How many lady farmers are there on this forum?

[M-J-G]

I grant you that the numbers suggest the probability is lower, based upon current participation. But it certainly isn't nil, as some people think. And it's not always who you expect either. The last person to make such a backward comment to me was a solicitor.

Part of this attitude in non-farmers of course comes from a mistaken perception of what is required to run a modern intensive farm business. I think many assume it's all done with a grape and a shovel. Few realise the very wide range of skills that many of us use. Furthermore, it barely even occurs to them that it's actually a real business, and not just some good-life hobby thing.

As for farmers coming out with it - well, you are only left to assume that they're pretty thick, and sexist, if they think a woman can't do what they do. An old farmer looked at our three girls on Sunday, and whispered to my wife, 'you may change the recipe next time'. He probably thought he was funny. My wife was absolutely bouncing.

Narrow mindedness just leads to shock and/or disappointment.

I know an old pair who were very upset at their daughter having a relationship with someone of a different religion.
One of the questions from one old dinosaurs was "what church will they go to?" He was further horrified at my response being " who cares, maybe none"

I remember it being the talk of the town when I lad I know went out with a Chinese girl, and the shock of some when a girl went to school with married a black lad.

People need to realise that the world isn't limited to their own experiences.

 

[The Agrarian]

In the case of religion - people who intend to go forward with no religion presumably won't care much about religious background, and that's not anyone else's business. For those who do have an active religious faith and practice, however, might well be rewarded for paying attention to the matter early on - as differing beliefs and practices, from a practical point of view, may become a source of friction later on. Hundred years ago, most folks were affiliated with a church, which obviously doesn't apply to anything like the same degree now.

 

[EJS]

I'd be interested to see how many women are in the arable sector ( excluding reps) I personally don't know of any. Quite a lot of women in livestock around here ( on their own merit not ' married ' into the job)

I run a mixed farm, 300ac arable and 100ac grass with a haylage and hay (small!) business and run 250 sheep I work with my Dad but I do all spraying and fieldwork we share combining and carting, no husband but 2 daughters - they are quite young but help a bit. So we do exist!

 

[The Agrarian]

I run a mixed farm, 300ac arable and 100ac grass with a haylage and hay (small!) business and run 250 sheep I work with my Dad but I do all spraying and fieldwork we share combining and carting, no husband but 2 daughters - they are quite young but help a bit. So we do exist!

Good to hear from you. May you be a source of inspiration to my daughters!

 

[michael N123]

What the feck does ‘other’ option mean

 

[M-J-G]

Good to hear from you. May you be a source of inspiration to my daughters!

I have a friend who (along with a tractor man and a GFW) milks 150+ cows, finishes cattle, has a small pedigree flock of sheep, has 300+ maybe closer to 400ac of arable, does all of her own agronomy and does contracting for other farms.
She does a good job of it all and never tells anyone she does anything, so most people don't know her capabilities.
She should be an inspiration to everyone in the industry.

 

[M-J-G]

What the feck does ‘other’ option mean

I'm guessing for those who don't want be referred to as a particular gender, those who feel that they are not what their chromosomes suggest, or have an X and/or Y combination does not identify with a particular gender, and probably various other reasons that I can't think of.

 

[borderterribles]

What @CharcoalWally says is where we'd like things to be - i.e. not even an issue that needs to be discussed anymore, because of widespread female participation in farming, and acceptance of it.

England seems to be more forward thinking than Northern Ireland in it's attitude to women. While theres no antagonism at all, there is still a general assumption among many that it's not a thing a girl would want to do. And this comes from both farmers and non-farmers. You get to see it vividly when you are a farmer with a family of girls. Some of the comments I've had to endure have been nothing short of scandalous, and the folks don't even realise how offensive, prejudiced and backward their views are.

It's maybe not a PC response to these prejudices, but I remember going to a 21st birthday party for one of the four daughters of a well known and respected local farmer. In his speech after the meal, the farmer referred to the fact that other farmers had often commiserated with him for having four daughters but no sons. Not a problem at all, says he, there's no shortage of other farmers sons round here, trying to impress one or another of the girls, and if they're no good, I can clear them off, whereas if it's your boy, your stuck with what you've got!

 

[Hfd Cattle]

What the feck does ‘other’ option mean

A man that sits down to pee

 

[CharcoalWally]

I have a friend who (along with a tractor man and a GFW) milks 150+ cows, finishes cattle, has a small pedigree flock of sheep, has 300+ maybe closer to 400ac of arable, does all of her own agronomy and does contracting for other farms.
She does a good job of it all and never tells anyone she does anything, so most people don't know her capabilities.
She should be an inspiration to everyone in the industry.

And over the years, it's always been the people who just quietly get on with their life and get things done that change people's attitudes, rather than those who shout from the rooftops about how special /hard done by /victimised / unvalued they feel.

Realising that someone has achieved the same as everyone else when Society doesn't expect them to is a powerful thing.

 

[Ukjay]

I have a friend who (along with a tractor man and a GFW) milks 150+ cows, finishes cattle, has a small pedigree flock of sheep, has 300+ maybe closer to 400ac of arable, does all of her own agronomy and does contracting for other farms.
She does a good job of it all and never tells anyone she does anything, so most people don't know her capabilities.
She should be an inspiration to everyone in the industry.

You see the thing is highlighted above, and one reason I encourage my management team to seek out female replacement.managers.

They do as much - to be fair, usually more than than knob jockeys, but say little.
I have found women are not after the plastic badge of honour like blokes seem to chase.... And they make far superior team players.

 

[Ukjay]

I run a mixed farm, 300ac arable and 100ac grass with a haylage and hay (small!) business and run 250 sheep I work with my Dad but I do all spraying and fieldwork we share combining and carting, no husband but 2 daughters - they are quite young but help a bit. So we do exist!

And may it continue. I hope it is something you enjoy and can see yourself doing in the future with your children.

 

[M-J-G]

You see the thing is highlighted above, and one reason I encourage my management team to seek out female replacement.managers.

They do as much - to be fair, usually more than than knob jockeys, but say little.
I have found women are not after the plastic badge of honour like blokes seem to chase.... And they make far superior team players.

I have worked with quite a few groups of women in both equine and research environments in my life in, and they are not all team players I can assure you.

 

[Henarar]

and one reason I encourage my management team to seek out female replacement.managers.

isn't that sexist ?

 

[Canada Farmer]

isn't that sexist ?

"Reverse sexism", but that's ok apparently.

 

[primmiemoo]

Am reminded of a lady farmer from Ireland who was a farmer columnist in FW. She'd given a talk about her farm to the pupils at a local primary school, and (iirc) a lad made an interesting observation about how to tell if a lady was a farmer or a farmer's wife.

The difference, he said, had to do with accessories. A farmer who happens to be a lady tends not to carry a handbag during a normal day.
The columnist couldn't disagree with that at the time of writing - several years ago now - and neither can I, come to think of it.

Does that hold true of younger women who are farmers nowadays?

 

[michael N123]

Are any of the lady farmers on here going to post into the ooooohhhhhhh thread ?!

 

[Agrivator]

I have known ( not in the biblical sense) a number of women farmers who have had the misfortune to marry a man who, with little knowledge about farming, has taken control as the dominant partner.

 

[Weasel]

A man that sits down to pee

 

[Blaithin]

Am reminded of a lady farmer from Ireland who was a farmer columnist in FW. She'd given a talk about her farm to the pupils at a local primary school, and (iirc) a lad made an interesting observation about how to tell if a lady was a farmer or a farmer's wife.

The difference, he said, had to do with accessories. A farmer who happens to be a lady tends not to carry a handbag during a normal day.
The columnist couldn't disagree with that at the time of writing - several years ago now - and neither can I, come to think of it.

Does that hold true of younger women who are farmers nowadays?

I rarely have one with me, usually only if I'm going into the city and in and out of stores. Don't need a purse when I'm going about my day to day stuff... the cows don't care if I bring it to pasture or not!