I'm currently re-reading George Henderson's books; 'The Farming Ladder' and 'Farmers Progress'.
For those who don't know, George Henderson was a very successful farmer on 85 acres in the Cotswolds. He and his brother Frank 'devised' or adapted a system of highly intensive mixed farming on an acreage that many at the time said was too small. They started with very limited capital, and built up their enterprises out of profits. Within very few years of taking on a tenancy they were able to buy their farm, and went on to buy other farms where they installed tenants that they had trained as pupils in their own system back on the home farm.
George was a strong advocate of highly intensive production, keen to turn over his money as many times as possible through the year, as opposed to the traditional production systems that would see a farmers capital turned over once every 1-2 years or longer. He advocated having many enterprises, ie. Cattle, sheep, poultry, pigs and arable. With the livestock constantly building up fertility and the arable land utilising it. He aimed to, and was successful, in increasing productivity year on year through this constant fertility building and ensuring each branch of the business grew out of profits.
Reading his book, He tells of how he was rarely required to alter much of the system, through hard times and good, war or peace. He felt it was fail proof and could stand the test of time.
He did diversify, and had alternative income streams, but these were born through spotting opportunities rather than a need. Quite different to small farmers being told they MUST diversify as in recent years.
What I'm asking is, are there people out there doing similar now. Making a 'proper' living on farms, say sub 100 acres? Mixed farms that don't therefore rely on one niche enterprise? Is it still possible?
Are there people farming by his methods (or similar)?
Someone on here must have known him or his descendants, are they still going? What would he say about the small farm today? We constantly hear how small farms must go, that large agri business is the way forward, economy of scale and all that...but I cant help thinking that there is room for both.
Am I nuts?
For those who don't know, George Henderson was a very successful farmer on 85 acres in the Cotswolds. He and his brother Frank 'devised' or adapted a system of highly intensive mixed farming on an acreage that many at the time said was too small. They started with very limited capital, and built up their enterprises out of profits. Within very few years of taking on a tenancy they were able to buy their farm, and went on to buy other farms where they installed tenants that they had trained as pupils in their own system back on the home farm.
George was a strong advocate of highly intensive production, keen to turn over his money as many times as possible through the year, as opposed to the traditional production systems that would see a farmers capital turned over once every 1-2 years or longer. He advocated having many enterprises, ie. Cattle, sheep, poultry, pigs and arable. With the livestock constantly building up fertility and the arable land utilising it. He aimed to, and was successful, in increasing productivity year on year through this constant fertility building and ensuring each branch of the business grew out of profits.
Reading his book, He tells of how he was rarely required to alter much of the system, through hard times and good, war or peace. He felt it was fail proof and could stand the test of time.
He did diversify, and had alternative income streams, but these were born through spotting opportunities rather than a need. Quite different to small farmers being told they MUST diversify as in recent years.
What I'm asking is, are there people out there doing similar now. Making a 'proper' living on farms, say sub 100 acres? Mixed farms that don't therefore rely on one niche enterprise? Is it still possible?
Are there people farming by his methods (or similar)?
Someone on here must have known him or his descendants, are they still going? What would he say about the small farm today? We constantly hear how small farms must go, that large agri business is the way forward, economy of scale and all that...but I cant help thinking that there is room for both.
Am I nuts?