It’s that time of the year again when you start worrying about what to buy for your family and friends. It is always a difficult ask. Farmers Christmas Presents can be particularly difficult to buy. A new radio for the kitchen probably won’t get much use. My fiancé has given up guessing and just asks what I will use. There’s nothing worse than buying someone a present that they never use. For that reason I’ve created this handy list to help you find a perfect last minute gift that you can be sure they will use.
What to look for when buying Christmas Presents for the Farmers
When buying for a farmer you first need to look at what type of farmer you are dealing with. While there are some items that will be universally acceptable for all farmers there are others that will only be acceptable to say a Dairy farmer or Sheep farmer. Basically “know your audience” is always solid advice.
The next thing to look for is how much you are willing to spend. All farmers would love a new tractor but that’s not really a reasonable expectation. The amount you are willing to spend is probably going to correlate directly to how close you are to the farmer in your life.
For that reason I’ve created this list in order, with smaller gifts to start and finishing with more extravagant options. If you’re a cousin or in-law that exchanges something small, then number 1 or 2 on the list is probably fine. If you are a farmers wife who is expecting a finely crafted gold necklace from your Husband you might want to scroll to the last few items on the list if you want to reciprocate in kind.
When to buy Christmas Presents for the Farmers in your life
As soon as possible, if you want to have a chance of having the items in time for Christmas!
The List of Christmas Presents for the Farmers in your life
Folding Knife-The Folding Knife comes in both a straight or curved variety and either is a perfect gift for the farmer in your life. Every farmer will have use for a knife at any given time of the day. From opening silage bales, cutting twine or rope, or even sharpening the odd pencil. Speaking from personal experience this is an excellent tool for all occasions.
Key Ring Fence Tester – Very handy for any farmer or alternatively for any hill walker who might have to navigate the odd electric fence. This handy fence tester can be attached to your belt or keys and will alert you if an electric fence is on, thus helping you avoid the painful shock.
Seat Covers- Seat covers come in both a tractor or jeep variety and again are a perfect addition for any farmer. This is something that farmers would like to have, but often neglect to buy for themselves, instead saving the money for something more pressing. A seat cover might not look like much but for a farmer it can often be just what they need.
Boiler Suit- Again something those farmers will get plenty of use out of, but often put off buying for themselves. But the day they have to leave a wedding or christening to fodder cows or pull a calf, you will be praised from on high for thinking of this wonderful invention. Trust me when I say you can never go wrong with a good boiler suit.
Universal Hitch Lock- All farmers will have a trailer or similar towed equipment that needs protecting from the thieves that are targeting our farms. Again many farmers continue to overlook simple protective measures that could help curtail these opportunistic robbers. Why not give them the gift they forgot they need?
Flexothane Trousers and/or Jacket- Similarly to the boiler suit this is a present that will always come in useful. With the amount of rain we get in this country your farmer is always going to need some wet gear. When the skies open and a torrent unleashed they will be thanking their lucky stars for having you in their life.
Rechargeable head torch – A torch at this time of year is always going to come in useful. A head torch that lights up the way while allowing the wearer freedom to use both hands; the perfect gift for anyone working with their hands especially a farmer. And the added plus- It's on sale for Christmas! Shhhhh...
Calving/ Lambing essentials kit – For a dairy, suckler, or sheep farmer the busiest time of year is usually the calving or lambing period. With the specially selected items in the essentials kits you will be helping to remove some of the stress involved by having everything they need ready at hand. When the first cow or ewe starts to drop they will pick up their kit and remember how much you care.
Forcefield Fault finder – an easy to use device that will help you find faults on your electric fence. This simple device does not require clips or cables meaning no untangling of wires and reduced risk of accidentally shocking the operator. The Fault Finder has a clear to read digital display which shows a variety of information about a fence. Hold the device on the fence line and it will give the voltage reading, the severity of the fault (1 to 9) and the direction of the fault. It is a very simple to use tool that is essential for the maintenance of electric fences. Perfect time saver for any type of farmer that uses electric fences!
Fox Light – If your farmer is a sheep farmer or keeps a few chickens then a very useful item is the fox light. Designed to mimic a person walking with a flashlight at night the Foxlight will scare off any hungry fox looking for a dinner of fresh lamb or chicken, allowing your farmer a few more much needed hours in bed. A win-win for everyone.
MooCall- If you are married to a farmer with cows who goes missing during the calving period, then the Moocall could be the answer. The MooCall offers peace of mind during the calving period. Alerting the farmer when a cow is about to calf, it removes the necessity of having to continuously check on the animal. This allows the farmer valuable free time to spend with you. It’s not a selfish gift I promise!
Gift Voucher- If you are just frustrated looking through farming stuff and have realised you have no idea what your farmer would like then the gift voucher for Agridirect is the perfect option. This is a thoughtful gift that will show them that you understand how changeable farming can be and that you are thinking of making their life easier. After all if we have another difficult year like this one then having a voucher to buy a product they need, in a period when cash flow is tight, will be a huge relief. You could well have them crying their gratitude on your shoulder as they curse the rain/hail or sun!
So there you have it; my list of Christmas Presents for the Farmers in your life that they are sure to love. However these are not the only options and Agridirect.ie has a huge array of products that any farmer would be pleased to receive this Christmas. We now have a second list here, that might have something more appropriate for your farmer.
If you are still struggling to find or choose something you can always contact us directly on 049 9527944 and our team will be happy to offer advice.
So here’s to keeping our farmers happy this Christmas.
Merry Christmas from the Agridirect team.
