Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

[firepower 68]

One of my farms has been having financial problems and the farmer is selling off most of his land to cover his debts, pay off his mortgage and basically retire from farming. The loss of shooting ground is never pleasant at the best of times but to see a family farm go to the wall after generations makes it a bitter pill. Over the years I have shot on the farm, trained my dog on there, built massive snowmen with my granddaughter. Whenever the pressures of this modern life got too much I would often drive up there to just sit in the Land Rover with the windows down, breathing in the stillness and beauty of Gods creation. It is a sad time indeed.

 

Yesterday I went up there to give the spaniel a run out. Making hay while the sun shines so to speak, the auction is going to be here all too soon. The farm is surrounded by a much larger concern, the owners of this farm are, according to local shooter gossip, a particularly arrogant and unfriendly family. The spaniel had his run out and the wife and I were taking in the air when up the truncated lane that leads to nowhere a Land Rover one ten comes slowly driving up. A gentleman alights dressed in blue overalls and a flat cap and comes over to the drivers window. The field in front of us is one of the ones for sale, either side is land owned by the "ogre family" He asks if I am going to buy the field and I laugh, joking that I wish I had the money. He says that he owns the land either side but I misunderstood and thought that he was from the farm across the main road. I reply that Mr**** owns the fields to either side. He informs me that he is Mr**** I could be knocked down with a feather. The conversation went on and we chatted about the plight of his neighbour, Mrs Thatchers demise the weather, crop prices, the he asked what was I doing on the land. I said that I was shooting rabbits on the far hedgerow. There was a pause, then he pointed off to the fields either side and said "There's loads of the buggers on those two fields" I laugh again and say that I have been leaving those alone because I don't shoot without the farmers permission. "Kill them all" is his reply. He then points out the land behind us and says to kill them on there too. I thank him for being so kind and offer him a business card. I say that if anyone calls him enquiring who is lamping ny mobile number is on there so he can always check if it is me. He asks if I have any more cards and takes another half dozen.

 

It just shows how wrong gossip can be

[Lab 10,979]

One of my farms has been having financial problems and the farmer is selling off most of his land to cover his debts, pay off his mortgage and basically retire from farming. The loss of shooting ground is never pleasant at the best of times but to see a family farm go to the wall after generations makes it a bitter pill. Over the years I have shot on the farm, trained my dog on there, built massive snowmen with my granddaughter. Whenever the pressures of this modern life got too much I would often drive up there to just sit in the Land Rover with the windows down, breathing in the stillness and beauty of Gods creation. It is a sad time indeed.

 

Yesterday I went up there to give the spaniel a run out. Making hay while the sun shines so to speak, the auction is going to be here all too soon. The farm is surrounded by a much larger concern, the owners of this farm are, according to local shooter gossip, a particularly arrogant and unfriendly family. The spaniel had his run out and the wife and I were taking in the air when up the truncated lane that leads to nowhere a Land Rover one ten comes slowly driving up. A gentleman alights dressed in blue overalls and a flat cap and comes over to the drivers window. The field in front of us is one of the ones for sale, either side is land owned by the "ogre family" He asks if I am going to buy the field and I laugh, joking that I wish I had the money. He says that he owns the land either side but I misunderstood and thought that he was from the farm across the main road. I reply that Mr**** owns the fields to either side. He informs me that he is Mr**** I could be knocked down with a feather. The conversation went on and we chatted about the plight of his neighbour, Mrs Thatchers demise the weather, crop prices, the he asked what was I doing on the land. I said that I was shooting rabbits on the far hedgerow. There was a pause, then he pointed off to the fields either side and said "There's loads of the buggers on those two fields" I laugh again and say that I have been leaving those alone because I don't shoot without the farmers permission. "Kill them all" is his reply. He then points out the land behind us and says to kill them on there too. I thank him for being so kind and offer him a business card. I say that if anyone calls him enquiring who is lamping ny mobile number is on there so he can always check if it is me. He asks if I have any more cards and takes another half dozen.

 

It just shows how wrong gossip can be

Top stuff.... Thats one thing i make sure and do and not judge someone by others stories. You probably find out its the ones gossiping are the proper bellends. Enjoy yer new hunting ground....

[sussex 5,776]

Always nice to start the week with good news ....well done enjoy your sport .....

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

It just shows how wrong gossip can be

 

 

[Nik_B 3,790]

Brilliant mate

[lanesra 3,961]

Nice Touch . . Keep You Busy And Shows Not Too Listen To Rumours/Comments About Someone .

[mushroom 12,430]

Something similar happened to me was told that this particular farmer wouldn't give permission to no-one and had a special disliking for lads with dogs.

 

Coversation went a little along the same lines except the sales pitch was more like "so how much stock have you lost this year to foxes, how much damage are the rabbits doing"

 

Resulted in permission

 

One of the best ways to win farmers/landowners round is to apply their problems to the conversation. Everyone of them knows the problems faced with pest species and the damage done/profit lost costs. If you show that you also understand this, they see you as a person who can help them for the simple low price of permission instead of a hunter who's just out to walk his/her land for their own selfish ends

 

Anyway bob on Firepower enjoy the new permission and do a good job.

 

Atb Shroom

[bob.243 7,673]

One of my farms has been having financial problems and the farmer is selling off most of his land to cover his debts, pay off his mortgage and basically retire from farming. The loss of shooting ground is never pleasant at the best of times but to see a family farm go to the wall after generations makes it a bitter pill. Over the years I have shot on the farm, trained my dog on there, built massive snowmen with my granddaughter. Whenever the pressures of this modern life got too much I would often drive up there to just sit in the Land Rover with the windows down, breathing in the stillness and beauty of Gods creation. It is a sad time indeed.

 

Yesterday I went up there to give the spaniel a run out. Making hay while the sun shines so to speak, the auction is going to be here all too soon. The farm is surrounded by a much larger concern, the owners of this farm are, according to local shooter gossip, a particularly arrogant and unfriendly family. The spaniel had his run out and the wife and I were taking in the air when up the truncated lane that leads to nowhere a Land Rover one ten comes slowly driving up. A gentleman alights dressed in blue overalls and a flat cap and comes over to the drivers window. The field in front of us is one of the ones for sale, either side is land owned by the "ogre family" He asks if I am going to buy the field and I laugh, joking that I wish I had the money. He says that he owns the land either side but I misunderstood and thought that he was from the farm across the main road. I reply that Mr**** owns the fields to either side. He informs me that he is Mr**** I could be knocked down with a feather. The conversation went on and we chatted about the plight of his neighbour, Mrs Thatchers demise the weather, crop prices, the he asked what was I doing on the land. I said that I was shooting rabbits on the far hedgerow. There was a pause, then he pointed off to the fields either side and said "There's loads of the buggers on those two fields" I laugh again and say that I have been leaving those alone because I don't shoot without the farmers permission. "Kill them all" is his reply. He then points out the land behind us and says to kill them on there too. I thank him for being so kind and offer him a business card. I say that if anyone calls him enquiring who is lamping ny mobile number is on there so he can always check if it is me. He asks if I have any more cards and takes another half dozen.

 

It just shows how wrong gossip can be

Nice one, enjoy.

[firepower 68]

Thanks for the good wishes chaps. It just got better. I was waiting for it to get dark enough to lamp the new ground when a small white van pulled into the lane behind me. The driver came over and asked if I knew if the farmer who is selling up. We ended up chatting for a while about this and that until I asked him who he was. Lo and behold last year I was chatting to his Dad after he had rented a field or three off the owner of the land. I asked him if they were having any problems with their wildlife and bingo another farm to visit on Wednesday. Rabbit, fox and deer are all a problem. I think I may have actually died and gone to heaven. The strange thing is though that I still find myself thinking about the farmer who is having to give it all up. Highs and lows I guess.

[Lab 10,979]

You doing the lottery tomorrow night i hope....