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When we plan ahead for holidays, work or the busy calving season, it is always about achieving goals and attaining a positive outcome. We feel a little infallible when we are making plans. We do not consider that things can go wrong - or what might happen if we are unable to work as part of the family team.
If there are employees who we rely on working on the farm, we rarely consider that they might become unable to work. We expect employees to behave like family and struggle on. That is not a reality? these days.? There has to be give and take and an understanding of the kind of relationship you wish to build with your employees. Young lads and girls in the locality can really make a difference on farms during busy periods. Planning on farms has to allow some contingency for people being unable to work. It’s important to examine the plan.
The coughing started
We hit the ground running for calving and calf rearing. Everything was going according to plan - until I started coughing! I think I brought the dose home from school. There have been all sorts of respiratory illnesses and viruses circulating in the community. Then, Ricky and Julie got sick. To my horror, Diarmuid started coughing. As he is on immunosuppressant drugs, it was of immediate concern for us. A few days later, Tim joined the coughing brigade. We have tested negative for COVID.
Whatever it is with flu-like symptoms, headache and a persistent cough; it has eroded our stamina and strength and made coping with our workload very difficult. Obviously, calving cannot be paused or delayed for a day or two. The calves just kept coming. I haven’t been this sick in a long time. Last Monday, I had to cry off school and come home to bed. I struggled through the calves that evening.
Luke Walsh, a fifth year student, works with me feeding calves in the evenings and at weekends. His older brother, Jack, worked with Colm previously for a few years. As luck would have it, Luke had the whole week off for mid-term and had planned to work mornings and evenings with me and other hours with Colm. He had booked Tuesday off as it was Valentine’s Day. When Luke realised I was sick, he volunteered to change his day off to allow me to take some time to recover.
When Luke was off, Colm chipped in to help me out. That back up is really necessary to allow people to recover and get back on track. Then Luke’s younger brother, Tom, asked if he could come to give a helping hand. Tom is in first year. To have someone to feed new-born calves and generally help out was great. Over the week, Tom has taken to his job like a duck to water. Luke follows all the protocols carefully and is upskilling daily. He’s alert to any changes in a calf’s demeanour and keeps all calves on good beds.
Although the lads are not from a farming background, they are well able. They come with no bad habits and are just nice guys to have around. So, when Luke asks to finish up early for a match or a driving lesson, his request is immediately granted. The rapport between employer and employee has to be good, nurtured and respectful. If you shout at young people or are intolerant of mistakes, consequently you will lose them. If you mind them and value them, they won’t be found wanting in times of difficulty.
Four days for a GP appointment
By Thursday, I had improved but was still very low in energy and was still coughing. I continued to be worried about Diarmuid. I decided that we both needed to visit the doctor to check our chests and particularly to get advice about managing Diarmuid’s illness. The earliest appointment we could get was the following Monday morning – a whole four days later. It is very important to be able to see the GP in a timely fashion. Four days could make a huge difference to Diarmuid’s wellbeing. It meant that I continued to worry about him over the weekend and he continued to suffer without medical attention. I know GP’s work extremely hard. Nevertheless, it is unacceptable not to be able to get an appointment.
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