Small holding - where to start???

[Moocher71 4,050]

On 19/08/2019 at 21:33, terryd said:

That is great good for you. I remember as a kid we had goats tethered and just moved them along like mowers and they done a great job. Obviously being tethered they need keeping an eye on. But they pretty much stripped every thing  

We always had goats for milk ,would tether them out along side the hedges and they was always happy and full ,goats love to climb and ours spent more time in trees than on the floor lol ,my parents took us kids melton mulberry market and we came back with goat each as the muslims were cutting the throats for meat and we cryd until all five baby billy goats were safe in our van lol 

my dad not happy about it,over a few months they found new homes for them lol .

[Pirate 9000 676]

I would ask local farmers if anyone has jungle buster, would give you a easier start regarding fencing.i would fence it in small paddocks to start with otherwise you will find it over whelming.good luck look forward to hearing how you get on.

[PeskyWabbits 464]

Any updates on this?

[Tyla 3,179]

It's a work in progress but been stalked by the weather at the moment. Had a tractor flail in to clear the perimeter and open up some areas. Still got more scrub bashing to do and masses of ash saplings to fell to open up the orchard. Had to call a halt to major works for a bit as the wet weather and machines have made a bit of a mess. Just doing bits with the chainsaw now until things dry up a bit. I'm hoping to have it fenced and ready for animals by the spring

[Tyla 3,179]

Been cutting and burning over the last couple of weekends, the ground is too wet for any vehicle access so it has been a case of walking in with a chainsaw and a lighter. It's been very therapeutic actually and starting to see the plum orchard reappearing

[leegreen 2,180]

Dig a lake  or two.

[Tyla 3,179]

7 hours ago, leegreen said:

Dig a lake  or two.

A couple of ponds are definitely on the cards, probably hire a digger in for a week next year sometime. I will pop over and pick your brain before I do though!

[Tyla 3,179]

10 hours ago, Balaur said:

Looks a lot of work mate, can't beat a good fire though, get it sprayed early spring so it doesn't explode when the sunlight hits it. Good luck with it, atb Joe

Pigs in the spring to clear the ground under the trees. I'd like to avoid too much spray 

[mark williams 7,558]

An income from it ?

          As a guess I`d say,

1, Fishing ponds,

2, Free range eggs.

3, Caravan storage,

4, Air gun range/ HFT range.

5, Allotments.

6, Camping/ caravan site.

7, Storage.

8. Pick your own fruit and pay areas for the public, etc, etc.

                    And much, much more, anything leisure orientated will bring you an income as 27 acres is a nice big chunk of land.

 

                   Good on you and good luck.   atb. Mark. 

[Rabid 1,936]

Dropped you a text mate.

you need a little bit of everything

i would be looking at the following

Bees

chickens,

Ducks,

geese,

turkeys

sheep

goats

a few cattle, you have enough room just don’t go mad, maybe get smaller beasts like dexter or those mini belted galoways.

pigs -they are an absolute must and would be top of my list, especially looking at how much clearing you have to do.

ponds

poly tunnel

veg patch

orchard

if your minded to do so then fruit bushes/trees brought on for sale is very rewarding both financially and mentally.

an area for a few Xmas trees

 

everything you do wants to be with wildlife in the back of your mind, they work hand in hand and if you can earn a few quid and boost the wildlife then it’s a win win.

 

 

[socks 32,253]

This book is supposed to be brilliant 

 

 

 

[Tyla 3,179]

On 14/12/2019 at 16:41, socks said:

This book is supposed to be brilliant 

 

 

 

I know the author and her husband quite well as I work on their estate. It is a good book and I think it's the way quite a bit of land will be going in the future.

Have a read of Feral by George Monbiot if you get a chance, that's a real eye opener

[forest of dean redneck 11,647]

That book is that the ones in the dailymail/countryfile rewild a farm in Kent/sussex way ? 

It looked stunning on tv pigs were loose etc .

[tandors 888]

6 hours ago, forest of dean redneck said:

That book is that the ones in the dailymail/countryfile rewild a farm in Kent/sussex way ? 

It looked stunning on tv pigs were loose etc .

Think its knepp estate you're thinking of, they've got some stuff on youtube that might be of interest and would probably be the route I'd go down if I was in possession of a sizeable piece of land.

[forest of dean redneck 11,647]

2 hours ago, tandors said:

Think its knepp estate you're thinking of, they've got some stuff on youtube that might be of interest and would probably be the route I'd go down if I was in possession of a sizeable piece of land.

Cheers will have a nose