GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Making a living running a nursary or farm etc

06-03-2006, 05:05 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 6/3/06 15:47, in article
, "Gardening_Convert"
wrote:

All,

I am interested in getting out of the IT corporate rat race that
I'm currently up to my neck in and doing something completely life
changing

As my username suggested I have become a Gardening convert so much so
that I have a desire to make a living out of it and get out of the
office and away from the PC and corporate S**t that I have to deal with
on a daily basis.

The main problem is that I do earn a pretty good wage in IT and that
has to currently support my wife, 2 children and the Cat.

Is there really a living to be made in horticulture or am I stuck with
the IT corporate hell that I suffer at the moment.

There is a living to be made but it's not going to be the sort of money
you're making now, I would think and certainly not at the beginning.

I'd rather shovel S**t for the flowers , fruit and veg where it does
some good rather than shovel it at work !!

Would I need to re-train or could I jump straight into something ?

I would look to move away from Berkshire going further south , is there
any particular areas that would be advantageous for this sort of move ?

You can't do it without experience and training of some sort, IMO. And
without wishing to dampen your ardour, there are a LOT of small nurseries
closing down in the current economic climate and there are more than a few
very large garden centre chains in trouble - some of them in very BIG
trouble. And I very seriously doubt you'd make the sort of money you're
making now, so you have a hard choice to make - current lifestyle or some
big financial cutbacks of a personal nature.
I don't know if this is a practical choice for you but could you work part
time in IT and part time at a nursery learning about the trade? And I do
mean a nursery, not a garden centre.
The other thing to think about, IMO, is that turning a hobby into a job
isn't always a great idea. You might not enjoy it as much if you *have* to
do it to put the food on the table. And early morning starts outside,
watering on summer days, are lovely, the same on cold winter mornings is
another game altogether. While working in a nursery is certainly working
with plants, it's not at all the same as gardening and often doesn't leave
much time for it, either!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)