A Real Farm

[Shadowgirlau]

As most of you know we upgraded our property from a 3 ¾ acre place to 5 acres (why we did this at our time of life, who knows?) and on DH is very happy, although he would like more. DH feels we are a hobby however hobby or not I feel we are every good as a real farm, heck we are a real farm!

Before Dh retired and while we both worked away from the home our days would be consumed with the must do jobs on “our farm” before we left for our paid work and then those must do jobs once home before settling down for a rest a night.

Weekends or days off rather would go something like this –

The days would go fairly fast one could be found starting off with the “must do” job then joggling things between tasks. You might have your eye on a burn off (if the permit was active you would burn all old debris/old papers etc, repairing fencing, vaccinating sheep, repairing chicken coop, pruning fruit trees, fertilizing garden and fruit trees, fixing that lean on the solar pump, weeding the vegetable garden, harvesting and or replanting as necessary, oops forgot this is the day the those two sheep are being slaughtered for the freezer so round them up and let them sit quiet for awhile, pressure clean the house and check gutters again, lay some more pavers out back for me it usually also included some form of preserving as well as baking and then cooking meals for the family, before I knew it I could be called out to do a little slashing or help holding something for a rebuild etc. The list goes on and on though I am sure you get the picture.

At the end of all this blood, sweat and tears kind of work it makes one think about the concept of what is a farm? From my point of view 5 acres or not, we are a real farm. I am a producer, maybe not as large as or in the same league as those other “real farms” but none the less I have a back yard (albeit a large one), I/we grow our own vegetables and fruit, keep chickens and sheep, have 3 separate garden areas, solar power, feed ourselves consuming approximately 60% from our own sources as well as others so I would say we produce and feed others and therefor yes we are a real farm.

Since we both retired our farm is our full time job and a never ending one it is too. It is also one we would not swap for love or money. All that aforementioned work is some would say – what life is like on it. But golly what a life!

Kathleen

[northwest1]

I'm tired just reading all this!! You work it, you live from it, it's real allright!

[dggoatlover]

I agree Kathleen - we put in just as much effort as other farm folk in supporting our lifestyles. Good on you and its great to hear how much you are enjoying your place!

[Shadowgirlau]

Thank you, I do enjoy living here and am pleased with what we have done. Saying this, I am exhausted and sometimes think to myself - why am I doing all this? Of course the reason is because I want control over my lifestyle and because I want space as in I don't like living crammed up against my neighbours like sardines.

Just because I don't have the land size or the big toys of the "real" farmers doesn't mean I am not one of them in my books.

As I said, some days I am plain exhausted and there are now some things that I can't do that I used to be able to do purely because of physical limitations with my health however I would not change anything and can't see me leaving "my farm"

Kathleen

[minnie]

I too agree, it's not the size of the 'farm' that makes it a farm it's what you do with it I think.

I know here they now call 100 acres a 'lifestyle block' and I think that's odd as well.


Vicki

[Heidi]

Hi Kathleen,
I always refer to our 18 acres as a "hobby farm", only because we earn an off farm income that pays for our various farm hobbies! When you are surrounded by cane farms and beef cattle growing farms, I think I use the term "hobby farm" more in deference to them,and to acknowledge that we are definitely in a different category to those big players.

I do however, agree that it is a farm!

In many Local Government Areas, under planning laws, a commercial farm is generally one that can provide for a family in average seasons and circumstances, not to say it must be totally self sufficient. So, if you look at what you produce and think how much better you are off by what you can produce on your farm, then indeed you are a farmer!

And although I do call it a 'hobby farm", it is hard work, and sometimes, the word "hobby" sort of sticks in my mouth a bit.. aren't hobbies relaxing!!! There was once when we kept losing lamb after lamb, after the floods, and we lost a cow in calf, and the other cow had a still born calf. That alone represented 75% of our cattle, lost! It was pretty difficult to take as to restock would have cost us over $2000! We are also more attached to our animals, so their losses represent more to us than money.

The scale that hobby farmers farm at may be less, but sometimes, its actually more intense and bountiful. My neighbour raises beef cattle, a lot of them, however, they buy their beef from the butchers, and everything else from Woolworths. Go figure.

Bye for now,
Heidi

[minnie]

Hi Heidi,

and sometimes, the word "hobby" sort of sticks in my mouth a bit.. aren't hobbies relaxing!!!

Agree... my old neighbour was always calling our cattle pets, and still does. It drives me nuts, considering he and his lady friend hand feed some of his citrus, aren't they pets too. Because we care for our animals (regardless of how many) he says they're pets. He also called us a hobby farm, but these days there's more work done on the farm than anywhere else, not much money from either but...

Raising cattle and not putting one in the freezer for yourself tells me they have no confidence in what they're raising. I've noticed 99.9% of brahman breeders don't eat them, but chortle on about how they're the best breed and my 'pets' are a curiosity. But the sad fact is the brahman is bred for feedlots and most of the beef is minced for places like McDonalds.

We've had to go back to plan A for our two for the freezer and are waiting on NLIS tags and then they're off to the abattoir (DH and I will take them) and then consigned to the butcher for us. It will be our first dexters in the freezer so will be interesting.

Vicki

[dggoatlover]

I know a couple that own three different beef cattle properties and also raise dairy goats. They still don't make enough money from that to support their family and both have to work off farm and I would never call them hobbyists! They struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes having that off farm income is not such a bad thing - you have something to fall back on in hard times

I could never imagine living back in town again and having next door neighbours so close they can hear me in the toilet! Cringe!!! The peace and fresh air is wonderful and I value the privacy it gives me even more. I love weekends and holidays so I get the opportunity to spend more time at home doing the things I love.

[Shadowgirlau]

I too would hate to go back to city living as do my parents. My step father is a farmer who has worked off farm for many years to support the farm. He also share farmed both his farms with he and Mum living on the outskirts of Perth so he could easily get into work, on a 20 acre property. when ill health forced him to retire they down graded to 5 acres.

His health has deteriorated to the extent that 5 acres is too large for them both now but he is having great difficulty coming to terms with the fact that he really needs to be closer to the city and services and is fighting against Mums plans to buy 1/4 acre (if she can find one) because he doesn't want to have neighbours on top of him. I do understand and know that this may be us one day too however for now I will enjoy our farm, hobby as some think it is, while I prefer to call it a lifestyle choice and hard work

Kathleen

[minnie]

I lived on a farm and then went back to the city - a flat in North Bondi!!

It took me a loooong time to get used to it again and not hearing everyone going to the loo all over the neighbourhood.

Oh I love being back on the land.


Vicki

[Shadowgirlau]

I know it was difficult to adjust 4 year ago when we sold our house. We lived for 6 months in Nollamara and it nearly drove me insane

Kathleen