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Author Topic: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms  (Read 7706 times)

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #15 on: July 12, 2012, 08:43:09 pm »
But was labour cheap because people just expected to be paid a pittance and be able to buy little with it, ie they were more tolerant of being poor then? Or were basics cheaper so that a low wage still bought an ok standard of living? And if the latter, why were basics cheaper?

deepinthewoods

  • Guest
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2012, 09:07:05 pm »
that depends on how you define 'poor' and when, pre industrial revolution or after?

Mallows Flock

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Shepton mallet
    • Somerset Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2012, 09:20:30 pm »
Here in Somerset, there seem to be a lot of what we call 'Gentleman Farmers'...certainly where I live... offspring of a long line of farmers who are well educated, monied and already have the land/barns/machinery/large old farmhouses and lines of livestock before they start handed down to them. From the many I know, the ones who have a good living seem to have this as their advantage... but they also often diversify into B&B, run courses in smallholding etc, hog roast and catering businesses amongst other things. Plus the expensive mistakes have already been made and learned from by the forefathers (not always tho!) I think it is very difficult to set up ANY business in this climate. Rents and rates are huge in UK, VAT and Tax up, feed expensive, petrol ridiculous, land prices horrific and insurances ludicrous...and thats BEFORE any stock or cereal are introduced. And that is why i am hanging out for a rich farmer/vet!!! LOL!
From 3 to 30 and still flocking up!

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2012, 06:47:20 pm »
It's amazing the difference in what a farm will support compared with in the past.

The farm I now live on once supported 3 families and had 6 adult men working on it plus boys, and women and kids at hay timing. Most of the land was sold off after the war, but the farm next door, which is a similar size now supports one family and has one man working it full time plus a young labourer a couple of days a week.

What makes the difference? The standard of living we expect now? The price we are prepared to pay for food?

The result of the reduced work force is that the walls and barns are now falling down, and the land drains need repairing, the seaves keeping on top of.......all along the dale.


I believe the farm I live on once supported 30 odd employees.....

aliceinwonderland

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Victoria, Australia
  • one day, i will live in my very own wonderland
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2012, 12:32:21 am »
Mallows - my mum has always said that I will need to find a rich husband - a wealthy farmer or vet could be lovely! Now I just have to hunt one down...


Thanks for all your replies, everyone!


I'm just trying to work out in my head exactly what I want, and how to do it - basically, I'd love to have everything that comes with a small farm, but also not have to work another job to make sure the bills are paid. I had thought that unless I grew something really special and unique it wouldn't be possible, but you never know. There are plenty of small farms around this part of Aus that specialise in luxury products, like capers and olive oil and goat's cheeses, as well as the ubiquitous Australian wineries (some of them are quite nice, some of them are definitely not), but then I'd have to work out what thing in particular I'm passionate about enough to want to do that all the time. Once I've worked that out, then I'll need to work out how much space I'll need - I've got a feeling that this will be a long term process!


In the mean time, I'm just going to learn all I can and see what would suit me best. A year ago I was thinking I could be an academic, and a year before that I was planning to be a diplomat, so we'll just see how I go!


Thanks again for all your help, everyone!  :thumbsup:
planning to have: beef cattle, a house cow (or two), maybe some goats, definitely some hens and ducks, a lovely farm with rolling hills and a stream running through the back paddock, and a cottage covered with climbing roses and an old wood-fired stove.

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: The difference between 'lifestyle' and 'commercial' farms
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2012, 04:32:04 pm »
If its any consolation, I don't own a scrap of land, but I still keep sheep.


I rent all my grazings as grazing only, but there are farm tennancies about, where you would rent the whole thing. 




You don't need to own a farm to farm, in fact I would say to farm on a place the actually gives a good return, I would say the costs of buying said place are prohibitive for most people.

 

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