Living by a farm

[JE678]

We have found our dream house but it is literally opposite the milking sheds of a dairy farm. There are all sorts of farm machinery in the field next to the house too belonging to the farmer. Just in case that wasn't enough they also have a huge silage tank within 20m of the house. Would I be mad to go ahead with it? I have lived in the country before and close to farms but never quite this close. The smell was present when we viewed but not horrendous but that may have been a good day. Talk me in/out of this, please?

[WellErrr]

What's the issue?

I live ON a farm. It's lovely.

You see and hear animals and tractors but it's certainly not a hassle.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

There will be smells, cattleshit if the beasts pass close to the house (fresh poo doesn't actually smell that bad, but may make roads slippery) and probably slurry when fields are cut for silage. That's pretty foul but only hangs around for a couple of days. (My dairy-farming neighbours cropped last week, in the heat, not pleasant but not impossible to live with either, even with open windows)

There will be the sounds and lights of heavy machinery, and this may continue long into the night at harvest time, depending on what they're growing and weather forecasts. But again, this isn't an every day, all day thing.

As long as you don't go into it expecting a rural idyll and total silence, if it's your dream home, I'd go for it.

[wowfudge]

We moved to a semi-rural location recently. I love being able to hear sheep and cows from the house!

[WhereTheFuckIsMyCunt]

Some times of the year they may milk really early, like 4am???

How noisy would they be getting the cows into the milking shed?

[JE678]

I think I'm more concerned about the noise from the machinery- tractors, milking machinery etc as they milking sheds are literally on the other side of the road from the bedroom. The tractors etc are kept next to the bedroom window. Am I being ridiculous? I don't expect silence at all but I worry if it will mean the kids get no sleep. Thanks all, this really helps.

[JE678]

Also, having a huge slurry tank close the house... Would that be a problem?

[Kosullivan]

Your kids will get used to it in no time. We lived next to a dairy farm and didn't hear much at all. I think it's a great opportunity. Why not go and visit the area at different times of day to find out if it's suitable. Good luck!

[JennyOnAPlate]

Well personally I wouldn't because of potential noise issues, potentially at antisocial times.

Could you have a chat with the farmer? Or the current owners of the house?

[KateLivesInEngland]

Buy or don't buy, nobody can choose for you.
Only one thing though - if you choose to buy it, don't start being a NIMBY twonk. It was there before you and you chose to live there. You have no right to start getting ancy with the farmer about machinery being visible, noise or smells!!
Can you tell where I live? townies are a pain in the arse.

[hugoagogo]

I think if you are worried, you probably shouldn't do it. I grew up with a dairy farm next door and don't remember any noise or smell, but I suppose I was used to it. At my grandparents the pigs were way noisier, but I loved them too.

Anyway like I say it sounds like it's likely to annoy you

[Iknownuffink]

"Have a chat withe farmer." To say what exactly?

OP the kids will get used to the noise very quickly.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

They milk in the early hours here all year ! If you are a country person I dare say you'll be fine with it - if you are a city family the novelty may wear off pretty quickly !

[JE678]

Oh I touched a nerve! I do feel reassured even if I shouldn't move to the country. Too late unfortunately, that bit is definitely happening. It's just which house now!

[ApostrophesMatter]

It will stink, there will be mud on the road and it will be very noisy.

[JE678]

Thanks all, we're flying up for a second look tomorrow.

[horseygeorgie1]

You will soon get used to it. I love the sound of the machinery going late into the night at harvest time.

[P1nkP0ppy]

Memories of people moving to our village and complaining about cows mooing, mud on the roads, tractors being driven along the road before 11am on a Sunday.....how dare farmers who've been there for generations spoil their rural dreams 😳
I agree townies are a PITA, big time

[JE678]

A slightly unfair assumption but que serra. It's not unreasonable to ask other people's experiences before sinking all our savings into a house. If someone asked these questions about living next to a road or railway line there wouldn't be quite this condescension. Equally I get that it has touched a nerve where people have had bad experiences. FWIW we really won't be 'those' people.

[LyndaNotLinda]

I loved living next to a farm when I was a kid. I'd 'help' bring the cows in for milking and sometimes got to drive the tractor. It was ace

[soupmaker]

I grew up on a farm. So I found city living noise odd for the first wee while! You'll get used to it. And good for you not being the type who'll complain about things that were there before you moved in. I've encountered some awful folk who objected to tractors on single track road near my dad's farm. Tossers.

[soupmaker]

Be prepared for your washing to stink when fields are sprayed with slurry though!

[WhereTheFuckIsMyCunt]

I think you should make sure you're there at milking time and see how loud it is.

[KateLivesInEngland]

My apologies if I have upset anyone!

But people should know the unsociable hours that go hand in hand with farming if they're planning on moving near. My DH typical day is 4:50am - 8:00pm.

If they're siloing it's often an all nighter.

It's not unusual for him to pop in at 8pm and stuff some food down before heading out again until well after the kids are in bed (meaning he doesn't see them for a few days) When we were working on some buildings he worked 4:30am until midnight and then I didn't even see him.
My FIL is 65 and he is often still catching up with his paperwork at gone midnight on a normal day.
You try to convey this to a townie non farming sort but they just see the Land Rover and big farmhouse and think you're minted. And then they whinge at you for smell/noise/mud whilst asking favours for storage or pulling cars out of ditches/marshy fields.

[Happytot]

I would suggest to try and be there for milking time. There will probably be little noise. I would also like to know if cows pass your house regularly. As the roads could get very dirty in wetter times of the year and your car will get filthy picking up the muck.

I live on a dairy farm. Our house is close enough to milking parlour but we are so used to it now. It's only a low humming noise for a few hours in the morning and evening.

As for the smell of slurry.....if you live in the country side there are going to be smells sometimes.

[hormental]

I say go for it and follow your dreams!