Things people do not tell you about becoming a farmer
That’s Farming’s light-hearted take on what people do not tell you about becoming a farmer.
- Farming is not for the faint-hearted
- Regardless of how strong your leadership qualities are, your animals are your boss – especially around calving and lambing season
- You will have to become a meteorological, a scientist, a DIY pro, an animal husbandry expert, and mind reader all in one
- You will shed any amount of blood, sweat or tears and experience heartache and heartbreak when you have livestock
- Regardless of how stock-proof your fences are, your animals will always find a way to break out
- You must learn to develop patience – Livestock may decide to break out or cows may decide to calve just as you are pulling off for a day or night out;
- Learn to expect the unexpected – including births and deaths
- No matter how hard you try, things do always not go your way
- Most heated arguments arise when herding animals but do not take offence, even if every second word is a profanity
- Farming is not just a job; it is a lifestyle with no set working hours, fixed salary or paid annual leave/holidays
- Farming is in your blood, and while you know there may be an easier way of life, you would not swap it for the world
- TB tests will instil the greatest level of fear and worry in you. A clear test result can be marked with a celebration
- No matter who you talk to or what you talk about, farming will always come up in conversation
- No matter where you go, you will always meet a fellow farming counterpart – holidays and nights out included
- A livestock buying bug is a real thing – there is no such thing as buying a sole cow, heifer, weanling, ewe, lamb, or ram!
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