Veteran Assistance on the farm

CesumPec · #1 07/02/11, 10:03 PM

I read an article today in this month's Grit magazine, "Farmers Welcome Returning Veterans." And that got me to thinking about the possibilities of hiring a resident farm hand. More than most people, I owe my livelihood to those who serve and I would never have been able to afford this farm if it wasn't for the US Military. I've bought 168 raw acres that needs tons and tons of work. In the TractorbyNet forum, some wise guy said I needed 4 sons aged 15 - 20 more than a tractor. He has a point and all I have is a wife who loves the farm life and a daughter about to go off to college who has less than zero interest in every living outside the big city.

I would appreciate you brainstorming a bit with me here. This isn't anything I've thought through. If I was to hire a Vet, I could address all sorts of needs I have if he had experience on a farm, with diesel mechanics, and had a strong and willing back. While my wife and I want this farm more than just about anything, we still would like to travel a bit if possible and a live-in hand would make that much easier.

Q1 - what would be a fair way to compensate a live-in farm hand? What sort of salary? I would provide a place to live, maybe a mobile home, food from the farm. How about giving him a few acres to call his own if he stuck with me for a predetermined number of years?

Q2 - what sort of skills should I look for? Experience with farming, cattle and horses, diesel, welding, heavy equipment operator, rough carpentry. I've hired lots of people during my career and know that hiring the perfect person is more rare, and perhaps more profitable, than winning the lottery. But what would the perfect candidate look like?

Q3 - what's the down side? There's always problems in any employer / employee relationship. It would be great if this person became a good friend and was still there years from now when they cart me off to the old folks home. But realistically, I know the odds of that are low.

Q4 - what else should I consider that I haven't thought of yet?

texican · #2 07/02/11, 11:49 PM

I think most everyone welcomes vets home...

Giving one a job is something different. Give someone a formal job and you suddenly have a myriad menagerie of paperwork and fees to pay to uncle sam, insurance companies, etc. Seriously doubt your gonna find a vet that wants to be a 'farm hand'... Don't take this wrong, but I'd have to wonder if a vet did take on the position, was he/she 'right' in the head? Most vets leave and never have issues, some do...

Having known some full time farmers who had hired hands, I can understand why most folks get their hands under the table.... they spent a lot of time in the evening working on paperwork issues...

All I can say is good luck on 'finding' someone... cause it will indeed be up to luck, or Karma, on finding such a person.

countryboy84 · #3 07/03/11, 06:36 AM

I have thought about this awhole lot also. When we build our new barn it is going to have a 2 bed room apartment instead of a loft. That will be part of there pay. Also like you I am going to provide all the farm food that I can for them and also the water and electric will be covered. But I know that they will still need a little cash also. In fincial counsling one time I was tld that 40% of you income should go to house housing and that 20% to food and stuff like that. So if you figure an 8$ per hour pay then around 3.20 an hour which seems kinda cheap to me. Around here you can find farm hands for 8 an hour but not sure if they would do it for 3.20 plus everything else.
Rural Heritage offers adds from the Good Farms aprintisships program and some of them pay nothing other then room and board plus the knowledge that they gain while they work for you. Other though through in like 500 every 2 months or one even pays 500 a month that I read on time but at that when you figure 6 10 hour day a week for a month that is only like 2.08 an hour so yeah. I figure that it depends on the person that you hire and all that. Some are willing to work in order to learn how to farm others just want the cash and would rather live in a box under a bidge and make the full rate as compared to some of there rate going to houseing. But if you get something good figured out let me know cause like I have this is somthing that I have been thinking about also.

sammyd · #4 07/03/11, 08:40 AM

in 96 average for a good dairyman was 1200 a month plus a place to live, all utilities and milk meat and cheese. Every other weekend off. No field work.
900 a month and a room in the farmhouse was very low ball and didn't attract too many takers.
I can get 600 a month easy just milking twice a day.