The family farm

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Does it matter if you keep a greatly reduced amount of livestock or even let the grass but potter on in and around the house?
I’m wary of selling up as I’m not sure I’d acclimatise to living in town. It’s very very different. Can you not carry on enjoying the wildlife but slacken off on the agricultural side?
Plenty used to do that round here. The nettlebeds got bigger but those today are redefined as “environmental focus areas.”
I wouldn’t rush it whatever you decide. I have also learned that a busy person is generally a happy person within the limits of physical health and capability. Can you reduce your workload to something more manageable but still keep yourself sufficiently occupied staying where you are?
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Burn her bra?

Think of the pollution

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I'm probably the last in our farm, lv only a daughter and l she isnt interested at all. I'm 47 so a few year left, see can so what she wants when lm gone but at least l kept it going and improved it along the way, l could have said 20 year ago l didn't want to do it, it would have broken mum & dad's hearts, so lm proud of that.
 

Flatlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lorette Manitoba
Lots of farms will go that way eventually,I think mine will. Wife sees us retiring into a condo or apartment but I’m not doing that. She can come visit me but I’ve lived on a farm all my life and will die here. Dr wazzock made great points. I think for the time being it’s a slow down that’s needed until you find the right people to take it over or you can find peace with any choice you make. Zero guilt should be felt by you,credit to you for getting where you are and caring for what’s been in your family that long. let the work go and retain your independence in your home until you can’t.
 

goodevans

Member
Local estate was sold locally about 10 years ago that had been in the same family since 1066,so that must of pulled on the heart strings,if the next generation are not showing any interest why beat your self up about it,like has been said it will probably be sold when you are gone anyway,one thing for certain the land will still be here for generations to come and we are all only caretakers really
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
As said, stay put, and rent out ?
It was bought by your ancestors to make money. I assume it's not making enough money now to pay to employ someone to help. There's no shame in selling really, times have changed, and not for the better. 50% of small family farms have been lost since 1972. You won't be the first.
 

Still Farming

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South Wales UK
Job to know what to do.
Lots on here will be in the same situation soon enough possibly.
Once sold you'll never buy it back or all be the same again.
Where would you move too.
Neighbour's and their issue's are not for everyone.
Worrying thing if ,as us all ,get older, health ,things going down hill etc but it's your place and area and do what you want without any interference.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
If you are going to make a move, then proactively and realistically plan ongoing activities and social life etc. It often feels a bit lonely out here in the middle of nowhere but it’s not as bad as the loneliness I have felt living in a city amongst thousands of strangers.
But really only you know your own mind. If you want to sell up and live on a yacht in the South of France then go for it. No need to feel any guilt. All I’ll say is just have a thought to how you’ll occupy yourself and continue a social life if you move. If you have done then excuse me for going on about it. But in any case there is no rush.
 

Flatlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lorette Manitoba
Local estate was sold locally about 10 years ago that had been in the same family since 1066,so that must of pulled on the heart strings,if the next generation are not showing any interest why beat your self up about it,like has been said it will probably be sold when you are gone anyway,one thing for certain the land will still be here for generations to come and we are all only caretakers really
Chances are the ones setting the estate never even walked across the entire thing. They have no tie to the land do it’s just money to them. Bought a large block of land here in 05. Son inherited it and sold it without even seeing it. Daddy was an overseas investor with a spoilt brat.
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
The last thing I would ever do is sell to a wildlife trust. One has caused massive issues with some land I know.

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They are in danger of seeing themselves as the new RSPCA

Become very pushy but as @delilah keeps telling us, very good at getting their message out. Hell, they were even the BBC “go to” for comment on the sustainable farming bit of COP
 

melted welly

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
DD9.
I’m not a he I’m a she 🤭 but yes just wondering if anyone has sold the family farm and managed to live without guilt
Sounds like you’ve done your shift, so why feel guilty?

If next generation not interested, let them bear any guilt, not for you to run yourself into the ground so they’ve somewhere pretty to visit a couple of times a year. Tell them how you’re feeling, give it time for reflection, in the future they might need the C sequestration of the land to offset city living 🤭, then head off into the sunset in the new jag.
 

toquark

Member
I’m sure you’ve already done this but for what it’s worth I’d recommend speaking with the next generation to ascertain whether they have any view on what is done with it, you never know they may surprise you.

A chap near here was on the verge of relinquishing a secure tenancy as his kids weren’t interested, then out of nowhere his son aged in his 40s gave up whatever he was at and is now farming it.

Equally, there’s no reason to feel guilty for selling. We all have to live.
 

tullah

Member
Location
Linconshire
Different story if you were insolvent. Then your entitled to feel guilty. But given your family situation, I agree. No guilt on your behalf.
Can you put a covenant on the land that certain areas cant be developed?? It can be done here...
Can one also put a covenant on it that an unpleasant neighbour or any member of his family can never be the owners?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.2%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.3%

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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