A police officer earning £67,000-a-year has left the force to save his family farm.
Chad Stevens and his wife, Lucy, were “fed up” of the constant rat race.
The pair, aged 36 and 35, longed to break free, especially as they were missing out on quality time with their kids, Herbie, six, Arnie, four and Posie, three months.
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So when Lucy’s grandfather passed away, leaving his farm to her family, they jumped at the opportunity.
Chad “ditched” his full-time job as a temporary chief inspector and Lucy sold her salon.
Now, they’re soaking up every moment with their children – but their income has dropped from a collective £92,000 per year to earning less than minimum wage.
“It was becoming harder and harder each day,” Chad, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, told Absolutely Business.
“As I got promoted, my job needed me more.
“I was present less and less at home and missing out on those magical moments with my children.
“And I was always saying to people I couldn’t make plans as I was too busy.
“I would literally travel nearly four hours round-trip each day focusing on delivering the best policing service.
“And then after I got home, my kids would already be in bed.
“The money I was earning just wasn’t worth it.
“It wasn’t the life I wanted to live anymore.”
Initially, the pair never saw themselves ever leaving their respective careers as it didn’t seem possible – and so decided to work on the fifth generation farm alongside their day jobs.
When Chad floated the idea of farming full-time a few years later, though, and after giving birth to their two eldest kids, they knew it was time for a change.
Lucy began taking on all the farming duties, but then fell pregnant with their youngest.
Chad, seeing how tough being a farmer on her own was, decided to take a career break in October 2024 – and hasn’t gone back since.
He said: “It was too much pressure on Lucy.
“We couldn’t afford to employ additional people, so it was very much a make or break situation.
“Something had to give; and that was my career.
“It’s extremely different from the lives we had before.
“We have changed our ‘material’ ways to live life far more frugally and appreciate the smaller things.
“We’ve exchanged the certainty of a paycheque every month to hoping and praying the weather is on our side.
“Farming is on a knife edge at the moment – and our financial stability is a real concern.
“With constant changes and moving landscapes in the farming industry without any notice, it’s making it very difficult to plan for the future.
“But I’m much more present for our family and can enjoy the time we spend together.
“And that’s the most important thing.”
At times, they do regret leaving their old jobs; but the happiness and freedom it’s given them to enjoy each day rather than be stuck in a constant “rat race” cycle is what’s keeping them going.
Lucy added: “When I see the pressure it has put on us financially and the lifestyle choices we’ve had to make to make it work, it’s hard not to question our decision.
“But I don’t regret giving us a chance at being the mum and wife, or dad and husband, that’s always around and working to build a future for our kids.
“Farming fits our family right now.
“I am worried about the coming months, let alone years.
“But you never know what’s around the corner.
“I’d much more regret not taking the leap, rather than trying our best and if it doesn’t work out, then that’s the way it goes.
“You’ve got to grab every chance with both hands; no matter the outcome.”
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