What advice would you give a budding young farmer?

[ThatsSomeSheep]

Don't willy wave, you don't need fancy kit on finance. Don't be afraid to ask for advice. And enjoy it

I freekin dare the OP to use the expression "willy wave" in a Farmers Guardian article.

TSS

 

[roscoe erf]

Don't believe everything you read in the media.

or on here

 

[Farfrae]

Same as I would give any young person going into any career. Have passion for what you are doing and if you're not passionate about it; then do something else.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Work for someone else, that way when it dies or breaks down it ain't your problem.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

market what you produce

See it Grow, Satisfaction !

Successfully Market it , Satisfaction !

Receive Feedback from happy Customers, Satisfaction !

I would not be satisfied without all 3

Having said that is nice to see my hay in every Pets at Home store in the land, but my biggest pride will come from Seeing Peter Bowens Horse ride the Grand National on a diet of my Timothy Hay

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

If you want to succeed then throw yourself into it 200%. Always listen to those with more experience - they might not always be right but at least you will know how not to do it! If you're not prepared for a lot of hard work, having no money, being cold and wet for hours at a time and lying awake at night wondering how you're going to get through the next few weeks/months, then go and work for someone else. However, if you can cope with all that.... it's the most rewarding job in the world.

 

[Yale]

If you want to succeed then throw yourself into it 200%. Always listen to those with more experience - they might not always be right but at least you will know how not to do it! If you're not prepared for a lot of hard work, having no money, being cold and wet for hours at a time and lying awake at night wondering how you're going to get through the next few weeks/months, then go and work for someone else. However, if you can cope with all that.... it's the most rewarding job in the world.

A lobotomy helps.

 

[Romney_Rob]

Learn excel, then create the single most useful and important thing on your farm - a cash flow projected at least 18 months in advance more if you are able.

as a new farmer there is a massive chance you will be farming unsubed so your margins will be razor tight and you will have to have a excellent handle of where the business is and where cash flow gets tight. If you know this 4-6 months in advance you can plan and take and action, if you don't see it coming you can't do anything about it and that's called bankruptcy.

Next - update cash flow at least every 2 weeks. Do this religiously for at least 18 months because:

Very soon you will realise that to survive on thin margins you need SCALE - to achieve this you will need to talk to a bank and they will want to see that you are not a risk a fully costed plan going back and forward 18 months will give them confidence you are not a Moron and they may decide to take a punt on you.

Cash flow, cash flow, cash flow it really is THAT important

Note above assumes you are not producing a niche product that does not require scale or investment

 

[michael N123]

Sell your body until you become finacially stable

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Sell your body until you become finacially stable

You mean until you can afford some hay and a Prattley?

 

[Spencer]

market what you produce

See it Grow, Satisfaction !

Successfully Market it , Satisfaction !

Receive Feedback from happy Customers, Satisfaction !

I would not be satisfied without all 3

Having said that is nice to see my hay in every Pets at Home store in the land, but my biggest pride will come from Seeing Peter Bowens Horse ride the Grand National on a diet of my Timothy Hay

Didn't think you made hay? Thought you bought it??

 

[Spencer]

Good Judgment.. But that comes from Experience! Experience comes from Bad judgement!

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Measure twice, cut once.

 

[vinnie123]

Always remember "everyday is a school day" and "nobody is irreplaceable"

 

[phillipe]

keep learning ,keep on at school become educated and do something else that pays

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Didn't think you made hay? Thought you bought it??

I grow a fair bit of Timothy Hay

 

[ladycrofter]

Farming is the one of the few businesses where competitors help each other and share trade secrets, to put it in industrial terms. A fairly unique occupation in that sense. Make friends with local farmers, ask questions, listen politely to what they have to say. Take their advice or not, as suits you, but they've been at it longer than you and know the local marts/weather patterns/best varieties/etc. And remember, there's more than one reason not to work every hour that God sends. If you can't make a living working six days a week, you're not going to make it in seven either.

 

[DrWazzock]

I think farming is the worst industry in which to work for others, but the best industry in which to work for yourself.

Get as well qualified academically as possible and preferably embark on a different career. If that doesn't work out, try farming. At least you'll then know you aren't missing anything.

 

[Jungle Bill]

Farm somewhere farmers are business(wo)men first and farmers second and do something appreciated by your customers.

 

[DrWazzock]

Inventing a new type of vacuum cleaner seems to a good route in round here.