Lost That Loving Feeling

deere150

Member
Location
Cumbria
I went out of milking cows 4 yrs ago. I used to love milking my cows, but gradually over time it dawned on me that I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life. I have no family coming on to see whether they wanted to continue. Took 18 month to prepare for the sale, the last winter I milked knowing they were going kept me going. I'll make two points, don't make any snap decisions once they're gone that's it. Make sure you know what you're going to do before they go, ideally the next venture needs to start as soon as the cows go. I have absolutely no regrets from selling up.
 

Neuson510k

Member
Location
North Coast
i have a mobile phone...it's in the van switched off....no good anyone ringing it cos...it's in the van and switched off;)

i will just add for those of us who have farms but tire of it sometimes....remember the thousands that would love to have the opportunity we had...but never will:(

I have to be on the phone though for other parts of the business that I actively manage, i used to divert a lot to my secretary but then I found I had to spend more time just ringing people back or they leaned that if they said it was urgent they could get put through to my other phone!
Yes I admit it I'm a 2 phone stroker.

I'm not tired off farming just one aspect of it, still love the arable.
 
I know several farmers who have given up milking to do other things,a couple are now builders and one was a PCSO police officer.
All of them have said they miss there cows now and again but none of the regret the decision to get out
I know one dairyman who has put the cows away and says he has never missed them for one day. It's the age old get to 50 and then re-evaluate.
 
It sounds really like you've made your mind up already. I completely understand the frustration of the endless phone calls and how mad it can drive you.

If the dairy unit is relatively modern and of a scale where it can potentially make a reasonable profit then I think your only option for keeping the cows is to get someone in to contract farm the dairy side of the business.

I contract farm a dairy farm so all phone calls are directed to me, all ordering of inputs, staff management, cow management, pretty much everything comes back to me. I see the farm owner almost every day and we have a formal monthly meeting with his consulting where we talk bigger picture issues and current finances.

There are keen people out there looking for this sort of opportunity and it would allow you to step right back and focus on other things while the dairy would still be there giving you a more diverse stream of income rather than just arable.
 

Neuson510k

Member
Location
North Coast
It sounds really like you've made your mind up already. I completely understand the frustration of the endless phone calls and how mad it can drive you.

If the dairy unit is relatively modern and of a scale where it can potentially make a reasonable profit then I think your only option for keeping the cows is to get someone in to contract farm the dairy side of the business.

I contract farm a dairy farm so all phone calls are directed to me, all ordering of inputs, staff management, cow management, pretty much everything comes back to me. I see the farm owner almost every day and we have a formal monthly meeting with his consulting where we talk bigger picture issues and current finances.

There are keen people out there looking for this sort of opportunity and it would allow you to step right back and focus on other things while the dairy would still be there giving you a more diverse stream of income rather than just arable.

I do have a modern dairy unit which can milk 250 cows which would be a real same to see gathering dust but my yard is quite a busy place with the other interests and some of the sheds I could put to instant use for storage etc.
 
I do have a modern dairy unit which can milk 250 cows which would be a real same to see gathering dust but my yard is quite a busy place with the other interests and some of the sheds I could put to instant use for storage etc.

There is absolutely no shame in stopping milking but if a little bit of you wanted to see the cows stay to see if the next generation were interested or because the arable benefits from the dairy or because purely because there are potentially reasonable profits to be made milking cows then it's worth investigating a CFA.

It wouldn't have to be forever, most would be 5 or 10 years with various break clauses in so you could end it sooner.

I'm happy to answer any questions on dairy CFAs .
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
It really is the most tiring thing of all,
I don't mind helping ppl who need help but it's the relentless phone calls that didn't need to be made that really gets to me
I hear you loud and clear. It's disproportionately wearing.
I fortunately had the means to move away from dairy about a year after getting to the fed up stage. Best thing we ever did, nothing against it, and it was great learning- but life's too short to be doing something you're not passionate about. Plus those lunchtime, breakfast time, night time texts stopped :)
 

jersey lou79

Member
Location
Shropshire
In the last 10 years 10 dairy farmers have sold up within a 3 mile radius of our farm. There is now only 4 of us left. Non of them regret it. You are not on your own when you question, is it worth it anymore.
 
There is one part of my agri-business that I have loved all my life up until a few months ago, out of the blue I started to lose interest in it and I mean I have really lost interest in it. And its strange because things are going reasonably well in this sector and I weathered the storm for a few years and always remained positive but now I just hate it.

If you have quit in you're mind there really is no going back is there??

Friends and family keep telling me to see how I feel in a few months, but I really have had enough and want out, I just know how dangerous it is to try to run a business you're not interested in.

I'm just finding that the whole thing has knocked me for 6 because life is good at the mo, I have always relished abit of trouble and strife and the long hours but the love has just gone.
Like you - when you get that feeling that you just don't want to do something - your heart sinks when you have to do that certain job - then the writing is on the wall - sooner or later you will be better off out and being enthused by something else!
I should add - that was how I felt around 2002 - sold the contracting business - did other things that made more money and were more fun for 8 years then, due to my lads wanting to get into it, went back to contracting and farming and loving it more than ever I did before.
 
Last edited:

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
There is one part of my agri-business that I have loved all my life up until a few months ago, out of the blue I started to lose interest in it and I mean I have really lost interest in it. And its strange because things are going reasonably well in this sector and I weathered the storm for a few years and always remained positive but now I just hate it.

If you have quit in you're mind there really is no going back is there??

Friends and family keep telling me to see how I feel in a few months, but I really have had enough and want out, I just know how dangerous it is to try to run a business you're not interested in.

I'm just finding that the whole thing has knocked me for 6 because life is good at the mo, I have always relished abit of trouble and strife and the long hours but the love has just gone.

get out - its impossible to run any business you dont love, especially a ag related one !
 

Rossymons

Member
Location
Cornwall
Its only minor but ive fallen out of love with Farmers Weekly. Used to love it, cover to cover every week.Have done for over a decade. Cancelled it today. Times change. It happens.

Its a curious thing in nature. The cells that make up our beings die and are then replicated. It is entirely feasible that we have a new body every decade. With that comes a new outlook and perspective on things.
 

cows sh#t me to tears

Member
Livestock Farmer
Its only minor but ive fallen out of love with Farmers Weekly. Used to love it, cover to cover every week.Have done for over a decade. Cancelled it today. Times change. It happens.

Its a curious thing in nature. The cells that make up our beings die and are then replicated. It is entirely feasible that we have a new body every decade. With that comes a new outlook and perspective on things.

So that's what happened to the wife:scratchhead::(:LOL::cry:
I don't like our cows now either...Farm yes, cows no. Can't do anything yet as parents are still very much involved. Oldest boy not real keen, shall give it till youngest finishes school and if no interest then, the cows will either have to go or maybe get a share farmer? Our young worker has no intention of milking cows for rest of his life either and quite frankly i'm sick of dealing with staff (previous ones). If he goes it may come to a head quicker. Just taking it one day at a time atm.
 
Last edited:
Its only minor but ive fallen out of love with Farmers Weekly. Used to love it, cover to cover every week.Have done for over a decade. Cancelled it today. Times change. It happens.

Its a curious thing in nature. The cells that make up our beings die and are then replicated. It is entirely feasible that we have a new body every decade. With that comes a new outlook and perspective on things.

The standard of the farmer focus bit just ain't what it used to be is it Ross..
 

Keepers

Member
Location
South West
I would gladly hand over the reigns and take a back seat or go and do something different if I thought they could manage. Just want to hand them a thriving business which it isn't at the moment. Partly my fault perhaps, having lost interest but also partly theirs for not being as keen as I'd like. My feeling is that at fifty years old I shouldn't be the driving force behind the business but if I don't get up in the morning and go and do something then no one does.

If you're ever looking for someone to rent your farm to......

:p:cool:
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.1%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

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

    Votes: 6 3.2%

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/
Top