You’d imagine farming would become easier as you grow older. I don’t mean in a physical work way, but in one’s attitude towards the pressures of difficult seasons and that sort of thing.
You’d think increasing years of experience would bring a calmness and a resolute maturity that in the fullness of time everything will work out fine. Because, thankfully, it usually does. What we worry about seldom happens.
In other parts of the world, the seasons are much less reliable and extreme weather can lead to genuine hunger and force life-changing decisions. But not here; ours is a much more temperate climate.
Veteran
I am, by now, a seasoned veteran of 36 farming years so I’ve been through difficult seasons before but – with one or two exceptions – they are now all firmly obliterated from my selective memory. So too, in due course, will this difficult season be.
But right at the moment the trying weather is to the forefront of my mind and those 36 seasons do not, unfortunately, bring me a sense of calmness and of inner peace.
Yes, the profits may be down as a result but neither will it be a financial disaster or life-changing.
Nonetheless, it is so frustrating when it’s impossible to get on with the busy spring workload and you begin to question your ability to get anything done. Small problems are blown out of proportion and mountains are made out of molehills.
And there’ll come a day when we are so busy, it’ll be difficult to prioritise. Everything, including spreading, spraying and seeding, will need doing at the same time, which isn’t easy when you’re the one who has to do it. An unexpected machine failure can be enough to make you flip.
However, and thankfully, I write this as someone whose mental health is well managed with the help of good professional people. You may not be so fortunate. All I can say is that if you find yourself stressed out or anxious and in a continual low mood, you should talk to someone who you can trust. Talking and indeed having a bit of a laugh – if that’s possible – is wonderful therapy.
But, if you feel you are not coping, you should visit your family doctor. He or she cannot change the weather or your circumstances but they may enable you to cope better with life.
And finally, to matters entirely different.
A Bateman sprayer has much in common with a Land Rover – it’s a classic machine made in England, which means it’ll fall apart unless you keep it well serviced. If you do, it shouldn’t let you down. Thomas Jenkinson is a good guy to look after them.
Love at first sight
I bought my 2002-built Bateman in 2005. It was love at first sight – I’d wanted one for years and yes, as I’ve said before, the reality was as good as the dream.
The Bateman is not ageing very well. She’s losing some of her charm and costing me money.
She’s not entirely to blame as she’s had a tough life, multi-tasking between spreading and spraying. The years are now beginning to show and while I thought ours was a marriage for life, now I’m not so sure.
In truth, a trailed sprayer is less flashy and cheaper to run, but once you’ve had a Bateman you could never go back.
Besides, to change would cost me too much, so I’ll be sticking with what I have.
Farmer Writes: high stock numbers pointless if feed supplies don’t match
Farmer Writes: weather and farm payment cuts are a challenge