"Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..
- Thread starter Kiwi Pete
- Start date
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
But it's a choice. You choose that game and those are the rules of engagement within that pre-existing commodity model.what farmers here don't seem to understand, is simple economics
supply v demand
supply under demand = higher price
then most do their utmost to regain oversupply, and lower price.
the guv, retailers must think we are stupid, fall for it every time
Yes and if the business is about profit, that can be a pitfall.
A small business that makes a better profit margin can still make a whole lot less than a bigger business with a leaner margin, thus it needs to be significantly "better" or give better quality of life for the participants.
The cow business can be a lot like that as using things like gross margins misses so much that makes a difference
Right up to the point the product sale price falls
Very noticeable who sequels the loudest when the milk price drops a few pence
- Location
- somerset
always been taught, it isn't about the sale price, its about how much stays in your pocket.
the milk job is shear lunacy, high price, you spend it, only consultants call it 'investing', borrow the money, build your shed/parlour whatever, just in time for the rapid price drop.
then moan like feck about price.
in the time l have been farming, the price swings l have seen, are nearly unbelievable, and yet we still carry on. Many farms are now single enterprise units, milk, or sheep, pigs etc.
and what is preached, mixed farming is best, and it is, for the environment, for the soil, and for (slightly) better income security, one enterprise supports another.
but what happens, farmers seem to want to expand their single enterprise units, in the (vain) hope more production, will counter the lower price....................... Like l said, guv and retailers must think we are plain stupid, because it keeps repeating itself. And to their advantage, not ours.
breaking the mould is a very hard think to do, especially when it goes against everything you have been taught to do. One needs to think outside of the box.
the milk job is shear lunacy, high price, you spend it, only consultants call it 'investing', borrow the money, build your shed/parlour whatever, just in time for the rapid price drop.
then moan like feck about price.
in the time l have been farming, the price swings l have seen, are nearly unbelievable, and yet we still carry on. Many farms are now single enterprise units, milk, or sheep, pigs etc.
and what is preached, mixed farming is best, and it is, for the environment, for the soil, and for (slightly) better income security, one enterprise supports another.
but what happens, farmers seem to want to expand their single enterprise units, in the (vain) hope more production, will counter the lower price....................... Like l said, guv and retailers must think we are plain stupid, because it keeps repeating itself. And to their advantage, not ours.
breaking the mould is a very hard think to do, especially when it goes against everything you have been taught to do. One needs to think outside of the box.
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
Here you go 
newatlas.com
Coal-to-protein livestock feed uses 1/1000th as much land as farming
Chinese scientists have developed a cost-effective method of converting coal into protein, which they say could feed livestock much more efficiently than natural plants, while using a tiny fraction of the land.
newatlas.com
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Yes, usually the lad working his butt off to keep his parents
- Location
- somerset
what's wrong with that ?
we have arguments over that subject
hard work never killed anybody, but it sure fecked a lot up, me included.
l tell him, he can't do everything, and not suffer for it. l think l might be, just, winning that argument. SFI, does offer a different, and worthwhile, income source.
Fenwick
Member
- Location
- Bretagne France
On paper yes sure.
I'll send you a P.M.
Are you so sure of that?
Farmers are the workforce with the highest suicide rates in europe. Do you not feel that some of that is related to working hours and conditions?
Some of the old timers here still remember bringing in the harvest by hand. Incredibly hard work, that I can't even fathom. But they also had a fantastic sense of community and lots of time off for other activities. Not working when it is dark, or on sundays etc. Harvest ere also days of enourmous festivities lasting days.
Plenty of farming freinds I know work long days every day of the year, and spend their days alone, except when the frendly salesman comes to call. Harvest today (maize silage) is a stressfull period with each in their own tractor and on may farms its a quick dodgy sandwich in the cab on your own at lunch, and mrs has a job in town to pay the bills.
My immediate neighbor takes hs retirement this year. He's alone. Never had the time for things like a wife and kids.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Yes it was in response to the "who squeals" question: the guy who makes 20-30k per year probably isn't going to be stating that his profit is down quarter of a million from last year, like the big guys do.what's wrong with that ?
we have arguments over that subject
hard work never killed anybody, but it sure fecked a lot up, me included.
l tell him, he can't do everything, and not suffer for it. l think l might be, just, winning that argument. SFI, does offer a different, and worthwhile, income source.
But, to your reply, that's "the generational thing" I guess.
Parents live longer and cost more than the generation before, and most succession plans don't account for that big change, despite the obvious: this has been changing for decades.
Children cost more. Adults cost more. People are largely much less self-sufficient throughout their lifespan.
Some are exceptional in this respect, using various wealth-creation opportunities outside of farming, as a hedge.
Cost more ? shouldn't that be contribute more
I got that from what Dad used to tell us, used to be hard grueling work but a hell of a lot more community spirt within farming.
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
Not when they get Alzheimers just when you hit your teenage years . . .
Maybe not but how old would they be when their kid was 13 ?
hell of a blanket statement by Pete
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
It's possible, sure.
My mate was 15 when Dad had his heart attack and had his first week away from the farm when I found out he'd never had more than 3 days away in 35 years.
Nobody to blame however I haven't heard many commenting how cheaply we can live today, compared 50 years ago
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Fun fact if you watch the start of The Simpsons, when Maggie goes through the checkout scanner it gives the average price to raise a child for that year in the USA
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Anyway.
What does cocksfoot yield in seed per acre compared to what we can afford to sow it at?
What does cocksfoot yield in seed per acre compared to what we can afford to sow it at?
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
And I do wonder what this rye would weigh in at
Fenwick
Member
- Location
- Bretagne France
I've vistited a project which yielded 200kgs a hectare on a mixed species sward.
Cocksfoot currently sellng at 4,22€/kg conventionnel or 6.74/Kg Organic.
And more importanty our natural overseeding has worked perfectly 100% of the time.
Direct drilling has not proved so reliable.