The pandemic has changed the world of work. This upheaval has left many people wondering what they are doing and why they are doing it.
In a BBC Business series called My Job, we ask how different people find meaning in their daily work.
Deborah Daymond has worked at Allercombe Farm in Devon for the past two decades. She and her husband raise Dexter cattle for beef, chop and deliver logs, and sell their produce at nearby markets.
When I was younger I wanted to [go and] Worked at a horse racing stable in York. But as a good girl, I listened to my parents and was persuaded to apply to the police force instead. I actually didn’t make it because I was too shy!
Eventually I started working for a local farmer who was much older [than me]. I learned to milk the old fashioned way, bottling and delivering the milk and then ended up almost running the farm for her.
Unfortunately this guy didn’t want to take a young girl as an employee so I took another milking job that came up elsewhere.
I’ve always wanted to marry a farmer, but it wasn’t the first time and I spent some time in America. When we came back, my marriage ended. I met my now husband and from then on we have moved on with our small farm.
It’s a little harder to get in now. Most people might go to agricultural college or get lucky and find a job somewhere where people will allow you to shadow [someone] and learning.
That peasants are rich. We only have [got] 62 acres and that is tiny in today’s farming world.
I think people assume that driving around in a big car means you have a lot of money. We have a Land Rover because it’s a workhorse [vehicle], it pulls things. You can’t take sheep, pick up feed, or take a cow to market in a Mini.
You probably have healthy finances on paper, but in this industry you’re often cash short.
There are many pluses, but worries about finances, illnesses and dogs come through… But that doesn’t bother me – I love working in nature and raising animals.
I think you must be a hard worker. I’m pretty strong and you wouldn’t normally catch me in white pants as they would just be covered in dirt!
It also helps to be resilient and adaptable. It can be a lonely life these days. Many farmers can suffer from depression because years ago you had six weeks’ holiday, harvested your hay or straw with the help of your neighbors… But now it’s all done by machines. You often sit alone in a tractor and hardly see anyone. It’s just the way of life.
- University: An undergraduate, advanced national diploma, or degree in agriculture, land management, or agriculture. Typically, you will need two to three A-levels or equivalent for a degree, or one or two A-levels for an undergraduate degree.
- College: A course at an agricultural college, e.g. B. A Level 2 Certificate in Land Based Activities.
- Education: You can gain farming experience through education relevant to this role, e.g. as a level 2 general farm worker or as a level 3 harvester. Some GCSEs, often including English and mathematics or equivalent, are usually required for admission.
- Work experience: As a supervisor or assistant manager, you can gain valuable experience and enter the operational management arena.
Source: National Careers Service
We definitely had some very challenging moments.
We used to be a dairy farm and years ago we decided to build a large shed in the back. It was so we could keep all the hatchlings together as TB [tuberculosis] was widespread at the time.
A few months after the application, the animals started to lose weight drastically, which we could not understand. We have always had great breed cows. Some mornings you wake up to find dead animals.
We hobbled on but found that a disease called Schmallenberg had been brought from Europe by mosquitoes. It paralyzed the milking side of things and the calving pattern.
It was so difficult financially and some of our cows had produced over 100 tons of milk each in their lifetime. Switching to raising the Dexters for beef, producing other goods and now we do glamping holidays locally – it’s been a massive change from anything we’ve known before. And I miss seeing all the milk in big glasses, seeing what the cows have done.
Luckily we haven’t been too affected by the pandemic or Brexit as we are relatively small and sell direct to the public what I love.
- 61%: The proportion of UK food produced on its farms
- £120bn: The value of the UK food and agriculture industry to the national economy
- 4 million: UK jobs provided by industry
- 30,000: Miles of hedgerows planted or restored by British farmers
Source: National Farmers Union
How much hard work goes into the products, and don’t expect good food for nothing.
It’s the same when it comes to a pair of shoes or a dress. When you buy a pack of burgers for a few bucks, you have to ask yourself: what are you getting? What is this quality?
I think people should start thinking about shopping local because it’s getting harder and harder to find good food.
I love being at the market, talking to people about where the local food comes from and exchanging ideas with them. It’s amazing to watch their faces as they try the beef sausages or the steak. So many people say, “I haven’t had beef like this in years!”
But the people also have to take care of the farmers. Without them, the landscape would not look the same. Everyone loves to go out to see lambs or go for walks, but without the farmers these areas would be uncared for and there would be no food.
I am proud that we are improving the Dexter breed because they were on the rare breed list and commercially they are a small animal not particularly viable. That is our goal and a great obligation.
Most importantly, that we’re raising something that’s natural and raised on weed.
We do it honestly, and people like to hear that.
This interview has been shortened for clarity.
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