Sole living from sheep ,Flock size

[SteveHants]

300 ewes here, work 60-100hours a week tractor driving in summer and winter 3000 lambs and drive a gritter 5 months of the year wouldn’t say life’s that great tbf I survive but only because the bank manager can’t afford for me too die

Moan all you like, I was a professional pig w*nker for the rest of the time.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I think a headage payment linked to stocking rates should be the basis for SFI.
Grazing appropriately is key to sequestering carbon, maintaining/creating habitats and the payment would make it financially sustainable.
It would fulfil its remit perfectly and be public money for public good.

Working off farm is a good and tax efficient way of building capital but you need to keep a close eye on the numbers to make sure you are not subsidising the farming yourself.

 

[andybk]

I think a headage payment linked to stocking rates should be the basis for SFI.
It would fulfil its remit perfectly and be public money for public good.

Working off farm is a good and tax efficient way of building capital but you need to keep a close eye on the numbers to make sure you are not subsidising the farming yourself.

If we went down that route it would need a "quality" element , or eveything would be overrun with shetlands and the like , not that there is anything wrong with them in the right place / system , but would knacker the industry if it was just any old sheep on an acre .

 

[CopperBeech]

Why not link it to production and green credentials. There is, I believe, sweet spot which allows for a sustainable financially comfortable farming model which doesn’t f**k the planet.

 

[Mc115reed]

I think a headage payment linked to stocking rates should be the basis for SFI.
Grazing appropriately is key to sequestering carbon, maintaining/creating habitats and the payment would make it financially sustainable.
It would fulfil its remit perfectly and be public money for public good.

Working off farm is a good and tax efficient way of building capital but you need to keep a close eye on the numbers to make sure you are not subsidising the farming yourself.

Oh that’s where I’m going wrong I’m Definatly subsidising the farming myself but My mrs can’t stand me being at home and I enjoy the work

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Oh that’s where I’m going wrong I’m Definatly subsidising the farming myself but My mrs can’t stand me being at home and I enjoy the work

She probably likes too sleep at night, not be bothered by some bloke she sees occasionally who always smells of sheep?

 

[Farmer Keith]

On a sheep only farm it’s got to be a balance between being stocked heavily enough to pay the bills and being stocked lightly enough to get through the winters without adding too much cost into the job. The challenge up here would be finding a big enough parcel of land at a reasonable rent to keep enough sheep on. Realistically you’re talking 1000 plus commercial ewes but there’s not many farms big enough to do that. Our land is not laid out to make large scale subsidy free sheep farming as viable as it is elsewhere in the world. Big numbers tend to mean running the roads all day.

 

[Mc115reed]

She probably likes too sleep at night, not be bothered by some bloke she sees occasionally who always smells of sheep?

Apparently all I do is wind the kids up and moan about stuff and also I only have to look at her and I get her pregnant and we really don’t want another kid

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Apparently all I do is wind the kids up and moan about stuff and also I only have to look at her and I get her pregnant and we really don’t want another kid

2 bricks would cure that problem

 

[Mc115reed]

2 bricks would cure that problem

I told her I was having the snip after the last one but iv not braved it yet

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I told her I was having the snip after the last one but iv not braved it yet

Tell her you went, had it done. Go playing with sheep for a few hours, come home walking like John Wayne. Avoid her for 3 weeks then just carry on. When she gets pregnant again just tell her “the doctor said the op might not be 100% effective on farmers…”

 

[Mc115reed]

Tell her you went, had it done. Go playing with sheep for a few hours, come home walking like John Wayne. Avoid her for 3 weeks then just carry on. When she gets pregnant again just tell her “the doctor said the op might not be 100% effective on farmers…”

That doesn’t really help with the not wanting anymore kids part of the problem Like I’m not joking… she came off the pill for 1 week 2 years ago because her doctor said she needed to have a week off it too reset her hormones or something stupid like that… did the deed once in that week and got her f**king pregnant

 

[JMcA]

Based on my experience, you couldn't earn £30k from sheep income alone. However if you have no rent, claim maximum subsidy and keep sheep numbers to a minimum you could make £30k. Quite a sad situation. I'd love to get into full time farming, but good opportunities are very rare.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

That doesn’t really help with the not wanting anymore kids part of the problem Like I’m not joking… she came off the pill for 1 week 2 years ago because her doctor said she needed to have a week off it too reset her hormones or something stupid like that… did the deed once in that week and got her f**king pregnant

Well in that case then, learn a bit of self control and stay off the oysters and chocolate?

 

[S J H]

So you need £150k tied up, to earn £30k a year?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

So you need £150k tied up, to earn £30k a year?

Correction, you need anywhere from £100k too £500k tied up, to earn a potential £30k. But if something a bit different happens or the weather goes bad you could earn a potential -£5k up too a hefty £5k…

that’s farming in a nutshell isn’t it?

 

[S J H]

Correction, you need anywhere from £100k too £500k tied up, to earn a potential £30k. But if something a bit different happens or the weather goes bad you could earn a potential -£5k up too a hefty £5k…

that’s farming in a nutshell isn’t it?

Yes I suppose it is, fair play to people that can, but I couldn't do it full time.

I wouldn't want to be without the farm either, and I'm sure we're making fair money if time isn't taken into account, but without the tax and planning perks it would be a bit dire

 

[Jackov Altraids]

If we went down that route it would need a "quality" element , or eveything would be overrun with shetlands and the like , not that there is anything wrong with them in the right place / system , but would knacker the industry if it was just any old sheep on an acre .

Maybe if the premium was calculated per kg of lamb sold, that wouldn't be a problem.

 

[ritchiekirkland]

If we went down that route it would need a "quality" element , or eveything would be overrun with shetlands and the like , not that there is anything wrong with them in the right place / system , but would knacker the industry if it was just any old sheep on an acre .

I’ve heard people saying exactly that . If headache payments came back the X ewes would be down the road and they would have all shetlands !

 

[ritchiekirkland]

I’ve heard people saying exactly that . If headache payments came back the X ewes would be down the road and they would have all shetlands !

Headage !