Admission time

I have a guilty secret. I'm not a hands on, get out in the mud and dust type girl (except if horses are concerned, and then its OK.) Potato harvesters I avoid like the plague, cauli cutting time, see ya, Broccoli, well it was such a disaster this year it wasn't worth getting contract labour in, so I put myself out and joined the team. Don't get me wrong, I dont bludge off the farm, I just enjoy a different type of money making venture. My passion has become the Stock Market, and I have just enjoyed some considerable success, much to the farmer surprise and delight. One of my companies just became a takeover target and needless to say the price skyrocketed, as two companies have commenced a bidding war. I held onto them for as long as I could, but have cashed in this week.

The farmer has been on a "three day course" this week, learning how to become a leader in the Vegetable Industry. He seemed to enjoy it, although the thought of wearing a suit to a dinner was all to much to take. It's hard enough to get him into a suit for weddings and funerals.

So with this new found knowledge under his belt, and my future goals laid bare, we started talking strategy. My vision for my future is not to return to the workforce full time. I want continue to be classified as a stay at home mum, so I can drop off and pick the girls up from school. The administration for the farm takes a reasonable amount of time, and it is so much easier to concentrate if the house is quiet. I get enjoyment from my one day a fortnight QA based job at the exquisite local chocolate factory, and I have a history of creating funny snippets for the work newsletter, so I wish to continue my "Corky" tradition(from Murphy Brown TV show).
Anyway, I digress, back to the strategy. I spend a good part of my day researching the market. Broadband was down on Monday morning and I was beside myself, pacing the floor, on the phone to my IP to get it fixed, and frustrated beyond belief when they couldn't get it up and going. By lunchtime, almost hysterical on the verge of tears, I was back in business, but concerned - I think I'm addicted! The farmer and I formulated the following strategy to enable me to build on my stock market side of the business. Put 15% amount away for Tax office being Capital Gain, invest 15% on building my future portfolio and sink the rest into the B&B(not really a B&B, just our accountants nick name for the new house as he thinks its big enough to take in guests).

With the market so depressed at the moment due to the "current global credit crunch" surely I can build my existing portfolio into an income generating venture equivelant to a part time job.

Thankfully the ASX stockmarket game has commenced and I am able to satisfy my urges with a "pretend" or "virtual" $50K. I'm not doing too badly. Pursuing my buy and hold strategy is a bit difficult in a game that only lasts for a couple of months.

Time will tell. One of my long held goals has been to generate sufficient off farm income so that the farmer can spend some more time with us, rather than working 7 days a week.

The Farmer has caught me out tonight. I had failed to mention to him my newfound blogging interest, he read a couple of paragraphs, and then went off to watch the footy. He was on the radio this morning as he is Chairman of a commodity committee and they are dealing with our factory announcing cut backs to Cauli plantings. The company blames a failed new upmarket product incorporating mixed chunky vegetables. Why are they surprised the product has failed if they have launched it in the warmest part of the year when we are all eating salads rather than casseroles, roasts and hot winter foods. Not to mention the containers being shipped in from China filling up all their cool storage!

On another subject, my mum and I have a horse racing this Sunday. Hopefully he will show something so we persevere with him, otherwise he will be looking for a nice eventing home.

Getting late, must sign off.