OLD FARMERS

[manhill]

This so called idea was put forward by George Eustice environment secretary with suggestion that the old boy's be paid a lump sum [taxed of course] and this would encourage diversity [ more industrial units] none will be happy until every inch [25mm] is built on in this country thank god i remember when we had small fields, hedges, ditches and could walk miles without seeing a house or even a person, yes they were hard times but happy ones......

Didn't Ireland have a retirement scheme for farmers?

 

[Cvx1170]

old farmers are legends, they took on the assault course of farming, of life,decades of bureaucracy and they survived it all, should give them a medal of honor

 

[Nearly]

This was a full time dairy farm when I left school, employing Dad, me and 2 others. I loved the work and the return.

Its now a part time arable and suckler cow farm as I leave my 50th year. This seems about the right pace for me now.

It seems destined to become an eco garden with holiday cottages and micro-business units as I decline into my dotage.

The next generation can't make actually farming stack up in comparison to our other stuff and I've encouraged them to get a career and treat the farm as a bonus to their life, whether as a home with neighbours 2 fields away rather than 2m, or as an asset to borrow against to help finance other projects.

I've been lucky to do what I've done and hope to be here to 'haunt' this patch for a while to come.

 

[Tim G]

Had a couple of brilliant, super applicants but wives will not relocate to Norfolk

That's a shame.


As part of my off farm job I was doing, I took a grain drier down to Dorset last year. Lovely farm with a reasonable size herd of dairy cows. Got talking to the farmer and he told me he was getting out of dairy, ploughing the grass up and going arable. It wasn't because of financial reasons but he was getting older and didn't want to keep getting up to milk. His sons weren't interested, but I couldn't believe there wasn't an opportunity for someone to take it on with him. He then told me he could find plenty of good people to do it but none to do it exactly how he wants it done, which I now think was his and much of the industries problem.
Businesses that I know of (not just farms) which have sucessfully past from one generation to another have done it in good time, the older generation still in the background but limit their involvement.
Another farmer didn't let his son anywhere near the cheque book because he didn't trust him with it! When the father died, the son, who'd not had any decision making powers or guidance, got the financial control and went on a spending spree and I'm told now struggling badly as a result.
On my own situation (no farming relatives), I worked several years for an older farmer, we started a small partnership on a rented unit between us which I would have liked to build up, and over time take on some of his own operations between us, but after 5 years of trading, it became clear that he had no intention of it growing because he didn't want to share any profits! 10 years later he is still farming, well in his 80's and I've been told this week, pretty much house bound.
I've come to the conclusion that the problem isn't lack of new blood coming into the industry, but a reluctance of the older ones to give up.

Not in anyway aimed at you @sjt01

 

[Lowland1]

If you take three fens around us the youngest farmer will be 45 and his land is in stewardship. The lad who contracts a lot of the land is not actually a lad he is 50 and there is not a farmer under 80 he is contracting for. These older farmers are sitting pretty holding onto their high value land and taking their payments. All the younger generation seem to have been discouraged from getting into farming and i personally do not understand why i still believe if you work hard you can get on the problem is too many people stood still when things were good. The fourth fen over thats owned by another OAP by the name of Dyson.

 

[Still Farming]

Its called the gravy train.

Here,here,here ,here, cough ,cough !

 

[Still Farming]

Didn't Ireland have a retirement scheme for farmers?

Any scheme their'll have it!

 

[Agrivator]

If you take three fens around us the youngest farmer will be 45 and his land is in stewardship. The lad who contracts a lot of the land is not actually a lad he is 50 and there is not a farmer under 80 he is contracting for. These older farmers are sitting pretty holding onto their high value land and taking their payments. All the younger generation seem to have been discouraged from getting into farming and i personally do not understand why i still believe if you work hard you can get on the problem is too many people stood still when things were good. The fourth fen over thats owned by another OAP by the name of Dyson.

I suppose Dyson will be ''hoovering'' up the payments, just like the rest of us.

 

[Lowland1]

I suppose Dyson will be ''hoovering'' up the payments, just like the rest of us.

I am sure he's not too proud to take them.

 

[nick...]

If the system is there to be used,use it
Nick...

 

[Tim G]

I suppose Dyson will be ''hoovering'' up the payments, just like the rest of us.

Probably the best way to get new people into the industry would be to stop these payments, which are holding the value of land artificially high, both to buy or rent. Not holding my breath for it to happen though.

 

[sjt01]

@sjt01 can’t you advertise for a graduate and train them up, sounds like an interesting job with potential for progression?

Done that a couple of times, lads went off to see the world after we spent a lot of time showing them the ropes. I cannot blame them though, as from 1975 to 1998 I ran away and worked in Malawi.

 

[steveR]

I hear that a lot but most retired farmers I know very quickly relax from it and realise just how much a slog it was for little reward.

Yep, I know an ex-dairy Farmer who is thriving on "retirement"!!

 

[steveR]

BUT - you also need young farm workers.

Plenty of lads from Africa looking for work...

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Giving up farming is a huge change because it's not just a job. It's a way of life, identity, world-view, home, hobby and more. It shapes every aspect of our lives. We are farmers so who would we be and what would we do without a farm to haunt?

Rent it out

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Retiring dont mean you have too sit at home and rot , Jesus , never enough hours in the day

 

[Tim G]

A friend retired from farming, now doesn't know how he had time to fit the work in!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Dont do what i just done . Come off ny pushbike at 30mph split my Helmet in half and bust my shoulder. No fool like an old fool . Been banned from Cycling for 2 weeks and race season starting in 4

 

[britt]

Anyone seen latest idea from a Boris M.P. ,apparently old farmers should retire and let young ones take over, some of these mp's must live on another planet with some of the cr-p that comes out of them............

They probably assume that we all get a pension like theirs.

 

[czechmate]

Dont do what i just done . Come off ny pushbike at 30mph split my Helmet in half and bust my shoulder. No fool like an old fool . Been banned from Cycling for 2 weeks and race season starting in 4

Shame when you are obviously enjoying it so much.
Hopefully you’ll be back out soon enough