WHY DID WE MOVE TO FRANCE? farming in France
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- In this episode I am sitting down with Mam & Dad to talk about our move to France in 2006 & the challenges involved in farming Charolais & Limousin beef cattle; dairy goats and tillage farming in a new country where we didn't speak the language!
Your dad seems very down to earth
yes he is! thanks :)
Reminds me so much of my dad, he also used to tap on the table when he spoke
Great video Laura, took a lot of determination and nerve from your parents to move a young family to another country to live and work 👏 interesting to hear about the land values and way of life etc in France. Looking forward to seeing more of the French way of farming life, I'll try to remember to give you a mention in one of my videos. 👍
Thanks Gareth! Yes it was quiet the risk, and well worth it! It is a very different way of farming indeed, glad you liked it! that would be great, thanks a million :)
hes a full weirdo Laura be carefull
@@kevinmccourt5 hes a total creep
You have to be so proud Laura of your mum & dad for what they have achieved in france. Im sure they had many sleepless nights in the beginning wondering if they had made the right decision to uplift you all from yr schooling/friends etc.Im sure you are now glad that they did and the farm will continue to progress and provide well for you all.I think you would love to farm full time as you seem to have a natural flair for it. All you need now is a good irish man to complete yr dream life.lol...God bless you all & Stay safe during these strange times.🙏🙏❤
I don't think they were sleepless as there was so much work to do haha, but yes a bit of worry in the beginning! I do love farming indeed, but we'll see where I end up! "A good Irish man" hahaha, do you know any? only joking, thanks you too take care
Hi Laura, I'm delighted to have found this channel. I used to follow the articles in the Journal years ago on how things were going for ye. There is great credit due to your family for taking such a big leap and making a go of it. Its great to see ye have such a positive outlook on farming in France. I spend a fair bit of time in various parts of France for my work and know that there are massive differences across the country in terms of weather, landscape, industry, standard of living etc but the one thing I will say is I have found generally French people to be some of the most decent people you could meet anywhere. When they see you make an effort to speak French, they are extremely helpful and supportive. I was given a memory stick once of files called "French with Michel Thomas" Apart from being able read rod signs and menus I had no French, but this helped me massively. There is no writing or reading involved. Its just conversations that start out very easy and go from there. I used play them when I was driving on my own I found it unbelievably good and simple. I can assure you I have no flair for languages but would recommend it to anyone trying to get going on the language. Keep up the good work and best of luck with the channel.
Hi William, thanks for the lovely comment. Yes the Farmers Journal was a few years back now! such an interesting story, the France is definitely a great country but like you said, different depending on the area. Thanks for following my channel, I hope you enjoy! :)
Great video Laura Declan and Your Mom
Cotland farmer recommended your channel and now I'm subscribed , your parents had alot of guts to do what they did and risk they took
My friends father had a farm in france (for about 6 years id say) i loved it, farmed there alot with them. Im a dairy farmer in Cork myself
Very interesting video. I used to farm in South West Scotland and have lived in the South of France for 2 years now. Glad you seem to have settled down and looking forward to seeing more videos of your farming life.
Very original and interesting. Thank you.
My wife and I watched it together, being much the same age and circumstances as your parents and with three children (two sons, and a daughter who looks exactly like you). We decided to go farming in Pembrokeshire in 1998 after considering beef farms in central France, also with Mr George Lidbury, back when he was based in Cornwall; back in those days Mr Tim Green from the Farmers' Weekly used to speak at SIMA, and his family's experiences mirror your own.
If we were a young married couple once more, no doubt France would be our natural destination these days.
But none of our children want to carry on the farms, so perhaps we will retire to France just as your parents retire to Ireland!
Best wishes.
Insightful, and a fantastic story for someone to aspire to farming in todays world. Following your channel nearly a year now, one was always interested to know the history. Tell the oul lad I worked in Galmoy in the early 00’s. Congratulations on this channel again. 👏👏
You are good honest folk I just love the way your daughter looked as you were speaking with antisipation but full of respect what a great team you are and I wish you well for the future
you do not need any luck because you are as one and thats all that matters well done and thanks for showing us mere mortals what life can be all about THANKYOU SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much :)
Hi Laura great video’s...big kudos to ye....say hi to ur dad and mam...I’m sure I pass close to ye sometimes often tour that area on motorcycle...great man...u didn’t lick ur creative side off the road...
I'm sure I remember reading something about your family in the Farmers journal a fair few years back!? Great videos, I've watched a few and you're right up there with my top channels now!
Jaysus your mam Worked here in Loughrea !! Its truly a small world
Great video Laura. Really enjoyed the family story from the beginning. Your father a character pure irish lol
Very interesting,nice that your parents are so agreeable to participate in your venture. I look forward to learning more about farming in France,thank you ,and thank your parents as well!
Thanks! Yes it's great that they help out, although sometimes I don't give them a choice haha
Dont usually comment but found this video extremely interesting, brave move from your parents to move out there, would love to hear more from them about the whole process, whats involved, what to watch out for, viability of moving out there, differences between Ireland/France farming practices etc. Really interesting, great video and nice people, sending from a wet Mayo :P
1300 hundred areas you would want to be a billionaire, to own that much land in Ireland 🇮🇪, the social part of farming in France is brilliant in a way you have farmers helping, cutting the maize you feed them and they do the same it's like the old Ireland in farming, will done with ye're farming guy's brilliant keep up the good work, well done on your YouTubing Laura
Thank you! yes they are very helpful neighbours
1300 hectors of land is very impressive especially starting from scratch Well done, guys
Great video Laura,fair play to your Mam and Dad ,fortune favours the brave !! Bravo et bon chance !
Thanks! yes it was a risk well worth taking! merci :)
Hello from Canada. I found this very informative. I have been farming all my life and due to a recent separation in which I am the losing party have ended up renting a small piece of land, a small barn with a shop and 25 acres where I keep my draft horses, I also rent another 30 or so acres of hay land. But I have no place to live myself as house prices are skyrocketing along with land. I cannot afford to purchase a farm. Winter in Canada in a camper is my future. I have been looking for ways to possibly relocate somewhere and renting a farm, or working on shares. This video gave me more to think about. I do not know any French really even though I took classes in school, sadly I didn't pay attention....
Excellent. Your parents seemed very comfortable talking on camera. I can’t imagine having to learn a new language and running a farm. You will have to show us your French speaking skills.
Thanks! haha they were quite nervous but they did good :) I might just one day if I get the occasion!
Thanks for doing that video great to get an insight into farming over there and what ye had to do to make it work.
What a great video we did something similar in the 70's from Ireland to England not easy still feel my heart is in Ireland but enormous respect to your mum and dad
That's great, I hope you're getting on well over there! Yes I know what you mean, Ireland will always be home :)
It was quite a plucky thing to move into the unknown, you have done amazingly well. No doubt through hard work and dedication. I hope one of the children decide to take on all that has been accomplished. Our only regret in old age is none of our children want to take on our farm.
Hi Laura, wow! What a great story, thanks for starting your channel. I'm from lisdowney in North kilkenny, just a stones throw from galmoy where your dad used to work on the zinc mine. We've had airplanes flying low over our land lately looking for more minerals to mine, I wonder will they tell us if they found gold! 😆 A bloc of 50 acres of land here recently sold for €15,000/acre!!!! My jaw dropped when you said the price of land in France. I have a renovated an old stable building where I live with my wife and 3 young children but I hope to renovate a few more old buildings around the yard for air b&b & have sn off farm income. I would love to travel to France again, I travelled there many years ago.
God bless from Ireland.
Oh right small world! haha if they find any gold you can send some over ;) ridiculous price for land that!
Hi Laura. I have just come across your vlogs and channel after watching several farming and homesteading videos in the US. Love your story given by yourself and your parents about your reasons for moving to France. We live just south of Confolens in a rural community and took the leap to retire to France 4 years ago. Totally agree with your parents comments about the language. If you try then you have a chance . The French are loyal to their language but if you try to speak their native tongue then they will warm to you .
take balls to move well done, FYI love the Stephen Pierce pottery in the background ...1km from me here in east cork, drive on
Thanks 😊 oh wow small world
I absolutely love your folks very honest decent people 👏,, Well done taking that chance mum & dad,, You would never know your dad isn't from a farming background that shocked me.
Great video Laura, huge kudos to your family..really glad to see the brave decision to make the leap has paid off...can see you have the farming in your blood..
Thank you very much :)
Excellent video. Wow what a story. Very brave parents laura
Thanks for the comment :)
Brilliant well done good luck to you and your family
Thanks 👍
Just wanted to say thank you for the videos your making!! My family are starting to think about doing something very similar for similar reasons and looking at farms in a similar area. All of your videos have been very helpful to us 👌🏼 Keep up the good work 👍🏼
Hi Paul! thanks for watching, I'm glad you like the videos! It's a very different lifestyle, but we think it's well worth it in the end. I'm glad they're giving you an idea of life over here! take care
Just found your channel and hope to view more of your videos in the next few days. Great to get a first-hand insight into a move to France :)
Very interesting video. Ye have all achieved so much. Well done
Best of luck with your ventures moving forward. Dympna
Thanks for the lovely comment Dympna - hope ye are all keeping well.
Thanks Dympna! take care :)
Great video, thanks for taking the time, i looked at farming in France a few years ago and a lot of what you talked about is on the money
Thanks, it's a very interesting country for farming alright! :)
Well done to all of you Let’s hear a bit more about you Laura, please ? You are a very capable person. Your parents are an inspiration Merci beaucoup
Just came across your channel guys, not sure how it popped up but I'm glad it did. I was watching you cutting silage and heard the accent of Laura but couldn't work out where ye were. I've just come back from Ahascragh and it definitely wasn't as sunny as it was there ! I paused this video to make this comment so am very keen to look at the rest of it. "working on computers"... I love it....Chanelles loss is France's gain ! The weather has to be a massive plus, even this evening, I was coaching kids athletics in Ahascragh and it was cold and started raining after 20 minutes. 30 degree's in France at the moment.... I've just subscribed and shared it with my family. Trying to convince my brother (the farmer) to relocate to France !
Haha welcome to the channel, I'm glad you're enjoying it! Well let me know if you're brother ends up moving 😂 I'm sure you'll get a few days of sunny weather in Ahascragh this year
Laura , Is everyone happy in France ? Quite the accomplishments your family has done .
Another great video Laura! Great content. Very interesting. It's testament to your parents drive and vision that ye are literally where ye are today! And also to yerselves as kids that ye adapted so well to the big move. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say!
The language barrier in itself must have been a huge thing!
Best wishes to you all.
Hey, thanks again for continuing to watch and follow the channel! great to see so much support! Yes, France is not easy and not for everyone, but I'm glad it worked out well for us! The language is very hard to learn, I still struggle in someways today, as I haven't spoken much in the past while.
Thanks again, take care.
I think what you did was fantastic I have watched this before and made a comment We my Kiwi Wife + 2 children’ 3 &9 moved to Australia in 1990 ,we went in the opposite road came from a farming background to mining in Western Australia would have met a few blokes that worked in lisheen been here 30 years and no go back funny I met a bloke yesterday from Irl that still misses the place good luck for the future
Big step you took with a young family, the droughts there now would worry me, looks like these big summer droughts are going to get more common if you believe what's being spun about the climate.
Farming is a way of life in your case just a different country - well done keep it up.
It is indeed, and a nice way too 😊 thanks take care
we moved to the other side of france in 2001 i am from galmoy husband was from kilkenny , love this mvst look at the others
Loughrea i work in walled wood garden there for an Erasmus i m french and Belgian enjoy your life in France guys
Great video, thanks,and the best of luck in all your endeavours in the future.
Feckin’ Eyrecourt lads - selling your parents the land they didn’t want at the time. Excellent story and very well shot. Mighty stuff, keep up the good work
haha I wouldn't say dad didn't want it, He's always had an interest in Tractors and farming! Thank you :)
@@FarmingLifeatLaForge I’m sure having Michael Hogan’s tractor dealership in the village helped keep the interest in machinery alive.
Very nice laura i get what your mum says about the lingo being hard to understand and how hard it is to up root from rellos and friends to start a new life that takes big balls hats off to you guy and it looks like its all going well .ok sweet be safe and i will see you on the next vid thank you
It is indeed hard, but I guess no harder than moving to the other side of the world haha so hat's off to you too :)
@@FarmingLifeatLaForge thank you .yes i gess so .haha dident realy think of that haha .ok darl take care chat later thanks
Franchement, respect! Il faut le faire quand même ce que vous faites !
Only starting to watch your videos now Laura and I’m delighted for ye that it’s worked in France,, it’s a big move from Ireland to France to doing a lot of farming that ye didn’t know about but it’s great to see people with the courage to do something like that!!! Keep the videos coming! Watching from 🟩🟥 mayo
Very interesting video. You never talked about how the move was for yourself being uprooted and having to learn the language and make new friends. How you find the way of life? 👍🏻
Hi Graham, Good point! I'll be doing a Q&A when I hit 1000subs, I'll make sure to talk about my point of view and experiences moving. sorry never even thought of it
Great video Laura. I love these videos giving the story, keep up the good work 👍👍
Glad you like them!
Great video. I was born in Ireland and currently live in the States. Raised farming. I am coming back to Ireland in a couple of years to buy a farm. But now you have me thinking. I speak basic German so I might look at buying on the continent. I know how hard it is so start fresh in a new country. Fair play to ye. Thank Gerry for sending me here.
Best of luck! Germany would have very good clean farms i'd say, but I can imagine they would also be quite expensiv
Many thanks for a very interesting video, please thank your parents very much too.
Thank you, I will
Hi Irish folks in France. I am a third generation family farmer in South Africa of Franch descent. I found your farming video very interesting ....I have always wanted to visit France as that is where my roots come from but never been able to ! If ever I am fortune enough to get there I would pop by and say HI ! Where in France do you farm...it's looks lovely there ! I am in Bushman's Nek ,Underberg , beef ranching .Best wishes and happy farming . Kind regards John Michaux.
Thanks John, I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Hi Just watched our first of your videos fantastic love your attitude I’m from Nz lived and farmed in Irl from mid seventies to late eighties, with my Irish husband great years ,but difficult to get anywhere, we did travel through France in 89 but as my husband always wished to travel to Australia , we settled after having a look around Western Australia in the mining city of Kalgoorlie, so it was a bit of opposite to you Farmer / mechanic become a miner , where you a Mechanic/ miner became a farmer anyway past bedtime here in Oz so keep up the good work , very well presented Interesting we used to get our peat turf from Bawnmore near lisheen mine
Just found your channel very interesting look forward to watching more ,you seam to be enjoying your new life all the very best kind regards from N Ireland .
Thanks for filming that Laura. Great to hear and you've got a record now that can be passed through the generations of your family too.
One hell of a plunge you're parents made, not just in moving and knowing no French but in learning how to farm too. Proper inspirational.
Please excuse my asking and don't answer if you don't want to but how much capital did you're parents bring and did they have to borrow capital? If so, how much did they borrow?
Take care all of you.
@john mcgee
It's a question out of interest to which I wasn't answered and that is completely fine with me as hopefully you read!
What i can't understand is why this is any of you're business?
Congrats a very brave move , fantastic achievement 👏.
Thank you so much 😀
Thanks very much Sylvie. Hope you & all the family are keeping well. Declan & Emily
Happy New Year to you from Offaly, New subscriber..enjoyed the content...binge watching ....great effort with the bale challenge
Super video, really interesting
Glad you think so! Thanks
Great vlog. Very interesting. Say yeer a close bunch, now how ta have a bita craic with each other. Different to the French I'd say. Love the vids.
You have done very well as a family, farming here in Scotland is not great but we keep going
Thanks! Scotland is a lovely country, if only the weather could match that! Take care!
Wait until Brexit , then you will be farming the sunny uplands !
Very interesting story. Well done to the family.
Laura's woodwork is beautiful
She should do more if she likes it
Great video Laura I think you have done really well on the farm and the other things that you have done. Well done on the bale challenge 👍🇬🇧
Thank you so much! :)
Most interesting clip I have ever seen on you tube
Wow thanks, glad you enjoyed it 😊
You have a wonderful family, pretty lady, wish you well, stay safe.
Yes interesting story, brave move, well done and all the best to you all.
Ur fathers amazing with a weilder and us all great us realy rolled up the sleeves
Very interesting Laura, fair play to ye!!
Really enjoyed your video,will enjoying looking at more
Great video Laura. New to the channel. A Dane 🇩🇰 living in Canada 🇨🇦. We got some Irish 🇮🇪 friends how has been here for 10 years.
Congratulations to you all on your successful move to France.
Can you remind us of your brothers machinery website?
Continued success to you all
Yes Luke's website is newusedtractorparts.ie also known as NUT Parts on Facebook and Instagram
@@FarmingLifeatLaForge Thank you, Laura.
Great video Laura 👍always a big decision to make that sort of move but it sounds like it was a good one 👍 take care and stay safe 👌 cheers 👍 🐜
Interesting story, good insight to why and how you did it.
just found your channel very interesting, job suggestion stay on the farm keep uploading we'll sub l'll have to binge watch all your vids tonight ☘
Thanks 👍 haha right I'll give it a try, thanks again, hope you enjoy them
Hi all in France. Great video,good to hear the in and out off ur move lovely weather there .wet ere in west off Ireland. MAYO.
Hello there! Yes, we are lucky to still be getting some sunshine :)
It’s great to see your doing well best of luck to you
Thank you :)
Really enjoyed this upload give me a bit of a insight to farming in France which has got me thinking 👍🇮🇪
Better climate and various advantages it's certain but at the end of the day not too indifferent to Ireland financially plus with climate change its becoming more challenging. Living in France but not farming here.
Great video, very interesting !!
I watch you from Bretagne where i have a dairy farm. I've got buyed heifers last september in Ireland !
I moved from the UK to France and find people here closed, inflexible and unhappy. I would have thought the contrast with the warm, open, jokey Irish was huge.
To meet a down to earth woman like you now a days. Is like looking for a good sheep or cattle dog. Hard to come bye. Love your channel. 👍🤝🤝
hahahaha, then look no further, we have plenty of good cattle dogs here :) Thanks
@@FarmingLifeatLaForge . It's just a saying we Irish say. But it's the truth. 😉🤝🤝
Loved the video
I'm in Australia and I love hearing about other places
nice video..like to see your farming activities..continue the spirit of farming..
greetings from farmers from indonesia
Rough as a bears arse” 🤣🤣 Great insight Laura 👏🏻
At least he's honest! :) makes my job hard editing sometimes haha
Hello great video again 😀 keep up the good work
Hey Craig :) Thanks! Will do!
You got out of Ireland at the real estate peak. And the prices for land in France seemed incredibly inexpensive (even for 2006). I imagine farmland in France might be approaching a premium in 2022. Sounds like its time to flip it again!
I've watched several videos over last week or so, and just subscribed. I'm from the states, southern California. I have a lot of agricultural experience earlier in life in upstate New York. I'm retired and do a lot reading and watching CZcams videos. I find your videos very informative, and enjoy watching how your family interacts. What part of France do you farm at? Keep up the good content you post, loved getting to hear your parents share their story.
First video I have seen of yours. Also irish in france. I identify with your dad when it comes to the language. From a farming background but I stay away from it. We are in rhone. Great video.
Welcome to the channel, I hope your enjoying France :)
Wow, from Eyrecourt in galway? Not far from there myself
Hello Laura. Great video. You all should feel very proud for what you achieved. Great to see people not from farming backgrounds getting into agriculture. How did you miss most about Ireland when you arrived first?
Thanks! yes it's very hard , especially these days to get a farm it wasn't already in the family. I'd say the things we missed most in the beginning were Family, Food and the language.
Excellent video.😊 really interesting story keep up the good work 😊
Thank you! Will do!
Your mom is a looker. So are you, but she is more my age. Don't tell yer da I said that. Don't worry, I'm very married, I won't be causing any trouble. My oul fella bought a used combine harvester in Eyrecourt in 1977. Only time I was in the place. Love the channel. Have been ignoring it for a while, expecting it to be in French. Nice surprise. I am more fluent in East Galwegian than in French. Will watch your catalogue of videos now.
Brave move by your parents and at just the right time. We also vacationed in France a lot in the naughties. I remember looking at the property prices there in the real estate windows. In 2006, you could buy a chateau with it's own vineyard for the price of a detached house in Dublin. Au revoir.
Love this. Your parents are lovely :) fairplay to ye. Not an easy thing to do. Could you do a video on how your parents managed the language and how the interaction with your neighbours is?
Love the Videos love. Only just found your Channel, but just watch all your videos! I've farmed many places but looks an amazing experience in France! Love your dad haha, Message me, be good to chat about farming in France,
Ben (From Wales UK)
As a french engineer living in China for 15 years, and planning to move back to the old country to also become a farmer, i say you are plain crazy!!! Only the administrative bullshit to go through must have been insane! Congrats!
Great video many thanks
Excellent,very imformative,Thank you for sharing
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed :)