Everyones Opinions on Farmers

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

tayto lover wrote: »

They seem to get loads of grants and also get to educate their children with more grants unlike many a PAYE worker. I think they manipulate their income in order to do so. Cute hoors.

I have two degrees, one is a regular level 8 course in a normal college, others from a private college. I didn't get any grants or financial aid, and when I went through both courses, I came from a single parent family. My father covered everything from his own pocket. Pretty much all my friends got grants.

duchalla

the evasion_kid wrote: »

Mane as cat sh!t..

Its been cat since the dog died...

RobertKK

RobertKK wrote: »

I retired from farming this year, apart from a small bit but nothing major. I had too much work and not enough help and it wouldn't have paid me to get help in, especially with the price of milk.
Now I can take a holiday and it is 15 years since I had a holiday and that was 15 years of working everyday of the year. I had less than two weeks off in 21 years and I was feeling like a slave to the job.
Farmers are ripped off by supermarkets, the factories and milk processors. They take more and the farmer gets less and less and the consumer pays the same if now more.
Farmers are not appreciated enough in my opinion knowing that there is a lot of work involved especially in something like dairy farming.

Great post, particularly about how supermarkets and the big dairy firms are screwing farmers. It's also very lonely, bar the trips to the mart which enliven things. It can often be tinged with fear of being robbed - that Pádraig Nally incident a decade ago really resonated across the farming community. The text service in rural Ireland is absolutely fantastic (if a suspicious car is seen in an area the person sends a text to all their neighbours alerting them). There is also a large number of farmers who have holdings far too small to live on and are just part-time farmers now. The millionaire farmers like John Bruton do exist in places like Meath, Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, but in large swathes of Ireland the land is too poor. Ireland is still overwhelmingly about family farming rather than commercial farming - thankfully - and the average farm size is 35.7 hectares. In 2013 Teagasc estimated that only 37% of Irish farms are now economically viable.

whisky_galore

Pardon the pun, but there's a lot of 'the grass is greener on the other side' when it comes to people whinging about farmers, guards, teachers, etc.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Then why were you looking for a clap on the back earlier in the thread for working so hard.

It's not hard work if you actually love doing it.

JupiterKid

Farming is not just a job - it's a way of life. It's far from being the lifeblood of Ireland's economy - perhaps in 1960 but certainly not in 2016. Ireland is an industrialised country with the service sector predominant. Agriculture makes up about 10% of GDP these days. That said, it's still a very important sector.

I think that there are too many economically unviable small farmers. And farmers are getting older. So many young people do not seem interested in farming and that's a problem. There is a need to modernise the sector and consolidation is also needed. I actually think EU subsidies have propped up antiquated, unviable farms whereas it should help the agri sector to modernise. Someone posted on here that agricultural college is not as important than local knowledge but I would question that view. I would think modern approaches and techniques taught in agricultural college are very important.

I think that Ireland should make a name for itself in high quality organic farming. Our agri produce is well renowned globally but we should be striving to make it even better.

SEPT 23 1989

Blowfish wrote: »

If you actually enjoy doing your job, you'll have far less of a 'need' to have time off.

As for farmers, I actually don't know enough to give much of an opinion either way, but the fact that the Farming forum here on boards has a serious discussion about water divining on its front page doesn't exactly give it the impression of being a particularly efficient and modernised occupation...

It's probably the last place on boards with a real sense of community left

I enjoy reading the threads even though I have no idea half the time what they are talking about

I duno would I be cut out for any of that lark, I like a nice cup of tea and a sit down
And holidays

FortySeven

JupiterKid wrote: »

Farming is not just a job - it's a way of life. It's far from being the lifeblood of Ireland's economy - perhaps in 1960 but certainly not in 2016. Ireland is an industrialised country with the service sector predominant. Agriculture makes up about 10% of GDP these days. That said, it's still a very important sector.

I think that there are too many economically unviable small farmers. And farmers are getting older. So many young people do not seem interested in farming and that's a problem. There is a need to modernise the sector and consolidation is also needed. I actually think EU subsidies have propped up antiquated, unviable farms whereas it should help the agri sector to modernise. Someone posted on here that agricultural college is not as important than local knowledge but I would question that view. I would think modern approaches and techniques taught in agricultural college are very important.

I think that Ireland should make a name for itself in high quality organic farming. Our agri produce is well renowned globally but we should be striving to make it even better.

Well said. Pretty much my position too.

XR3i

i'm a farmer

workin al the evenin and the day

drivin down the road in my tractor, i'm a farmer

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

XR3i

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

your clock is wrong, it's nearly midnight

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Arne_Saknussem

Farmers love Garth Brooks.

The hipster ones like Bryan Adams & Don Henley.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

You've been posting all day in this thread telling us how hard you work though.
You need to make better use of your time so you don't need to "work" such long hours.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

freedominacup

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Farmers love Garth Brooks.

The hipster ones like Bryan Adams & Don Henley.

FLC, eels and Evanesence would be my favourites.

Two Tone

screamer wrote: »

I'd love to post what I think about farmers but I'd be banned from boards if I was truthful.

But why do you think such terrible things about any farmer?

Can never understand this - all farmers are this, all teachers are that, all guards are this, all civil servants that, including the countless ones I don't know. It's silly. Like any profession there's gonna be a mix of all types, likely most of them grand.

freedominacup

JupiterKid wrote: »

Farming is not just a job - it's a way of life. It's far from being the lifeblood of Ireland's economy - perhaps in 1960 but certainly not in 2016. Ireland is an industrialised country with the service sector predominant. Agriculture makes up about 10% of GDP these days. That said, it's still a very important sector.

I think that there are too many economically unviable small farmers. And farmers are getting older. So many young people do not seem interested in farming and that's a problem. There is a need to modernise the sector and consolidation is also needed. I actually think EU subsidies have propped up antiquated, unviable farms whereas it should help the agri sector to modernise. Someone posted on here that agricultural college is not as important than local knowledge but I would question that view. I would think modern approaches and techniques taught in agricultural college are very important.

I think that Ireland should make a name for itself in high quality organic farming. Our agri produce is well renowned globally but we should be striving to make it even better.

Ag colleges like teacher training colleges should be subsumed into more mainstream third level colleges. Too much group think in single discipline institutions like that. Young people need to be exposed to other young people with totally different aspirations and goals to expand their world view.

pickarooney

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

In which case doing something at 4 am and 10pm hardly counts as working all day which I think you pointed out yourself earlier RE farmers.

Seriously though, do you not have friends or kids or hobbies you'd rather spend your time on? It's cool that you like what you do but seriously unhealthy to spend all your life doing it.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Agricola

Farming is something you really have to have a love for, deep interest in. It has to be in you. I grew up surrounded by farmers (from a small farm myself) and a couple of them have said to me they wished to fúck they had heeded their father's advice and gone out to get a regular wage, maybe after getting some further education. One guy told me he's stuck with it now, it's all he knows and he has family commitments as well as huge financial ones.

Another man in the locality is hands down the most successful farmer in the area. Buys all his own machinery, 3/4 newish tractors, does hire work, big into dairy. The man never stops, 7 days a week. His only respite now is a couple of his sons have come of age. He really loves it though and wouldn't be anywhere else. Anytime I mention a trip involving the airport or even just up to the big schmoke of Dublin, he says the very idea gives him a tight feeling in his chest
I think if you're not more or less like that, you haven't much use trying to make a living from it nowadays.

Easca Peasca

freedominacup wrote: »

Ag colleges like teacher training colleges should be subsumed into more mainstream third level colleges. Too much group think in single discipline institutions like that. Young people need to be exposed to other young people with totally different aspirations and goals to expand their world view.

Cracking post, that.

I went to a teacher training college myself and looking back, the narrow mindedness was incredible.

_Tombstone_

Farmer: That ould farming is a mugs game, shure theirs no money in it.

^^He said as he got into his 161 Range Rover.

JupiterKid

JupiterKid wrote: »

I think that there are too many economically unviable small farmers. And farmers are getting older. So many young people do not seem interested in farming and that's a problem. There is a need to modernise the sector and consolidation is also needed. I actually think EU subsidies have propped up antiquated, unviable farms whereas it should help the agri sector to modernise.

Not sure about all of this.

I agree that we need large, efficient farms. But I'd hate to see the demise of small farms. Fifteen years ago we sold an outfarm to a hippy British couple. They keep chickens, pigs, and slaughter about 20 head of cattle every year in the local butcher's (he has a small abbatoir). They sell their eggs in the local veg shop where the wife works (they're both part time farmers)

I'd love to see farms like that popping up. I visit them every time I'm home and they plop milk in my tea straight from the cow's teat! (TB how are ya). Part-time farming is very big in Ireland. And whilst it may not be all hippies, it adds enormously to the diversity of Irish farming, and these guys bring a lot of outside experience into farming.

The old, small farmers are dying away, and are being replaced by younger generations on a part-time basis. I think that's quite a good thing. I'd hate to see us go like Britain, where all the land around an entire village might be farmed by a number of farmers in the single digits. The current Irish 'landscape' is in a pretty decent state. I don't want to only see big ranches, I don't think the environment or the economy will benefit from that.

freedominacup wrote: »

Ag colleges like teacher training colleges should be subsumed into more mainstream third level colleges. Too much group think in single discipline institutions like that.

Interesting point about ag colleges, but remember, if you relocate them to large urban centres, or concentrate them further, you risk adverse local consequences.

My nearest agricultural college, Gurteen, takes young guys on a part-time basis. I know guys who 'commute' from their farms, where they work the rest of the day.

Agricultural colleges run talks and practical training events that are are important in driving improvement in agricultural practices in the localities they serve.

I don't think it's a good idea to relocate them to an urban centre in order to 'enrich' the minds of students. I think that's a bit presumptive of a certain 'country bumpkin' image, to be honest.

XR3i

shepherds bush

freedominacup

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Interesting point about ag colleges, but remember, if you relocate them to large urban centres, or concentrate them further, you risk adverse local consequences.

My nearest agricultural college, Gurteen, takes young guys on a part-time basis. I know guys who 'commute' from their farms, where they work the rest of the day.

Agricultural colleges run talks and practical training events that are are important in driving improvement in agricultural practices in the localities they serve.

I don't think it's a good idea to relocate them to an urban centre in order to 'enrich' the minds of students. I think that's a bit presumptive of a certain 'country bumpkin' image, to be honest.

I'm just in from milking and saw your post. Mine is not presumptive of anything rather based on experience. Tbh the students are voting with their feet. Any thread about accomodation and kildalton college on the farming forum always results in advice from recent past pupils to get accomodation in Waterford in order to get some sample of real college life rather than the fairly cloistered experience of living in, in what in reality is a glorified boarding school.

Galwayguy35

My brother is a farmer, he has about 30 acres of land and works in a factory as well because he couldn't live on what the farm makes.

My father had a wealth of knowledge as regards looking after animals but I think if he was still around the paperwork side of things would be too much for him.

For a fella with no second level education the brother is totally on top of the paperwork and while I think my father would never have been a farmer if he had a choice when he was young my brother loves farming.

I can see a lot of small farms being bought up over the next 10 to 15 years because there is nobody to take them over.

D0NNELLY

Very similar to career dole scroungers, they wait for handouts thinking they're owed a living...

If you can't afford to run the farm without grants, sell up and get a job like the rest of us who weren't born with acerage

Bazzy

I'm from Dublin and i leave in South Galway.

Almost all my neighbours are farmers.

In my honest experience they are all nice people who love what they do.

The local pub/ trip to the mart / weekly shop can be the only outlet for these lads.

For example a lot of them are single and bachelors as they hadnt time to find a wife one of them goes to Aldi every Friday and buys 5 premade microwave dinners as he hasnt the time to cook he's the poorer end of the scale and plays the fool card very well in a harmless way

Another Guy in his 70's at least cycles his high nelly past my house every morning at 7am you could time your watch off him again he never married he told me one day he hadnt time. All his machinery and equipment is immaculate like brand new his land is kept the same

There was a storm here last winter and one of the walls ( stone stacked on stone typical of rural ireland im sure they have a name ) blew over and theyre was potential for animals to get out it was in one of the fields facing our house it was blowing a gale and raining heavily , I seen him fixing it and went out to help.

I was gobsmacked firstly by the strength of the man and secondly by the skill within minutes he had it all stacked back up neatly , thanked me for the help and was on his way , I was thinking hours when I seen it first

The stories in the pub do be very funny about all sorts of everything generally they need to explain something to me as I dont get the meaning behind it

They all have a few things in common they are hard workers and they love what they do.

In every walk of life you will find an ar$ehole I dont think that the average farmer is very well off the local hardware shop is a good example of it, I have a friend who comes down from dublin and is gobsmacked by the price of stuff its so cheap but as the owner said to me " They wont buy it if its not cheap" 50% cute whore 50% no choice

The farmer of some description has been the first chain in the link of everything i've eaten and most of the stuff i've drank today so I cant fault them

Seanf999

Well a friend of mine lives and breaths the culchie life and he was going to miss a concert because 'it twould be a good time to do the silage'..

Fluffy Cat 88

RayM wrote: »

You feed beef burgers to swans. And if you see a lovely field with a family having a picnic, and there's a nice pond in it, you fill in the pond with concrete, you plough the family into the field, you blow up the tree, and use the leaves to make a dress for your wife who's also your brother.

Spat coffee all over my phone reading that!

I'm from the sticks but not an agricultural background.

Farmers - they're a right shower of moany gits, constantly whining about the weather, the price of everything etc...

They get subsidies no other businesses in this country gets, they have the finest of machinery, they spread stinking slurry in an attempt to gas the parish. Also driving their big fookin jeeps at 10kph peering over the ditches checking their fellow whingers few acres - ffs!

I marrried a farmers son. He didn't inherit it (thank fook) but he'll ask me ****e like "oh who owns that land in (insert random townsland) as I'm from the area we now live in

I don't know or bloody care! What difference does it feckin make. "Whose cattle are they?" Did the lad across the road buy more sheep? Who owns that field?" Who gives a rattling ****e!

xzanti

I'm a Dub, working with farmers in a construction environment.. the thing I've noticed most is, they talk about winning the Lotto a lot.

They can also tell you what Shane who lives 2 mile from the Maxol had for his breakfast. and then tell you that Shane is a nosy bastard.

They love ham.

They all build their own houses. Mostly from surplus site materials that they sneak away on trailers.

They all "go to the bog" at some stage throughout the year, it's like Christmas or Easter, it's unavoidable and it's a big thing.

and finally... They all hate Dubs.

My study continues, I shall report back.

topmanamillion

Fluffy Cat 88 wrote: »

Spat coffee all over my phone reading that!

I'm from the sticks but not an agricultural background.

Farmers - they're a right shower of moany gits, constantly whining about the weather, the price of everything etc...

They get subsidies no other businesses in this country gets, they have the finest of machinery, they spread stinking slurry in an attempt to gas the parish. Also driving their big fookin jeeps at 10kph peering over the ditches checking their fellow whingers few acres - ffs!

I marrried a farmers son. He didn't inherit it (thank fook) but he'll ask me ****e like "oh who owns that land in (insert random townsland) as I'm from the area we now live in

I don't know or bloody care! What difference does it feckin make. "Whose cattle are they?" Did the lad across the road buy more sheep? Who owns that field?" Who gives a rattling ****e!

You do not have problems with farmers. You have marital problems.
See. http://touch.boards.ie/forum/1174

Sweetemotion

XR3i wrote: »

i'm a farmer

workin al the evenin and the day

drivin down the road in my tractor, i'm a farmer

I'm convinced, they only drive their tractor 8-9, 1-2 and 5-6 just to piss off real working people.

FortySeven

Sweetemotion wrote: »

I'm convinced, they only drive their tractor 8-9, 1-2 and 5-6 just to piss off real working people.

Somewhere on the internet is a farming forum with a dashcam thread where they all compare queues they've managed to build up whilst cackling maniacally.

Lady is a tramp

My opinion on farmers is based entirely on my uncles.

There are five of them who live together in the house they (and my dad) grew up in, at the end of a long windy lane in the back of beyond. The house is like something from a couple of centuries ago. They are in their 60s/70s, and all bachelors, as far as I know none of them has ever had a girlfriend.

They are incredibly stingey and incredibly generous at the same time. They sit down for all their meals together, and share the one teabag between the lot of them. When we visit, they'll give us our own teabags out of courtesy, but you can tell they think it's a crazy extravagance to waste a teabag on just one mug! They are really frugal, their diet is very plain and basic. Their clothes are pure rags, a million years old, ripped to shreds. None of them drink or smoke. But, they buy brand new cars (usually BMWs) every single year. The local dealer loves to see them coming! And they are always buying really expensive top of the range tractors and farm machinery. And they spoil us rotten - any time I visit, I come away several hundred euro richer.

They are very religious, nothing interferes with their Sunday mass. Although I think it's mostly a good opportunity for gossip. They know who owns every bit of land and every animal in all of the south-east of the country! Other than mass, I don't think they have any real social outlet, apart from the ploughing championship every year.

They work crazy hours, very long days. They've all had major health difficulties these last few years, so there's often at least one of them out of action, but the rest of them pick up the slack without complaining. They're all each others best friends, it's actually really nice to see how much they enjoy each others company.

They are GAA obsessed, we're not allowed say a word when the Sunday match is on! My dad's the same actually. (Although he's not a farmer.)

It's not a lifestyle I envy. I've spent time down there helping out with the baling and milking the cows and helping with the calving etc, and the novelty wears off after a couple of weeks. It's just the monotony of it all ... and the dirtiness and smelliness ... and the huge burden of responsibility. I mean they have this massive farm with zillions of cows and loads of crops etc, and they're all getting old and sick and refuse to get in anyone to help them with it ... I don't know what's going to happen when they're too old to do it anymore. I mean they've no children to pass it on to, no one in my family would have any interest in taking it over. It's just sad that they've spent their lives building up this farm, it's obviously working out for them financially, and I guess it'll all end up being sold off to strangers. It's like their whole lives work was for nothing, really. It's sad.

evolving_doors

,

NIMAN

Lady is a tramp wrote: »

My opinion on farmers is based entirely on my uncles.

There are five of them who live together in the house they (and my dad) grew up in, at the end of a long windy lane in the back of beyond. The house is like something from a couple of centuries ago. They are in their 60s/70s, and all bachelors, as far as I know none of them has ever had a girlfriend.

They are incredibly stingey and incredibly generous at the same time. They sit down for all their meals together, and share the one teabag between the lot of them. When we visit, they'll give us our own teabags out of courtesy, but you can tell they think it's a crazy extravagance to waste a teabag on just one mug! They are really frugal, their diet is very plain and basic. Their clothes are pure rags, a million years old, ripped to shreds. None of them drink or smoke. But, they buy brand new cars (usually BMWs) every single year. The local dealer loves to see them coming! And they are always buying really expensive top of the range tractors and farm machinery. And they spoil us rotten - any time I visit, I come away several hundred euro richer.

They are very religious, nothing interferes with their Sunday mass. Although I think it's mostly a good opportunity for gossip. They know who owns every bit of land and every animal in all of the south-east of the country! Other than mass, I don't think they have any real social outlet, apart from the ploughing championship every year.

They work crazy hours, very long days. They've all had major health difficulties these last few years, so there's often at least one of them out of action, but the rest of them pick up the slack without complaining. They're all each others best friends, it's actually really nice to see how much they enjoy each others company.

They are GAA obsessed, we're not allowed say a word when the Sunday match is on! My dad's the same actually. (Although he's not a farmer.)

It's not a lifestyle I envy. I've spent time down there helping out with the baling and milking the cows and helping with the calving etc, and the novelty wears off after a couple of weeks. It's just the monotony of it all ... and the dirtiness and smelliness ... and the huge burden of responsibility. I mean they have this massive farm with zillions of cows and loads of crops etc, and they're all getting old and sick and refuse to get in anyone to help them with it ... I don't know what's going to happen when they're too old to do it anymore. I mean they've no children to pass it on to, no one in my family would have any interest in taking it over. It's just sad that they've spent their lives building up this farm, it's obviously working out for them financially, and I guess it'll all end up being sold off to strangers. It's like their whole lives work was for nothing, really. It's sad.

I would say that sums up a lot of farmers in this country, and to be honest it sounds like hell on earth to me. (minus the brand new BMWs, which shocks me, as it sounds terribly extravagant for simple farmers).

It is indoctrinated into them how important 'the farm' is. Of course its important if its your job and your income, but the idea that one of more of them would be able to say "bugger this, I'm off to do something is" is rare (admittedly it sounds like your father escaped). The idea of anyone else owning 'their land' is the worst thing possible. They'd rather die than let that happen.

Yet this is what will happen when they all go from this life. No offspring to keep the family farm going, it will be inherited by some relative and probably sold off for a huge pile of cash. Their legacy, their toil, their sweat, their investments etc will all come to a halt. The family name on the farm will go into the history books.

Giacomo McGubbin

"Summing up farmers" is about as stupid and ignorant as trying to sum up people with brown hair.

FortySeven

Giacomo McGubbin wrote: »

"Summing up farmers" is about as stupid and ignorant as trying to sum up people with brown hair.

People with brown hair are superior to all other beings. Easy.

NIMAN

what about them brown-haired farmers though?

Timmaay

freedominacup wrote: »

I'm just in from milking and saw your post. Mine is not presumptive of anything rather based on experience. Tbh the students are voting with their feet. Any thread about accomodation and kildalton college on the farming forum always results in advice from recent past pupils to get accomodation in Waterford in order to get some sample of real college life rather than the fairly cloistered experience of living in, in what in reality is a glorified boarding school.

+100 to this, I'd go one step further and say the most important experience any student can get are in joining clubs and societies that have nothing to do with theirown study area, this is where they will learn loads of invaluable life lessons and experiences. The drinking and socialising will most likely happen regardless, however for me my defining college moments were taking up new sports, being drafted in to organise fundraising events, and getting to travel and do voluntary work. For all my years in college I've ended up back a "simple" dairyfarmer ha, however I know I've a much wider prespective on life in a large part thanks to my college experiences, that I doubt I could have got if I had taken the more "logical" route of an 18months green cert etc.

Giacomo McGubbin

NIMAN wrote: »

what about them brown-haired farmers though?

something similar to nordies and blacks

Lavinia

I think farmers are lucky.

sbsquarepants

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Do you like being able to buy 2 litres of milk for under 3 euro?

You're not really buying it for 3 euro if you're being taxed to subsidise it's production.

Deleted User wrote: »

In 2013 Teagasc estimated that only 37% of Irish farms are now economically viable.

Do you know what happens when 37% of widget factories are economically viable?
63% of them close down and all those widget makers have to go do something a bit more useful.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Fluffy Cat 88

topmanamillion wrote: »

You do not have problems with farmers. You have marital problems.
See. http://touch.boards.ie/forum/1174

If I had married the brother (who was left with the farm) I'd be a regular poster in that forum. Thankfully I'm happily married.

tabby aspreme

I don't think dairy farmers benefited directly from cap payments, milk production was not linked to it unlike other types of farming.
2 litres of milk costs around € 1.70 , the farmers would get approximately 60 cent of that.