Where is less Loony?

[toquark]

Wife and I are early/mid 30s, living in the South of England and thinking about the future. Baby arriving soon all things being well.

I’m a livestock farmer, she’s a farrier. Outside interests; cricket (me), horses (her), hunting (both).

With the mounting lunacy in government with regards to farming in this country where, if anywhere is better?

Oz? (Could we stand the heat!?)
NZ? (Has that turned even more anti farming than the U.K. recently?)
Scotland? (recommending big cut in cattle numbers).
Ireland? France? Argentina?
Might pass on Afghan for now but happy to think of other options!

Or stay put, keep our heads down and keep expanding the business?
Are others having similar thoughts?

Similar age and stage as you with similar interests (less the cricket. I’m Scottish). We farm part time in SW Scotland and find it to be a generally good experience. Loads of local infrastructure, marts in every town suppliers and merchants all on the doorstep. Very much an agricultural economy and very strong farming culture.

I do share your concern over the Scottish Government’s position on agriculture. Pre Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP were very much the farmer’s friends with very robust rural policy focussed on business and productivity, but recently they’ve gone the same way as every other western nation and ditched production agriculture as a priority. Getting into bed with the greens will I suspect be the undoing of Nicola, but the question is how much damage will they do in the next 4 years?

 

[Midnight plough boy]

Nearly didn’t come from home from NZ when I went in 2004. Seriously considering going back permanently. Would miss my parents but life for the wife and kids would be much better. A lot of talk of Nz not being the country it was (and the country I fell in love with) but it’s got to go seriously down hill to match the sh!t we have to put up with in this country. Not looking forward to the next ten years in the UK tbh, especially if the Tories get back in in the next GElection

 

[MRT]

Nearly didn’t come from home from NZ when I went in 2004. Seriously considering going back permanently. Would miss my parents but life for the wife and kids would be much better. A lot of talk of Nz not being the country it was (and the country I fell in love with) but it’s got to go seriously down hill to match the sh!t we have to put up with in this country. Not looking forward to the next ten years in the UK tbh, especially if the Tories get back in in the next GElection

What are the key positive differences you would expect to see for agri life from a Labour gov?

 

[puntabrava]

We should have moved to Perth, Australia when the chance was there six years ago.

Depends on your sense of adventure and ability to learn a language.

And your love or loathing of snakes, I could not even visit the place.

 

[Midnight plough boy]

What are the key positive differences you would expect to see for agri life from a Labour gov?

I’m not saying there are any, and I’m not saying that there is a better party at the moment. Just totally disillusioned and feel let down by this government. Looks like Carrie is pulling all the strings as well.

 

[Tubbylew]

Wife and I are early/mid 30s, living in the South of England and thinking about the future. Baby arriving soon all things being well.

I’m a livestock farmer, she’s a farrier. Outside interests; cricket (me), horses (her), hunting (both).

With the mounting lunacy in government with regards to farming in this country where, if anywhere is better?

Oz? (Could we stand the heat!?)
NZ? (Has that turned even more anti farming than the U.K. recently?)
Scotland? (recommending big cut in cattle numbers).
Ireland? France? Argentina?
Might pass on Afghan for now but happy to think of other options!

Or stay put, keep our heads down and keep expanding the business?
Are others having similar thoughts?

I'm a similar age, and have been thinking along the same lines on and off for about ten or so years, I can't think of anywhere that isn't either already fwckd, or following our own path to self destruction tbh. Not very helpful sorry.

 

[puntabrava]

All my mates move to Oz (trying not to take it personally) as the prospects there are 10x here for 30 somethings if you are brave. None have come back, from general layabouts, pro boxer, treesurgeon, and a couple of vets. Not sure about agri though, rough climate. Canada?

I have known a few leave for a new life in Canada, then they are back before the leaves are on the trees, ‘‘tis the wind’’ they say.

 

[Spencer]

@Flatlander

 

[Weasel]

f**k what the scottish government are trying to do, we should up the cow numbers, it will pay off one day

 

[Exfarmer]

Nearly didn’t come from home from NZ when I went in 2004. Seriously considering going back permanently. Would miss my parents but life for the wife and kids would be much better. A lot of talk of Nz not being the country it was (and the country I fell in love with) but it’s got to go seriously down hill to match the sh!t we have to put up with in this country. Not looking forward to the next ten years in the UK tbh, especially if the Tories get back in in the next GElection

Have friends who left their London overspill town for NZ never looked back. Never earned much money, but kids run around barefoot with a 100 foot waterfall in the back garden.
Here they would be on UC and kids running around with the local hooligans.
There, they have no central heating or air con and have none of the latest trainers etc. A small semi here bought a large plot out there

 

[goodevans]

Me neither and more relevant is my son has spent years over there and has always wanted to go back but not any more.

Personally I would stick with the UK, expand the business as you say but would move North, Shropshire, Hereford, Worcester direction. Much more rural and agricultural, a recent visit to Northumberland left me surprised how agricultural it was up there too.

There's enough of us in Shropshire already !!

 

[kfpben]

The sad thing is we do actually like where we live. It’s still quite a rural area with supportive neighbours. We’re quite involved with the community and I’m able to pick up grazing land in this area in a way that I imagine isn’t possible in areas with more livestock. Building up stock numbers using rented grazing in Hampshire is relatively straightforward.

It’s the government agenda that gets me down. If it was a Labour agenda I could just about suck it up and wait for the wind to change. But this is when the Tories are in charge- when the other side get in I imagine it will get even worse.

Interesting thoughts though everyone- I see I’m not alone in looking overseas!

I don’t think any of us are asking for much- just somewhere to farm quietly and bring up a family without being regulated out of existence or actively undermined by our own government.

 

[kiwi pom]

My first question would be, are the two of you OK with the idea of being away from family and friends? In my limited experience it seems to be easier for single people to make the move and start again in another country.
I wish I'd got to Canada for a good look round. America's great but too many bible bashers for me, especially in more rural areas and way too many guns. It always felt like getting anything done there was like knocking your head a against a brick wall, there seemed to be a lot of different rules and regulations for each state, that took some navigating, could just be me though.
Haven't had a good enough look around Australia to comment unfortunately.
The South Island here is pretty good, still mostly Ag based, lots of hunting/fishing opportunities - not the funny coloured trouser, keeper fetches you something to bang at hunting. There's fairly low crime rates and not too many people. You do feel a long way from the rest of the world though, especially with Covid.
I'm sure there's many places better but I never had the balls to go and live in a non English speaking country.

 

[Midnight plough boy]

My first question would be, are the two of you OK with the idea of being away from family and friends? In my limited experience it seems to be easier for single people to make the move and start again in another country.
I wish I'd got to Canada for a good look round. America's great but too many bible bashers for me, especially in more rural areas and way too many guns. It always felt like getting anything done there was like knocking your head a against a brick wall, there seemed to be a lot of different rules and regulations for each state, that took some navigating, could just be me though.
Haven't had a good enough look around Australia to comment unfortunately.
The South Island here is pretty good, still mostly Ag based, lots of hunting/fishing opportunities - not the funny coloured trouser, keeper fetches you something to bang at hunting. There's fairly low crime rates and not too many people. You do feel a long way from the rest of the world though, especially with Covid.
I'm sure there's many places better but I never had the balls to go and live in a non English speaking country.

Living in Canterbury, you’re in one of the best places in the world. I can’t think of anywhere better.

 

[kfpben]

My first question would be, are the two of you OK with the idea of being away from family and friends? In my limited experience it seems to be easier for single people to make the move and start again in another country.
I wish I'd got to Canada for a good look round. America's great but too many bible bashers for me, especially in more rural areas and way too many guns. It always felt like getting anything done there was like knocking your head a against a brick wall, there seemed to be a lot of different rules and regulations for each state, that took some navigating, could just be me though.
Haven't had a good enough look around Australia to comment unfortunately.
The South Island here is pretty good, still mostly Ag based, lots of hunting/fishing opportunities - not the funny coloured trouser, keeper fetches you something to bang at hunting. There's fairly low crime rates and not too many people. You do feel a long way from the rest of the world though, especially with Covid.
I'm sure there's many places better but I never had the balls to go and live in a non English speaking country.

I went to Methven when I was 18 and thought ‘this is my perfect town’!

 

[kiwi pom]

Have friends who left their London overspill town for NZ never looked back. Never earned much money, but kids run around barefoot with a 100 foot waterfall in the back garden.
Here they would be on UC and kids running around with the local hooligans.
There, they have no central heating or air con and have none of the latest trainers etc. A small semi here bought a large plot out there

Depending on what you do, wages aren't terrible now. Minimum wage is $20 (about a tenner) a lot of Ag jobs have a house in the deal as well and there's a shortage of most workers at the moment.
Great place to bring up children in my opinion. Some schools might not be great academically but I think they do more than just help kids pass exams.
Locals are very easy to get on with.
I have a log burner and 2 heatpump/AC units. Keeps the house nice year round
Still never been to the North island One day, but not today, too much Covid up there

 

[FonterraFarmer]

All my mates move to Oz (trying not to take it personally) as the prospects there are 10x here for 30 somethings if you are brave. None have come back, from general layabouts, pro boxer, treesurgeon, and a couple of vets. Not sure about agri though, rough climate. Canada?

Canada has that d**kh**d Trudeau....

 

[FonterraFarmer]

I went to Methven when I was 18 and thought ‘this is my perfect town’!

The only problem with Methven is the drive to Sheffield to get a pie!!!

 

[Flatlander]

I have known a few leave for a new life in Canada, then they are back before the leaves are on the trees, ‘‘tis the wind’’ they say.

I left in 2001 and have a neighbour from Yorkshire came here a month after. It hasn’t been easy by any degree but was a chance to get started with relatively cheap land. my neighbour was very home sick fir the first few years but returned to visit family and called two days after getting home saying he could never move back. Too many people was his main comment Along with nothing changing with his friend being in the same place as when he left. Personally I’ve never returned and only home sick looking at some of the pictures on here oddly enough. I’ve been luck as I married here and wife was local to the area so that was one less hurdle. I won’t return to farm there as I’ve got too much invested here to want to leave. I love it here but it’s not without its challenges I see what the uk has become with rules and regulations and don’t wish to deal with that. Hats off to you guys for stomaching it. If anyone has question concerning here I’d be willing to anwser.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Depending on what you do, wages aren't terrible now. Minimum wage is $20 (about a tenner) a lot of Ag jobs have a house in the deal as well and there's a shortage of most workers at the moment.
Great place to bring up children in my opinion. Some schools might not be great academically but I think they do more than just help kids pass exams.
Locals are very easy to get on with.
I have a log burner and 2 heatpump/AC units. Keeps the house nice year round
Still never been to the North island One day, but not today, too much Covid up there

Ffs Dave, it's pretty good up to the Bombay Hill and beyond the Brynerwyn's!!!