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Author Topic: How much profit do you make?  (Read 4796 times)

crimson

  • Joined Apr 2014
How much profit do you make?
« on: September 07, 2014, 09:44:37 pm »
From farming, feel free to not answer, but im curious at to what other people make. I know alot of people barely break even.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2014, 11:57:47 pm by crimson »

Beeducked

  • Joined Jan 2012
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2014, 10:30:08 pm »
Well I don't think we come close to even breaking even but I don't count to make that easier to bear!


We don't sell more than the odd bit so we can't look at pure profit so to speak but if I add up what it would have cost to buy the produce we grow or raise:  the geese and ducks cost us a bit, the pigs make a bit of a profit, the goats make a profit compared to buying that much milk from the supermarket but would never buy 5-6 litres of goat milk a day and they eat for Britain! The sheep are cheaper than an electric lawnmower and produce lamb and wool so I think are probably neutral. The veg patch wins hands down for profit (and would do better if I could stop the OH buying what we have growing in the greenhouse!). We are getting better though.


The reality is that we don't do this to make a profit (which is a good thing!) but to try and live and eat a bit better and kinder.

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2014, 10:45:47 pm »
This year I've made around £400 a month in wages from our small community farm.

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2014, 11:01:02 pm »
This year I've made around £400 a month in wages from our small community farm.

how does that work with a community farm? do you get a managers wage or sell the meat onto the public?  ???

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2014, 12:06:07 pm »
We have between 15-20 members who pay a monthly subscription and get veg boxes, pork, lamb, christmas bird, eggs, honey etc. in return. On top of that we do a number of other 'sidelines' selling half pigs, christmas birds, excess produce and doing hatching in schools. I also do a few paid talks a year and other bits and bobs to bring in money.

The members agree to work at the farm two days a month (in summer, one a month in winter) and I run the rest of it, all the daily animal feeding and sorting out supplies etc. for which I have started to get paid regularly just this year (our fourth full year at the farm). We've also just taken on our first 'farm hand' who does a few animal feed rounds and a bit of milking each week - now my wife has gone back to work I have a farm, another part time job and three kids under six to fit in and it was getting a bit hectic!

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2014, 01:02:18 pm »
 :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: Profit?

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2014, 01:06:26 pm »
Are you sure HMRC doesn't read TAS????

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2014, 01:07:47 pm »
Are you sure HMRC doesn't read TAS? ???

Eh?

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
    • Facebook
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2014, 02:24:33 pm »
Are you sure HMRC doesn't read TAS????

If they do I don't think it will stretch their coffers much !!  :roflanim:

Profit .....hmmmmm....  still trying to persuade OH that we could break even ONE DAY!
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
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shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2014, 05:11:47 pm »
thats really interesting Benkt. thanks for sharing.

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: How much profit do you make?
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2014, 08:53:33 pm »
No problem!

 I think it helps enormously to hear that it can be done. Before we started (and since) I've met many smallholders/small farmers who manage to find a niche and make a living from it and think the standard motto of "its not possible so don't bother even trying" can be a bit dispiriting to those thinking of starting down this path. Having said that, we did pour a lot (for us) of money into the place over the first few years so even at current rate of progress it will still be a few more years until till we 'break even' on paper. Although by then we'll have a functioning smallholding to show for it which must be worth more than the ramshackle mess we started with ;)

 

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