The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: clowe123 on August 06, 2014, 01:56:46 pm

Title: Farm management
Post by: clowe123 on August 06, 2014, 01:56:46 pm

I was wondering if there are any farm managers on here that would be willing and able to teach me how to manage a farm and everything that i would need to be able to run my own farm that i am hoping to have one day?

Title: Re: Farm management
Post by: Backinwellies on August 06, 2014, 03:15:31 pm

That is a big and rather vague ask.
A few questions....
Where are you?
What farm experience do you have?
Have you considered college courses?
What sort of farm are you expecting to have? 
What exactly are you expecting to be taught .... practical tasks, management paperwork, etc????
What are you offering... payment, volunteering?

Title: Re: Farm management
Post by: clowe123 on August 06, 2014, 06:32:32 pm

Im in gloucestershire
I have looked after calves feeding and bedding from birth to around 16 week old for 12 odd years, then 4 years ago i started working full time as a general farm worker on a dairy herd (140 milking, 80 odd under 12 months, 20-40 in calve heifers and up to 50 beef cattle).
I looked at college courses and the only one that was right was a three year full time course costing 7500 a year. Couldnt seem to find any others that were right.
I would like a mixed farm doing goats, sheep and beef cattle.
I would like to learn more about grassland management and crop rotation and paperwork.
If anyone knows any decent websites where i could learn it that would be ideal, but if not then a course thats good.
Preferably though i would like to learn from someone whilst working which would only be possible on my days off and if they were local as i cant drive.

Title: Re: Farm management
Post by: Backinwellies on August 06, 2014, 06:45:50 pm

I would have thought you could have learned a lot of what you need where you are working now... certainly the grassland management bit, and I'm sure some of the paperwork too.

Have you considered a foundation degree ... you could have a student loan ... and I think you would be the first small farmer ever to earn above the pay back level!

Not driving will be a severe problem ... so if you can I would make a driving licence a priority.

If you fancy a busman's working holiday in Wales with an ex agric lecturer then pm me sometime.