Story of a young mans efforts to become a farmer without the aid of inheritance.
In my last blog, "Success at Last??!!" I had been waiting for the letter from the bank saying they would loan me the money to further my ambition. Having been made to wait since Christmas, it was now my birthday and the letter had arrived. I ripped it open, there at the top of the page was the heading. REJECTED. Which summed it all up. It was exactly how I felt. I was being told that farming was crying out for new blood, the agent had told me it was the best new business plan he had seen for some time. What was going on?
I was grumpy, putting it mildly. The shock possibly caused a bit of depression. To the “Better Side Of The Fence” I'm SORRY. It really was a kick in the preverbials.
I sulked for a few days and was resigning myself to giving up for a while. I kept stalling the agent, not sure why, in the vain hope that another letter would come saying, “oh sorry we got it wrong, here's the money”. The agent for the bank had asked me, when I rang to see why I had been turned down for the loan, if he could contact another bank on my behalf and see if they would lend. But that was the last I heard from him.
I was ready to throw in the towel when the “Better Side Of The Fence” kicked me, this time up the backside and demanded “was I going to let this opportunity slip away or was I going to fight”. She was right, (as usual). So I decided to see if their was banking another way. I contacted the agricultural account manager and explained my plan and asked them if they were interested. They were! So I sent them a copy of my business plan. After a bit of thought they came back and asked for an interview to discuss the plan and terms.
When the meeting came I was so fired. When the account manager told me the terms of the loan, I gave him both barrels of good argument as to why he should offer me more favourable terms if he was serious about supporting agriculture and a new business. I'm not usually like that and afterwards I surprised even myself. I thought the meeting went well and now had to wait to see what would happen this time? Had I demanded too much?
Not sure I could take any more punishment. Holding down a full time job, trying to do a diploma In Agriculture part time at college and starting up a new business. Am I Mad? Much more rejection and I soon will be.
Here we go again. The waiting game once again. Only this time I do hope it won't end in the crying game!
The announcement that defra is to set up a "Wildlife Health Strategy" looks according to the initial report "Defra Unveils Wildlife Strategy" as a way for the government to keep an arms length between them and the problem. Call me cynical, I know, but the comment from the chief vet Nigel Gibbons just has that feel about it. We need to see some evidence of assistance on the government side.
If only Defra and the government could treat the disease issues the way that Sir Don Curry suggested Set-Aside should be reintroduced in a recent 5th June FW Article. There should be more carrot and less stick.
Farmers do not want to kill wildlife. Most now understand the benefits they can bring with keeping the general public onside. However suffering of any kind by any animal is not acceptable and farmers just get frustrated that nothing is being done to prevent that suffering to wildlife except kill innocent livestock.!!!!!
The story of a young mans efforts to become a farmer without the aid of inheritance.
So we had seen a plot of land for sale. A little distance from where we currently live but not too far. It was about the right size and more importantly about the right price. The hedges were in good condition and it seemed what we where looking for. The trouble was we didn't have all the money and would have to borrow some. I contacted the agent and made an offer.................
Damn it was accepted without question. A sure sign you've offered too much.
But I still needed some money. So Where from? The first signs of the recession had been around for twelve months now, Northern Rock was a mere memory, greater problems were starting to rear their head.
I looked up several lenders and plumped for a well known agricultural mortgage lender. They obviously wanted to have an interview to see how barking mad I was? Never having made a business plan before I put the figures down I had persuaded myself with, as succinctly as possible, and went for the meeting expecting to be laughed out of the office. At least if that's what I was expecting it wouldn't be too much of a shock when it did happen. !
So what qualities do I have? Errr well I have no experience or qualifications yet! I am at college, I have life experience a loving wife and three kids, the eldest two of which fight me for Farmers Weekly each time it arrives through the post! Oh and passion by the mixer wagon full. But I can't put down that I blog for Fwi to show that passion. Oh well here goes.....
They were keen! It's the best plan he has seen by someone wanting to start up for a while. It was looking hopeful.
The recession was starting to hit hard and the banking collapse seized the banks up completely. But then the company I had chosen said in it's literature that it supported farmers and all the press where saying that agriculture was the one market that was bucking the trend.
The kids were waiting for Santa, so was I. Only my Santa was a big jolly bank manager with a sack full of cash. Christmas was coming and the goose was getting fat, whoopee, we'll be farmers by the new year. But I had to keep my feet on the ground and stick with the day job. The children kept me distracted. The postman kept me waiting.
Christmas came and went. A fabulous time was had by all. Lunch was superb thanks to Mr Paul Kelly....Although personally I think much of the thanks must go to the chef for the preparation of a wonderful feast...Who was the chef? Me of course. He He.
Finally the postman arrived. The bank must have taken my application to the Christmas party as entertainment for the night. What with all the cutting back on expenditure due to the banking crisis my application must have been a dream to them. In fact the conversation must have gone something like this.
“Miss Jones”
“Yes Mr Manager”
“Cancel the Entertainer for the Christmas party, I've just got a mortgage application from Farmers Weekly Interactives View From The Other Side Of The Fence.”
Oh Well, it was nearly my Birthday. What a Birthday present that would be. I've wanted to become a farmer since leaving school twenty years ago.
I ripped open the letter just like the kids had done a month ago with their Christmas presents...................
What did it say? Well you'll have to keep watching this blog. RSS to this blog and you'll get the next installment delivered to you as soon as it's posted.