He was paid to leave some fields fallow, and we no longer have cows. Just sheep and crops. He also has the stables but that’s separate and nothing to do with the farm, it was started by accident when a friend asked if he could put his horse in with ours for a while. Now we stable several horses as well as our two, but the owners look to their needs not us, though we do check them all every day.
He has wondered about selling as he has no kids to take over, be a shame in a way as his family have had that farm for several generations. He has family over on Shetland who are farmers who may take over, I really don’t know what the future holds.
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I think this uncertainty is affecting so many farms now…it’s awful. Plus of course with costs going up, I think many people will be chucking it in soon.
The Council would buy it like a shot, but they would build more houses all over it. Don’t think either of us could bare that.
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Do you think food costs need to go up? I know that I was surprised when I moved to France just how much more expensive food is here. That is all food in supermarkets, local markets, local shops like butchers and buying direct from farmers. You can get seasonal bargains with fruit and veg but mostly things are more expensive than in the UK. However, argiculteuristes (farmers to you and me) are well respected and farming is still seen as a good and decently paid job.
But then I’ve also noted that there are many small farms here and a lot of mixed farms - such as few acres of vines and also a small herd of cattle. I suspect that support for farms from the government and with the higher prices this is an aim to keep farms viable.
This is a major problem down here too. Fortunately, the present local farm policy does ensure prime farm land stays farmed, but I’m convinced given half a chance many housing estates would spring up. Now the council is trying to sell a cemetery off for housing🤬
Soooo, What would happen to people’s loved ones who are buried there?
The same as done elsewhere with old full cemeteries. Any remains are reinterred elsewhere and head stones used in perimeter walling.
We have an awful lot of ancient Clan Graveyards up here, some are really scary but no one would dream of moving the remains and building anything in place of it.
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The difficulties are that the general public assumes food will always be available, the ever dwindling numbers of people involved with agriculture, Governments that view farming as a hinderance to their net zero goals and finally add in that there is an assumption in government and among the population that we can just import it if we need it. Add in the multiples who set prices based on how low they drive the market and you have a recipe for Farmers to feel unloved, unwanted, undervalued and that does nobody any favours. Then difficult years like this one can really make carrying on seem like you are fighting a constant uphill battle against the world.
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My uncle and cousin was/is a farmer in Suffolk, when I was a child I used to go every year to “help” with the harvest.
He still owns the land but it is all let out to contractors and he just gets a cut, I don’t think he even owns any machinery any more.
Contracting out is very common. And some of the contractors make good money and they can afford to buy better equipment as the kit is being used (and paid for) more. There’s equipment that few farmers could afford - such as complex harvesters.
But surely the risk remains with the farmer - if the crop fails then they still need to pay the contractors?
Why would they pay for a dried out, non-existent crop to be harvested?
Wouldn’t they just be better ploughing it in once the ground becomes more workable?
You are most likely correct for a completely failed crop. But what if its a 60% failed crop? And the farmer will still have paid for the seed, the planting and the fertiliser.
Then presumable the farmer would have to decide whether it was worth gettingt a contractor in, or to write off his losses.
Yes, of course he has already paid for his seed, fertiliser and sprays, but that wasn’t the question I was answering. My answer was to you saying " If the crop fails the farmer will still have to pay contractors."
I suppose it’s similar to Livestock farmers, or the Christmas Turkey farms, when suddenly Avian Flu comes along and all their birds have to be culled, or Swine Flu, or half the dairy herd with Masitis.
It’s the hazards of farming and having a weather-dependent income.
I believe there are still various compensation schemes available to farmers though, but not sure how they work now.
That’s probably all down to the cost of prime building land. In my area the cost is extortionately high and highly sought after.
No its probably to do with the fact its an ancient Clan Graveyard.
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I don’t know how it works.
Exactly, things are very different up here in the North Highlands.
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Nope, no way.
@strathmore “surely the risk remains with the farmer ?”
I suppose that depends on whether the contractor is just a contractor or
is in fact a share cropper or not ??
Many contractors become share croppers due to being in close contact
with many disgruntled farmers and so become farmers without buying
a farm, they would then assume responsibility for seed and losses etc !!
