Staff

linga

Member
Location
Ceredigion
You have no place to tell the working man what they can or cannot spend their money on I'm afraid. What you define as a luxury or rubbish may differ from theirs. They might question why you spend so much money on cushelle toilet roll when Tescos own will do.

I am not telling the working (or non working) man what they can or cannot spend their money on. I am simply pointing out in a slightly tongue in cheek way that if people didnt spend so much they would have more disposable income ( ie. money available to ...er.. spend !)
I suppose the point I was trying to make was that people, on the whole, could afford better quality food if they made different choices about what they spent their money on.
It is a bit sad that quality food is low down on the list of priorities of many people.
 
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Celt83

Member
Livestock Farmer
When I worked on dairy farms I showed respect and respect was given.

I preferred the boss to be the boss, I didn’t like them hanging around my neck like a vulture all day watching me but didn’t mind at all them checking what I had done after the tasks were completed. (After all it is their business)

What really did get up my nose was two or more bosses. There was nothing worse than being told to do something then three hours latter the bosses son would fly off the handle because he wanted it done a different way or a different job entirely!

Too many cooks spoil the broth, and it’s sad to say that particular farm lost a few really good workers because the family didn’t see eye to eye on most things.
 
When I worked on dairy farms I showed respect and respect was given.

I preferred the boss to be the boss, I didn’t like them hanging around my neck like a vulture all day watching me but didn’t mind at all them checking what I had done after the tasks were completed. (After all it is their business)

What really did get up my nose was two or more bosses. There was nothing worse than being told to do something then three hours latter the bosses son would fly off the handle because he wanted it done a different way or a different job entirely!

Too many cooks spoil the broth, and it’s sad to say that particular farm lost a few really good workers because the family didn’t see eye to eye on most things.

The very worst kind of place to work is one where they don't have a care for or any concern for costs, efficiency, profit or ambition. Where they don't forsee the need to change or do anything differently. Or where staff are treated like mindless drones who need to be set to each task every day with no idea what the plan is overall or what the remainder of the week entails. I cannot think of anything worse.

I worked for a man who was the total opposite of that. Upon starting I was handed a huge bunch of keys and a map of the farm itself and two contract farms we covered. In a room adjacent to the farm office there were a collection of drawers, in which you could find every manual or parts list for basically every piece of kit on the farm.

I worked with 3 other older and more experienced guys, basically the boss would leave a list of stuff that needed doing and we went off and did it. The foreman or oldest guy would keep us updated if anything changed. A list of fields to be subsoiled or cultivated or ploughed etc. It was dead easy. No messing around in the morning waiting to be told what to do. Just found the list, updated what had been done yesterday and hopped into the next machine and off to the next field. The boss didn't even have to be on the place.
 

Celt83

Member
Livestock Farmer
The very worst kind of place to work is one where they don't have a care for or any concern for costs, efficiency, profit or ambition. Where they don't forsee the need to change or do anything differently. Or where staff are treated like mindless drones who need to be set to each task every day with no idea what the plan is overall or what the remainder of the week entails. I cannot think of anything worse.

I worked for a man who was the total opposite of that. Upon starting I was handed a huge bunch of keys and a map of the farm itself and two contract farms we covered. In a room adjacent to the farm office there were a collection of drawers, in which you could find every manual or parts list for basically every piece of kit on the farm.

I worked with 3 other older and more experienced guys, basically the boss would leave a list of stuff that needed doing and we went off and did it. The foreman or oldest guy would keep us updated if anything changed. A list of fields to be subsoiled or cultivated or ploughed etc. It was dead easy. No messing around in the morning waiting to be told what to do. Just found the list, updated what had been done yesterday and hopped into the next machine and off to the next field. The boss didn't even have to be on the place.

My thoughts are if your not adding value to the business then move on.

A good boss once told me “if I need to be here all the time and end up doing the work , I don’t need to employ people “

No offence but If the op has good workers that are reliable and skilled then perhaps they need to look at the way they manage themselves not the staff?
 

jersey lou79

Member
Location
Shropshire
My thoughts are if your not adding value to the business then move on.

A good boss once told me “if I need to be here all the time and end up doing the work , I don’t need to employ people “

No offence but If the op has good workers that are reliable and skilled then perhaps they need to look at the way they manage themselves not the staff?
I think our main problem is letting go. Gone from being responsible for everything to the realisation that actually I can't do it all and need to let go of certain things. Calf rearing has mostly had to go to my staff this season due to my ill health in Feb and I had no option but to let them take control and they did a great job
 

Celt83

Member
Livestock Farmer
I think our main problem is letting go. Gone from being responsible for everything to the realisation that actually I can't do it all and need to let go of certain things. Calf rearing has mostly had to go to my staff this season due to my ill health in Feb and I had no option but to let them take control and they did a great job

I’m sorry to hear of your ill health and hope you are well on the way to recovery.

From what I remembered from your op you have 600 odd cattle and you can’t do all that work yourselves so you’ll have to trust in workers skills.

I don’t think you should let go at all! It’s your business at the end of the day and if things go pear shaped it will be you that will have to be accountable.

Your unfortunate situation has shown that a big responsibility can be handed over with success.

If I was in your situation I would seriously consider a manager/herdsman. There are very professional people out there that will treat your business like their own.

I think you said you had a few staff perhaps one of them will suit? That way you can still have a very big input in the business and still have quality family time.
 

Rossymons

Member
Location
Cornwall
I think our main problem is letting go. Gone from being responsible for everything to the realisation that actually I can't do it all and need to let go of certain things. Calf rearing has mostly had to go to my staff this season due to my ill health in Feb and I had no option but to let them take control and they did a great job

An emergency situation often leads to a local long term change so don't feel as though you're the only one that it's happened to. Take positive from it - it worked and it worked well!

Just do it again...only without the poor health part please!
 

Blue.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Having a conversation with my neighbour and I was talking about staff and like this thread he said you need a herdsman,where are these herdsmen?

There’s only been one on here I’d have employed and he went and started out himself.:rolleyes:

I’ve a new lad starting on Monday,he says he loves cows,we’ll see:LOL:
 

farmboy

Member
Location
Dorset
Having a conversation with my neighbour and I was talking about staff and like this thread he said you need a herdsman,where are these herdsmen?

There’s only been one on here I’d have employed and he went and started out himself.:rolleyes:

I’ve a new lad starting on Monday,he says he loves cows,we’ll see:LOL:
All the good ones already have jobs
 

Scribus

Member
Location
Central Atlantic
My thoughts are if your not adding value to the business then move on.

A good boss once told me “if I need to be here all the time and end up doing the work , I don’t need to employ people “

No offence but If the op has good workers that are reliable and skilled then perhaps they need to look at the way they manage themselves not the staff?

There those who won't let go though, whether its outdated views of ignorant peasants needing the firm hand of the squire to keep them in check, an ego problem or simply a lack of confidence in themselves, some managers are simply incapable of delegating or sharing responsibility. It's not restricted entirely to agriculture but that is where it tends to be more apparent.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
Having a conversation with my neighbour and I was talking about staff and like this thread he said you need a herdsman,where are these herdsmen?

There’s only been one on here I’d have employed and he went and started out himself.:rolleyes:

I’ve a new lad starting on Monday,he says he loves cows,we’ll see:LOL:

Are you talking Herd manager, gfw, 2ic or just someone to milk?
Herd managers, for smaller herds, where they actually have to milk etc all the time are probably very hard to find. Lets face it, if the person that owns the cows doesn't want to do it, it cant be that flash?
The good ones either have a job or have choices so what's the package like.
Salary, House, system- block calving or ayr, grazing housed etc.
The price of houses now in rural areas in the UK mean accommodation is probably quite important for a regular dairy workers job too.
 

Blue.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Herd manager (hands on)I don't expect someone to milk every milking,I want someone with enthusiasm for the job.

I can only think of one herd with a herdsman locally and they are probably the largest herd in the country.
 

pappuller

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
M6 Hard shoulder
Having a conversation with my neighbour and I was talking about staff and like this thread he said you need a herdsman,where are these herdsmen?

There’s only been one on here I’d have employed and he went and started out himself.:rolleyes:

I’ve a new lad starting on Monday,he says he loves cows,we’ll see[emoji38]
Had some liquid fert on the maize ground yesterday and the guys son who was shuttling tankers said they have to offer a basic wage of £600/week + otime and thats just to attract drivers, he says they usually go through 8 before they get a decent one.
 

Blue.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Had some liquid fert on the maize ground yesterday and the guys son who was shuttling tankers said they have to offer a basic wage of £600/week + otime and thats just to attract drivers, he says they usually go through 8 before they get a decent one.

I’m not prepared to go through 8 before I find a good one,I’ve no problem paying what someone is worth.
 
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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.9%
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    Votes: 30 16.1%
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    Votes: 3 1.6%
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    Votes: 3 1.6%
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    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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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/
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