Why is free help not wanted?

[Just_Ben1]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

 

[serf]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

Do you have a metal detecting hobby ...

 

[DaveGrohl]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

Evenings might seem great to you (and fair play to you) but an extra pair of hands during normal daytime hours would be far more attractive. Especially if free!

Also, weekend help would be attractive to livestock farms, has it been mainly arable you’ve been round?

Tbh you sound like you have a good attitude and willingness to learn so good luck to you. Free labour does sound like a trap though so maybe that is indeed why you’ve not had a positive response so far? Do you look like an eco nutter/animal rights activist?

 

[Just_Ben1]

Evenings might seem great to you (and fair play to you) but an extra pair of hands during normal daytime hours would be far more attractive. Especially if free!

Also, weekend help would be attractive to livestock farms, has it been mainly arable you’ve been round?

Tbh you sound like you have a good attitude and willingness to learn so good luck to you. Free labour does sound like a trap though so maybe that is indeed why you’ve not had a positive response so far? Do you look like an eco nutter/animal rights activist?

I agree, weekdays would be better. But until I can sell my company and buy a farm, I'll have to stick to evenings and weekends. That being said, I can be slightly flexible and take the occasional day off. The missus is always saying I don't take enough days off.

I have visited a couple of dairy farms but still the same answer.

No eco nutter/activist here, just a slightly unkept beard.

 

[spin cycle]

problem is that these days there are fewer jobs that don't need experience/knowledge/training and so by the time you explain/supervise anyone new you might as well do it yourself

how about small holder training groups

 

[Nearly]

It used to take a year for a young lad to be any use. An adult will learn faster but it still takes time for an extra pair of hands to be a benefit.
It's whether someone has time to explain a job or just get stuck in and do it ones-self.

 

[Jungle Bill]

Try contacting the Landworkers Alliance or looking on their website, smaller farmers and often looking for all the help they can get.

 

[sustainable24]

I agree, weekdays would be better. But until I can sell my company and buy a farm, I'll have to stick to evenings and weekends. That being said, I can be slightly flexible and take the occasional day off. The missus is always saying I don't take enough days off.

I have visited a couple of dairy farms but still the same answer.

No eco nutter/activist here, just a slightly unkept beard.

Depends what work you want to do really. Is it labour work where you get your hands dirty or just tractor driving? Some farm labour work can be pretty and its the only work that doesn't need much training and in which farmers could probably do with an extra hand... but... I wouldn't be surprised if many farmers are too embarassed to even suggest such work for a 50? yr old male.

 

[Just_Ben1]

I understand that some training would be needed for certain jobs. I am pretty quick to learn, have a good understanding of mechanical applications and limitations. A keen interest to know how/why everything works.....people, not so much.

I'm a decade off 50(although my body does feel it sometimes) but would happy to help with all sorts, even something as simple as a ride along to open gates etc.

 

[Barleymow]

Have a big heap of wood here that needs converting into logs , have the equipment but not the time.would mine done help

 

[solo]

It maybe worth contacting the Evesham and Pershore NFU office as they maybe able to put you in touch with the right person. Pershore college may also have job adverts. There are plenty of glass houses and horticultural businesses in your area which may require casual labour.

 

[Just_Ben1]

It maybe worth contacting the Evesham and Pershore NFU office as they maybe able to put you in touch with the right person. Pershore college may also have job adverts. There are plenty of glass houses and horticultural businesses in your area which may require casual labour.

The NFU might be worth a try.

I'd rather not get involved with grow houses. I'll stick with my polytunnel for that.

 

[Just_Ben1]

Have a big heap of wood here that needs converting into logs , have the equipment but not the time.would mine done help

Ipswich is a little far to travel.

 

[delilah]

https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/knowledge-base/article/what-care-farming

https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/

https://communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/

 

[cousinjack]

It’s a sad state of affairs, but unfortunatly the insurance/ liability aspect just doesn’t make it worth the bother…

you don’t say if you have any experience or formal training, but I’d guess most people would think it’s just easier in the long run not to open themselves to any possible incidents or liability

 

[melted welly]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

Wouldn’t get too down hearted about it, people are busy.
The natural antidote to this is help, which you are offering. The sticking point will be that for help to become useful help, there needs to be a period of training/baby sitting followed by a period of slower work and mistakes before help becomes useful help.
I go thru this on a daily basis with family member offering help, if accepted, there will then be a day of constant phone calls, problems and occasional damage. This makes one less likely to accept the help so readily next time as it is often cheaper and less grief just to crack on myself.
I’m not suggesting that you would create similar issues, only that if you turned up here during a busy spell offering help, I’d say no as well, due to the timing. However, I would probably take your number and be in touch once the dust had settled.
Give it a bit of time, once you get a foot in a door, word will get round. (Which could be positive or negative depending on performance ).

 

[glasshouse]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

Farmers are very suspicious of strangers offering something free.
Local farmer ended up in court after a person engineered a bad situation and then filmed it with a hidden camera.

 

[essex man]

I've recently been visiting several local farms volunteering my labour for free on evenings and weekends and so far, every response has been a no.

Am I missing something? I would have thought farmers would be happy to have an extra pair of hands to help out when needed, especially for free.

During the week I run my own company but I have a very keen interest in farming(particularly regenerative/organic farming). I thought that until I have a spare £2m for my own small farm, I'd volunteer locally to gain some knowledge and experience whilst helping out the locals.

Surely there me be a reason.
Is it insurance/liability issues?
Wary of strangers offering free help and thinking there's a catch?
Like to keep to those that you know?
Lack of experience?
Something else?

I am genuinely puzzled by this.

If there are any of you reading this and thinking 'i could do with an extra pair of hands every now and then', I'm based in Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire.

So far, all I've managed to find is a local church charity who's fields I top every few months with a little Massey.

I think my first thoughts would be....
i don't want any help,
if i need help, i'll get it from someone that i know can help
What makes you think you would be of help to me?
What makes you think i would want to spend any time with you.
It seems to me that i would be the one helping you not the other way round.
Maybe you should offer to pay for the experience?
So a mixture of your thoughts and some of my own

 

[Just_Ben1]

It’s a sad state of affairs, but unfortunatly the insurance/ liability aspect just doesn’t make it worth the bother…

you don’t say if you have any experience or formal training, but I’d guess most people would think it’s just easier in the long run not to open themselves to any possible incidents or liability

Define formal training.

I have a CNC & Joinery business. Pretty much everything is self taught from machinery, maintenance, marketing(although haven't had to advertise in 5 years) accounts etc. The company runs to a very high standard of work (I can blame my autism for that) so that would be passed on to any other form of work I undertake.
It's possible that my business insurance would cover liability etc.

 

[Just_Ben1]

Farmers are very suspicious of strangers offering something free.
Local farmer ended up in court after a person engineered a bad situation and then filmed it with a hidden camera.

I can completely understand that.