[duncanmalcolm]

Hello all,

Im not sure if you could call us small holders just yet. We bought a house with about 5 acres of grassland and a couple acres of garden. We bought it for the house and the extra land was a bonus. Now I'm looking at options to use the land and I guess more importantly to make sure we don't let it fall into land disrepair from not using it correctly. It's good grazing and we had a local farmer 'borrow' it for his sheep last year. This year we chose to not repeat that and now knee deep in grass were looking at future plans.
looking forward to reading and posting. best
duncan

[TheSmilingSheep]

Hello there.....
Just noticed you'd had no replies - which is unusual from 'this lot' and just unlucky.....  Hope you're not feeling rejected!!!!
You can do a lot with 5 acres I imagine.... and it's a bit of a surprise to see how quickly nature will take over if you just sit back and watch and don't try to manage it at all!

Sheep are great for land management.... if you're not too bothered about it all maybe a small flock of rare breed sheep would be really rewarding - helping sustain a species at risk and also a lovely way to enjoy your land and 'get back in touch with nature' etc.

Also, you could easily accommodate a couple of pigs - get them as weaners (8/9 weeks old), then keep them until about 24 weeks.  You will have the most amazing pork, and again if you choose a rare breed you'll be doing a good thing too (and two pigs is likely to be plenty for your family and enough to sell to friends and family - who are likely to be delighted!)...

We just started smallholding in 2012 - very happy indeed.  Do feel free to PM if you want to discuss further...

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from  Carnoustie. I don't know how we missed you 

With 5 acres you really need some grazing animals unless you want mahoosive amount of veggies and poultry. Depends how much time you want to spend on your land - a nice orchard, given that you're in teh Garden of England, but it's quite a lot of setting up and maintenance - and you'll have ruled out grazing animals unless you want to put expensive guards round each tree.

Pigs are great but don't give them the run of 5 acres.

Sheep are probably your est bet, if you like sheep.

[devonlady]

Well, I am sorry we missed you Probably most of us were dreamily contemplating how we would use 5 acres in the lovely county of Kent and got carried away!!)
Welcome to this lovely forum and get some sheep on that land otherwise you will be forever paying someone to top the grass for you. If you don't want to keep sheep yourself offer the grazing in return for a butchered lamb or two.
You will need sound electric fencing or stock fencing reinforced at the bottom for pigs or you'll be forever out looking for them!
Whatever you do, good luck and enjoy. from Devon

[Quirkygirl]

Hi and welcome 

[debbigord]

Hi Duncan,

Welcome!

We are in East Sussex, so not too far away. We have 20 acres and keep sheep, pigs, bees and chickens. You'd always be welcome to pop over and we could share our (steep!) learning curve.

Whatever you decide to do I'm sure there will be plenty of laughter and maybe a few tears, but you'll never look back. Enjoy!

[duncanmalcolm]

Awe. I was feeling a little rejected, but I lit up when i logged back on to see all your kind words. Thanks all. One of the local farmers offered to put his flock on our land as a favour, but we didn't take him up on it. Now of course the grass is knee high. Could i sell the uncropped grass to a local beast farmer if i could find one? And is there a specific time grass should be harvested for feed?
debbigord and brendon21 - i might well take you up on your offer of advice. Thank you.
duncan
 

[Herdygirl]

Hi from West Yorkshire 

[devonlady]

Now is the time for hay-making and you could ask around farmers, horse owners etc. or put a notice up in your local agricultural suppliers.Any thoughts of what you might do with the land? Pity you can't put it in a jiffy bag and send it, you'ld have no end of takers!!

[TheSmilingSheep]

so glad you returned to the site and 'picked up' the messages of good will....

In our first year our tractor was being restored, so we couldn't top the fields. We only have a few acres and we couldn't find anyone who would cut, turn and (small) bale for us... Eventually, when our small sheep were practically hidden in the swathe, we simply offered it free to our neighbouring (proper) farmer who cut it and silaged it all in one day..... This would have been very end of June... so I'm sure you'll find someone local who will happily 'take it off your hands'....

[Paulie]

Hello and welcome from kent!     

[Caroline1]

Welcome and wow so much potential with that amount of land

[Kimbo]

Hi from Lancashire. we are newbies too, with 9 acres. The grass!!!! Who knew it could grow so fast and so suddenly?!! We cant give ours away at the mo so the very best of luck with yours.

[Bigdreams]

Hello from West Sussex