Something for the winter

[cubby]

afternoon tff currently contemplating what to do next started contracting 4 years ago we do a few niche jobs as everyone has a baler and chopper.we do lime fert direct drilling of forage crops and grass and heavy discing in the spring summer i also live on the family farm with my wife and kids in partnership with my parents we have 60 suckler cows and 700 breeding ewes.in the winter I work for labour for one of my good customers as my farther is still a fit man but neither of us take much time off.so I am after ideas for winter work so I can stay more flexible for work at home and I do struggle at times with my back which is why I started contracting to be my own boss. One idea is to build a workshop for fabrication of various things or services machines for clients another would be fencing both would let me take on some men for some time of So in summary looking for others who have been in this situation and what have you done and changed thank you

 

[betweenthelines]

Get an HGV licence and register with an agency

 

[cubby]

@betweenthelines thank you for replying it has crossed my mind but in the winter I feed the cows before I go to my winter job hgv jobs would require an early start for delivery also I am in sw Scotland remote but tons of farm work available

 

[puppet]

Do you want the hassle of employing people just to get more work? Shortage of dykers but your back not so good.
Mending and servicing gives you flexibility at home. Local workshops seem busy

 

[hendrebc]

Buy a digger

 

[Bill the Bass]

Spend more time with your wife and kids.

 

[cubby]

Thank you for your reply’s the digger scene is fairly well covered here with good owner operators my only one I thought about would be having an 8 toner on meter tracks on hills And forestry doing the jobs that no one else wants seems to be my thing I have a couple good self employed guys who help me out on the contracting side in summer and would like to get one of them full time so I can spend more time with wife and kids currently finding myself building up the farm growing a young contracting business thing I am in a place that a lot of people find themselves in

 

[Wiggins]

Hedge cutting?

 

[cubby]

@Wiggins that is on my mind but got a couple good guys doing it small area everyone knows each other and there business we make good money in the summer with what we do spraying direct drilling charged by the acre lime by the ton so hedge cutting would be just keeping wheels turning there is one guy at 25 an hour

 

[Wiggins]

If your in a livestock area, and not in a nvz, umbilical slurry spreading? The guys doing that round here seem to work 7days a week most of the winter. Keep 2 men and tractors busy

 

[HolzKopf]

Sounds like the workshop may have some legs if you're any good at the mechanical trade. Reasonable pricing, do what you say you're going to do, clean and tidy, quality. Can't see why you wouldn't have a queue.

HK

 

[kfpben]

A contractor mate of mine does gritting in the winter. Factory premises, car parks, outside offices etc. Generally 7.30pm-midnight unless it’s exceptionally cold and/or snowy.

He averages 40 nights a year. We’re in central southern England so I expect you would have more nights below freezing unless you’re right on the coast.

 

[hendrebc]

Hedge cutter with a saw blade? Muck or slurry spreading?

 

[cubby]

Slurry spreading wise there is a large local contractor who I used to work for has it sown up 12 men 6 tankers enough pipe splash plates dribble bars engine pumps and reliant too a saw blade on a digger would stand out and do work I would say jr firby has a couple tractors in with herder long reach hedgers which would appeal too .gritter wise dumfries is our biggest town 60 miles away and here we are coastal with lots of small villages so no commercial premises of any size looking for this service