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MANAGEMENT
FARM
LABOR TIPS
Alan Strock
Farm Management
Agent
With spring planting season
upon us, labor is a high priority,
especially if you need additional
help.
Farm work is often described as
dirty, dangerous, and monotonous,
bringing with it long days for low
pay. It doesn’t have to be so if man
aged properly.
No Perfect Job
No job is perfect, but better
management can improve any job.
National surveys reveals Supreme
Court justices have the highest
respect of the general public. But
even their job has many disadvan
tages, such as long hours, a
demanding dress code (including
wearing a robe), stress, and,
besides, they are cooped up inside
all day.
Right Person For
The Right Job
When a farmer is looking for
that right new employee to add to
his or her business, the farmer
must emphasize the advantages of
the job that they will be providing.
The farmer must also look for the
person that has the skills that com
plement and enhance his or her
own as well as meeting the needs
of the farm operation.
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Farm Work
Advantages
Farm labor does indeed have
many advantages:
• Employees often feel close to
God, nature, and other living
things.
• Employees get to spend time
outside in spring, summer, and fall
in an aesthetically pleasing
atmosphere.
• Farm employees often have a
feeling of worthiness from know
ing one’s labor is providing afford
able, wholesome food for the
world.
• Farm work provides a wide
diversity of physical and mental
activities, so one doesn’tget bored.
Usually an employee has the satis
faction of looking at the end of the
day and seeing that many jobs got
done.
• The periodic rigorous physical
labor tends to keep employees
physically fit so they don’t have to
join the expensive local health
club.
• Many jobs on the farm are
done independently, so employees
develop a sense of independence,
thus expressing their personal
creativity.
• Many opportunities are pro
vided on the farm for the self
starter.
• Farm work will provide a flex
ible schedule and a variety of
assignments.
• Employees’ problem-solving
skills will surely be enhanced by
the frequent challenges that the
weather, markets, and even their
v . J*
RIDING ARENA
DAIRY TIE-STALL BARN
boss will create.
• The informality of dress
allows employees to feel" more
comfortable and clothing doesn’t
lake a big bite out of the family
budget.
• Employees don’t normally
have to fight a traffic jam to gel to
work.
• Farming usually provides the
opportunity for family members to
work and play together.
• Farm employees often receive
excellent fringe benefits such as a
house and utilities rent-free, fresh
milk and meat, and even hunting
and fishing privileges from their
employer.
• Farming can frequently pro
vide a competitive salary for the
skilled employee.
• Most times family members
will get the chance to advance and
gel ownership of the business.
Farm Work
Disadvantages
Just like any other job, farm
work can have some
disadvantages:
• Employees must at times work
outside in unpleasant weather.
• Employees sometimes work
long hours for below-markct
wages.
• Frequently, employees will
have minimal chance of
advancement.
• Farming can be danger-filled
from poorly maintained equip
ment, dirt, dust, gases, and odors.
Without proper protection, health
can suffer.
• Certain limes of the year
employees won’t be allowed to
take vacation or other time off.
• Employees frequently have
substandard benefits, including
health insurance, paid vacation or
sick time, life insurance, and/or
disability coverage.
• Farm work is often hard, vig
orous, demanding work.
• Employees usually don’t have
a well-defined job description and
wonder what the boss really wants.
• Many tasks must be done daily
and gel monotonous. Frequently
one may feel the job will never get
done,
• Farm work is frequently con
sidered not prestigious.
• Employers often practice
nepotism and will advance family
members over deserving
employees.
• The usually small work force
will provide limited social interac
tion during the long work day.
A few of the listed disadvan
tages the fanner/cmploycr can do
little to improve, but the vast
majority can be changed by the
management skills of the farmer
Farmers can provide:
• Adequate clothing lor
employees to wear in miserable
whether so the employees arc at
least as comfortable as possible
• Dust masks, goggles, cover
alls, boots, and keep (arm machin
ery properly maintained to keep
the farm as safe as possible.
• A shower and clothes chang
ing room so that employees don’t
have to wear dirty smelly clothes
home and smell up their vehicle.
• A job for multiple part-time
employees so that no employee is
TIMONIUM, Md.—Maryland
Holstein breeders this week listed
the Premier Breeder and Premier
Exhibitor winners for the last 20
years at their State Holstein Show.
As was reported last week, the
Joseph Schwartzbeck family won
both awards at the recent 1993
show. It was the first time this fam
ily won both awards at the show.
However, it was not, as reported
(sorry about that), the first time
one family or farm won both
awards in the same year. As you
can sec from the following list, one
family or farm has taken both
awards many times.
The winners over the years are
as follows:
HEIFER AND CALF RAISING FACILITY
• Workshop And Machinery
Storage Buildings
r Lancaster farming, Saturday, April 24, 1993-A33
Make It Better
20 Years Of Premier Winners
HORSE STALL BARN
• Timber Column Buildings
For Light Commercial
MEMBER
overworked and feels taken advan
tage of.
• A variety of jobs for each
employee if he or she desires
variety.
Change The Image
Farmers can change the nongla
morous image of farm jobs by pro
viding uniforms with the employ
ee’s name and farm name on and
by creating job descriptions and
job titles that give prestige to the
job. Farmers can send employees
to meetings and show that they
care about the personal growth of
their employees.
Farmers can also provide tickets
to a professional or local sports
event or other entertainment
events that would be the envy of
any employee, such as a Penn Slate
football game.
Employing the right person for
the right job will make your job as
the manager much easier. When
hiring an employee, list the per
sonality trails and job skills that the
position demands and match that
list to the best job candidate.
Find that person that sees the
many advantages of the job you are
providing and doesn’t mind the
job’s minor disadvantages.
1993-Joseph Schwarizbeck
Family, both; 1992-1991-1990,
My Ladys Manor Farm, both;
1989, Coldsprings Farm, Premier
Breeder, Hills-Hope Farm, Pre
mier Exhibitor; 1988-1987-1986,
Coldsprings Farm, both; 1985,
Coldsprings Farm/Kingslcad
Farms, tic for Premier Breeder,
Coldsprings Farm, Premier
Exhibitor.
1984, Kingstead Farms, Pre
mier Breeder, both; 1983 Gay
winds Farm, Premier Breeder, Eli
zabeth Gillet, Premier Exhibitor:
1982-1981-1980-1979-1978-1977
-1976-1975, Kingstead Farms,
both; 1974, Rinehart Farms, both;
and 1973, Kingstead Farms, both.
LET OUR
EXPERIENCE OF
OVER 25 YEARS
WORK FOR
YOU -
CALL NOW!