Starting a farm from nothing... I mean nothing

[Sandpit Farm]

The biggest hurdle is getting onto a farm... If you approach a farmer and ask if they would take on a young person, you will most likely be met with some cynicism. If a young person approached a farmer and said I really want to know more about what you do, it shows a little fire and often they'd get a chance.

Things that annoy dairy employers are:
- constantly looking at your phone
- waiting to be told what to do next
- not asking any questions
- laughing and squealing when a cow goes to the toilet!
- always trying to stay clean (hands are washable!)

Most farmers I know would gladly take on anybody who has a bit of fire in their belly. In my experience, race, sex or anything else doesn't come into it... it is attitude. Fully appreciate that it is a two way street and there are many farmers who are not good people managers.

 

[New Puritan]

Although I started up from scratch, I do have the benefit of having done an Ag related degree and worked on various farms when I was younger - doing various basically labouring type jobs. I also volunteered via 'WWOOF', which is an acronym that has stood for different things over time, but allows people to work on organic farms of varying kinds in return for bed/board and the 'experience'. My own experience of this was quite varied, with some 'farms' turning out to be little more than houses with large vegetable gardens to huge rambling disorganised farms that were struggling and needed the free labour. It's certainly not for everyone, and you have to be discerning about where you go, but there were some that were really good and encouraged me to carry on in this sector. I also worked in conservation for a while, which though different, was out in the country and taught me how to use various power tools and put up fences etc.

 

[honeyend]

So I'm based in London and I do have some hands-on experience but (long story short) I'm running a project to try and get urban younger people without any experience more interested in farming... A lot of working farms are understandably reluctant to give experience to and host complete novices so I'm just trying to see what it might take to start something small? Would I need to hire a farm manager, whats the bare minimum to make it (somewhat) economically viable etc.

I would look at some of the niche farms that sell a lifestyle, often these encourage visitors and volunteers,
http://www.ahimsamilk.org/
There seems to be a couple of community farms/cooperatives that might give you ideas.https://www.plawhatchfarm.co.uk/visit-us/

 

[som farmer]

The biggest hurdle is getting onto a farm... If you approach a farmer and ask if they would take on a young person, you will most likely be met with some cynicism. If a young person approached a farmer and said I really want to know more about what you do, it shows a little fire and often they'd get a chance.

Things that annoy dairy employers are:
- constantly looking at your phone
- waiting to be told what to do next
- not asking any questions
- laughing and squealing when a cow goes to the toilet!
- always trying to stay clean (hands are washable!)

Most farmers I know would gladly take on anybody who has a bit of fire in their belly. In my experience, race, sex or anything else doesn't come into it... it is attitude. Fully appreciate that it is a two way street and there are many farmers who are not good people managers.

we looked, advertised, rung agencys two never turned to start, 1 never turned up for interview, tried a polish chap, good English, brill if you were with him, but took 4 hours to milk on his own, normal 2 hours. put him outside the parlour, even slower, we did find him a job where he was fine.
decided to sell a load of cows, then a young girl decided she would help, brill
the only regret I lost the number of a young lad who wanted sat/sun work. point being, if you are prepared to look someone will appreciate you, good luck , and don't forget the money us farmers are prepared to pay

 

[pipkins]

How would you get young people from cities (with NO experience) into farming?
Of course they could go to get an agricultural qualification but then the question is how do you get them interested?

What age bracket are you targeting? You know the the changing rules about the ages at which young people have to stay in education or work-based learning, right? So you could be competing with the FE colleges as well and if they're of a certain age bracket they won't actually be allowed to go straight into work unless you are also hooking them up with a recognised qualification. Bright Crop I believe has just packed up so there is a gap for ag careers promotion to a certain extent. You could set up as a provider of work-based learning/apprenticeships if you link with a college to do the assesing for you, might be worth a look.

If you're aiming at young people you will need to add research about the current position in the education system to that which you are doing about the farming industry I think. If you're talking over 19 years old then you've a lot more options.

 

[mikehankin]

What age bracket are you targeting? You know the the changing rules about the ages at which young people have to stay in education or work-based learning, right? So you could be competing with the FE colleges as well and if they're of a certain age bracket they won't actually be allowed to go straight into work unless you are also hooking them up with a recognised qualification. Bright Crop I believe has just packed up so there is a gap for ag careers promotion to a certain extent. You could set up as a provider of work-based learning/apprenticeships if you link with a college to do the assesing for you, might be worth a look.

If you're aiming at young people you will need to add research about the current position in the education system to that which you are doing about the farming industry I think. If you're talking over 19 years old then you've a lot more options.

Hi Pipkins thanks for the reply.... actually I am looking at slightly older people (18-24). The vision is that someone who might have left school with no qualifications and few prospects could think 'yeah, actually farming could be great for me... It's welcoming, exciting, meaningful and beats working in Sainsbury's... what's more access is easy'

At the moment access is FAR from easy for people with no experience on contact with farms or the countryside.

 

[JP1]

I started from nothing - and I've got most of it left

Paying retail and selling wholesale and paying transport both ways too

 

[pipkins]

That age bracket will make it easier then. There is a job on the Country Trust's site at the moment that might mirror what you're doing but them with younger people- would be worth looking at the structure of it for your own venture. I'm on my phone so can't post link but it's advertised on their twitter so should still be live on their site.

 

[JP1]

That age bracket will make it easier then. There is a job on the Country Trust's site at the moment that might mirror what you're doing but them with younger people- would be worth looking at the structure of it for your own venture. I'm on my phone so can't post link but it's advertised on their twitter so should still be live on their site.

Is this what you mean?

http://www.countrytrust.org.uk/get-involved/work-for-us

 

[pipkins]

Is this what you mean?

http://www.countrytrust.org.uk/get-involved/work-for-us

Yes, nice one. I think there's mileage in some sort of coordinator/matchmaker promoting the industry to recruit potential applicants then putting them into suitable starter placements though I don't know how you'd make it into a financially secure operation. Could be a charitable grant-funded thing?