in a minute

Like I told my Daughter at her graduation "Don't let your dreams be dreams"
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Thankyou for your reply.
How many cattle do you own? And what breed. I assumed sheep would be an easier start due to grazing space/cost.
I have only a few acres but a base for bales, cattle overwintering, tractor etc

I conservation graze HLS for other landholders

I have 40 native suckler cows

I used to keep sheep (Lleyns) with just temporary grazing licences until I moved to East Anglia
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
I will only add that farming isn't what it used to be. I look at the farm now and think how few workers there are, big machines rushing around etc. Not sure children nowadays get the freedom to explore I used to.
 
Thankyou Tim.

All positive so far to be fair.
I was expecting to be bombarded with a load of negative comments but people are very helpful.
Just a few single comments can make a difference.

Unfortunately the link you sent me comes up with an error. ?
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Thankyou Tim.

All positive so far to be fair.
I was expecting to be bombarded with a load of negative comments but people are very helpful.
Just a few single comments can make a difference.

Unfortunately the link you sent me comes up with an error. ?


Try that one.

I read the report monthly for inspiration.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
As you are in full time employment, would it not be better to buy your own land then slowly create a kind of small holding, allowing a sheep farmer to graze your land for free, with some form of knowledge building on their part. Just need to have grazing license etc drawn up to protect your interests?

Unless he wins the lottery his current employment won’t allow the purchase of anything worth stocking.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.2%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

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

    Votes: 6 3.3%

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

  • 1,287
  • 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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