No time for a brew...

[RobFZS]

when we used to make bales my mum would take out lunch for the contractors, always thought it was a novelty when the baler would arrive at the yard as would only see it in the field away from the farm, now we have self propelled and they never stop, other than to ask which field to go in to

 

[Goweresque]

I think its the weather. We have all been dealing with the poor summers of the last 10 years and have gotten into a mentality of 'Got to keep going while the weathers good', rightly or wrongly. I genuinely think that you can't compare the summers of 20/30/40 years ago with today, I think there was much drier weather then and more chance of 'Ok, we'll finish it tomorrow', knowing that June/July and Aug would predominantly be hot and dry. A bad summer was an exception, now a good one is remarkable. Its become a case of get as much done as possible before the next belt of rain arrives.

 

[AJR75]

Same amount of ground to cover with fewer bodies though so more pressure put on and with all this bigger "more productive" kit, if the wheels aren't turning it's not making money/ generating income...

 

[Dave6170]

A cup tea goes a long way.
I spent 2 days carting silage for a mate last week and I dont want to cart a load ever again.! Trying to keep up with a chopper in the field then waiting at the pit cause they cant handle it at that end.
At spraying too we just have our food on the move cause we have so much to do in a short time. You feel like sh!t at night witb no breaks.
Dad shears all summer with a team. Some places expect them to do the whole flock with no tea breaks. He says all the need is a cup of tea and a piece. Just to keep them going. Then the next place, the folk are so delighted to get their sheep clipped and get the news with the shearers. They take them in for 3 courses tea beers and drams.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Don't forget a lot of 'farmer's wives' are out working elsewhere!

 

[Deleted User 923763]

Dad always insists that everyone stops and back to house for lunch and then tea during harvest. Probably each costs an hour of work time, and he pays people for the time spent stopped. I used to think it was non-sense and wanted to crack on, but he firmly believes that people need a chance to stretch their legs, wash up, and give their mind a change. He always says that you got a lot more done when people are fresh, and lot less breakages, etc. Makes a lot of sense to me these days.

 

[multi power]

my boss in nz gave me a bollocking once when i said i didnt have time for lunch, we were running late after walking some cows home, he told me at least go n have a cup of tea n some buiscuts, as he reminded me, if you dont eat you dont sh1t n when you stop sh1tting you die, simple
to this day i never forgot that

 

[John 1594]

Reminds me of an episode one evening in harvest 2006, very close to the end of my time as a full time employee as opposed to being self employed

we was cutting winter wheat, lexion in an 8 acre field, nothing exciting, i was the first trailer there, the bosses nephew followed me into the field with the second trailer, parked up, feet up on the dash, rolled a fag and started reading the paper....

by this time, the combine drivers wife has arrived with his tea, so the boss takes over the lexion

halfway round the field, my mother turns up with the fish and chips i ordered...just get them undone and made a start eating, boss comes on the CB....."are you gonna stop stuffing your face and come unload this effing combine or have it got to bring it to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Now bear in mind that the blue eyed boy nephews trailer is sittng next to me, with its driver reading the paper and smoking himself to an early death

was i wrong to tell my boss to f**k off and get your lasy arsed nephew to do some work occasionally, instead of letting me chase round doing half his job as well

i handed my notice in the next week.

 

[GOPHER89]

If the boss wont allow you at least 30 mins for lunch and tea, when working daft hours. He isn't worth working for. End of.

 

[milkloss]

should be combined with the busy fools thread! Although I am probably more guilty than most for both issues; I usually only have 1 proper meal a day if I'm lucky and survive on takeaway tea and cake the rest.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Anyone giving me a hand past 6 o clock nearly always gets a beer - but admittedly its not often apart from harvest.

(someone will tell me off for giving drivers alcohol now )

 

[John 1594]

Anyone giving me a hand past 6 o clock nearly always gets a beer - but admittedly its not often apart from harvest.

(someone will tell me off for giving drivers alcohol now )

we will always have a beer when we finish the last field, be it haymaking, harvest or spud lifting

its kind of a ritual i guess

 

[Baling Hay]

I have another story as well, one summer of university I went and worked for a very large and well known arable farmer (employed 18 people that summer). When people worked in the yard they used to get a cup of tea at 11am, one day myself and another worker were sent to a field just beside the yard to take down pheasant fencing etc. (it was a wet week). By 11am we were thirsty and hungry so drove the Land Rover to the yard about 200m away to get a cup of tea. When I picked up the mug the farm owner said you aren't meant to get a cup because you aren't working in the yard and took the cup out of my hand and said get back to work! There was no way I could work the rest of the day with no drink and one of the other workers gave me his tea as he was in the yard so could go get a drink of water any time!!

To say I was pee'd off was an understatement and when he rang to ask if I would come back the following year I politely declined.

 

[bobk]

Never stop when combining, it might not start after....

 

[John 1594]

I have another story as well, one summer of university I went and worked for a very large and well known arable farmer (employed 18 people that summer). When people worked in the yard they used to get a cup of tea at 11am, one day myself and another worker were sent to a field just beside the yard to take down pheasant fencing etc. (it was a wet week). By 11am we were thirsty and hungry so drove the Land Rover to the yard about 200m away to get a cup of tea. When I picked up the mug the farm owner said you aren't meant to get a cup because you aren't working in the yard and took the cup out of my hand and said get back to work! There was no way I could work the rest of the day with no drink and one of the other workers gave me his tea as he was in the yard so could go get a drink of water any time!!

To say I was pee'd off was an understatement and when he rang to ask if I would come back the following year I politely declined.

there are some arsehole bosses around certainly

what made me even more annoyed was when it came to 11pm, the boss and the nephew would dissapear off inot the night, leaving me and the combine driver to sheet up, shutup shop and and make sure the drier would keep going till the morning

come next morn, me and combine driver would be servicing everything, top everything up with fuel and everything else that needed doing, nephew would roll out of bed at 10am and come down expecting to get on the tractor and go...

 

[Kevtherev]

Most bad bosses have Never worked for anyone.
Some farms I go to won't even give you a drink of water!
Twunts.
Anyone who came home when grandmother and grandad were farming were fed and watered all day .
How times change......

 

[Kevtherev]

When I'm hedge cutting I stop for bait at ten
Dinner at 1 only for half hour.
Suprising you don't see anyone all day then when you stop they come skulking around moytherin you!

 

[John 1594]

if im on my own and only working till teatime il stop for half hour at eleven

if working past tea il stop for 15 mins at eleven, then another 15 at three

then arrange for tea to be delivered at 7pm ish

 

[stuart]

Most bad bosses have Never worked for anyone.
Some farms I go to won't even give you a drink of water!
Twunts.
Anyone who came home when grandmother and grandad were farming were fed and watered all day .
How times change......

yeah the odd family farm fetch some tea cakes and a drink etc when silaging but not many

 

[RobFZS]

yeah the odd family farm fetch some tea cakes and a drink etc when silaging but not many

come give us a hand chucking tyres on teh clamp next week, my mum will make you a good dinner