I’m back from a nice break away. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to forget about the cows for a while and spend some quality time with my (human) family. The place didn’t fall apart without me and I was glad of the break. Your first few mornings on a holiday are a bit strange as you realise you don’t have to be anywhere, and no animal is looking to be fed (except my children, but they usually sleep in and, sometimes, they ask to be fed nicely).
During my holidays, I was watching the kids run around laughing and I thought about how lucky I am to be able to get away for a break. This wasn’t the case when my father was my age – he could never get away. I never wanted things to be that way for me and my family, and I knew if I got the opportunity to take on the family farm, I would do things differently.
It’s now been 10 years since it was made official and I got my name over the door. I had a few years of apprenticeship, which were necessary. I had a lot to learn and I had to be sure this was what I wanted before I was able to commit to the “vocation” of being a full-time farmer. After all, farming was not my first career choice. In fact, growing up I went out of my way to make it clear that I had other ambitions.
I travelled and got into a different line of work. I was doing well for myself, but circumstances changed at home and I was pulled back by the farm’s tractor beam. At first, I was very reluctant.
Looking back a few generations, it’s ironic to think my grandfather wasn’t the first choice for the farm either. He had several brothers in front of him and was working as a draper when he was called back home.
Succession is a tricky but necessary experience, so what have I learned over the past 10 years? “Not a lot,” the father would likely say (I hope in jest). The truth is, I grew to love farming. It was torture at the start because I had a young family and was still working my other job. Over time, I found my rhythm and purpose, both of which have led me to where I am today. I have no regrets in going down this path as it has brought so much fulfilment to my life. Fulfilment, I realised, I wasn’t actually getting from my other career.
Not everyone is made to be a farmer, but I would also argue that you might not realise you’re made of the right stuff until you actually try.
I’ve had a lot of luck on my side, being blessed with a very supportive wife and family. Through it all, my other half listened to the many heartaches and screw-ups and she gave me the encouragement to keep at it. She took on the brunt of the child-rearing, which gave me the opportunity to grow into what is, at least, a ‘middle-of-the-road’ farmer. I owe a lot to my father, too. We’ve clashed many times, but we’ve always been able to come to an understanding.
Looking back a few generations, it’s ironic to think my grandfather wasn’t the first choice for the farm either. He had several brothers in front of him and was working as a draper when he was called back home
If you’re just about to embark on your own succession journey, understand that the process is very much a marathon, not a sprint. You may have big ideas on how to modernise; you might want to prove to everyone you’re the right person for the job, but take the time to soak up all the knowledge around you. Don’t be afraid to admit when you’ve made a mistake – this is a learning process; you won’t make the same mistake twice.
It’s a bit frightening at the start, when you realise you’re the one in charge. You should reach out to other farmers and make a community around yourself. Join farming groups and develop a good working relationship with your farm advisor. At the end of the day, you have the honour of moving the farm on to greener pastures.
With over 10 years behind us, we need to start thinking about who the next successor will be. It’s our responsibility to have the farm in a better place for the next generation. It’s very early days for us, and, so far, we aren’t seeing much interest. Then again, I was that kid, but who knows? I could be handing the farm over to a robot AI version of myself. I wonder, will we be able to set it into different modes each day? Engage ‘cranky old farmer’ mode.
Best of luck with your succession journey.
Desperate Farmhusband: is it just me or are we all feeling a bit more cheerful?
Desperate Farmhusband: never, ever, be too positive about farming