1156versatile - 11/8/2018 20:12

I’m in the same boat! I’ve been through 5x more employees in the last 5-6yrs than I had in the first 10 I was in Buisness. Personally I think the current “crop” of available employees just plain stink! I have expanded my search far and wide. Locally, there are very few qualified candidates due to a very strong local economy and manufacturing sector. What we get for farm help are literally those that can not be employed elsewhere. I’m done dealing with those, period. I hired a younger farm kid out of Pennsylvania. When I ran my add on indeed I asked for 2yrs of Ag experience. I didn’t “require” set skills. I just asked for Ag experience By doing so I narrowed my search to those “interested” in Ag. I didn’t start out as high of wages as you are offering but I will pay above and Beyond that for the right person. I don’t know where some of the responders on here farm, but here, when it’s go time we work our asses off. I put right in the add that may, August, September, October, are our busy time and the other 8 months are very flexible based on employees needs. After having people on salary I will only pay hourly with ot over 48hrs per Mn state law. When the guys work long hours they get really nice checks. When we slow down the checks slow down. I try to run the operation around fairly set start times most of the year. What I have found is if you are too flexible than employees show up 2, 3, or 6 hours late at will. We start at 7:30 during the summer months and 8 during the winter. I put in the add that weekends are sometimes required. I personally don’t like to work sundays at all. occasionally we get backed into a corner and will work Sunday but start time is noon. Help is going to be the biggest drawback in Ag, period. I also have researched the h2a visa program and currently I am highly considering it for next season.
Over the last 10 years I have had a hand full of rockstar help. Every one of them is either currently or pursuing farming on their own. I’ve hand a hand full of decent workers, they show up and do what is asked, nothing more but meet the job duties. 80% have been terrible.... most are deadbeats that are either felons, behind in child support, drug or drinking issues, can’t get to work on time everyday, etc.... just the reality of farm help. Finding the local farm kid to help doesn’t exist anymore. I’m sure their are exceptions but rarely can you make someone into a farmer, they either truely enjoy it or soon learn to hate the work. The good ones are more than worth keeping and are worth giving your right nut for. The bad ones keep wandering through. I also agree that a “bad” one isnt worth having around. When you have had bad help you realize there is nothing worse. I’d rather not have help around than a bad employee. My best guys currently are retired guys. They come to work with their lunch buckets on time every day. They make it clear what they can and want to do and what they are not capable of doing. They work their 8-10hrs and they go home. They don’t expect more than what our agreement is. They are polite and courteous and enjoy having fill in work throughout the year. It’s amazing how a 68 year old guy can make it to work on time every day and not bitch and complain at all through a 6 week planting season and the 20-30 yr old guys can’t show up within the hour they are supposed to be at work and complain about every aspect of the work involved.