[nikks14]

Hi everyone, first of all sorry if this is in the wrong place  Thank you to everyone that provided advice when we were looking for a property.  We have now found it  Fingers crossed in November we will be moving into our new house with 10 acres and room for our current business in Lincolnshire.  Question is where on earth do I start? So please advise, I think baby steps bit by bit.  Eventually we will be looking at sheep, pigs, poulty , and maybe even some lowland beef.  Very small scale just enough for us and of course growing our own all organic.  Please any advice on planning and book recomendations whilst I am awaiting the move would be great. thank you very much. First job I think will be clearing and preparing veg and fruit ground and fencing, I like Charles no dig approach 

[fiestyredhead331]

congratulations 

now comes the hard work but sounds like you have done a lot of preparation for this event, just take your own advice, start with a few of this and that and see what works and what doesn't, we are all still learning even after all these years 

[nikks14]

Thank you I think that will be the key having a bit of self confidence and just going step by step rather than trying to do too much too soon!

[Bionic]

Glad you got the place you wanted. Don't jump into things. Its very easy to buy animals so take your time in deciding what you want and when you want them.
Chickens are probably the easiest to start with and you get lots of enjoyment from them as well as eggs.

[Dans]

Hi,

We got our first place a month ago, also in Lincs (between Spalding and Peterborough). Like you wondering where to start. Trying not to rush into livestock and wondering if it is worth getting sheep or chickens this late in the year. Also think setting up a veg bed is our best first move.

Hope your move goes smoothly.

Dans

[devonlady]

Welcome from Devon.

[Lesley Silvester]

  from Shropshire.  times for you and I wish you well with your venture/adventure.

[nikks14]

Thank you everyone, and Dan I think you are right we aim to start with vegetables and fencing and plan for animals for next year.

[Caroline1]

We are coming to the end of our first year. We brought chickens/ducks & bees with us so limited ourselves to add 2 new animals and start the veg patch. It has been quite successful and meant we didn't overwhelm ourselves. We added pigs then goats, both have been a joy and haven't looked back but there is so much to learn.

Next year I am hoping to have Geese and sheep, both for meat (although have a lot more reading and preparation to do) before committing.

Good luck!

[DavidandCollette]

Make contact with www.lsssc.org.uk you will probably find some useful contacts (and some nice people)

[cloddopper]

Hi everyone, first of all sorry if this is in the wrong place  Thank you to everyone that provided advice when we were looking for a property.  We have now found it  Fingers crossed in November we will be moving into our new house with 10 acres and room for our current business in Lincolnshire.  Question is where on earth do I start? So please advise, I think baby steps bit by bit.  Eventually we will be looking at sheep, pigs, poulty , and maybe even some lowland beef.  Very small scale just enough for us and of course growing our own all organic.  Please any advice on planning and book recomendations whilst I am awaiting the move would be great. thank you very much. First job I think will be clearing and preparing veg and fruit ground and fencing, I like Charles no dig approach 

Hi Welcome to the site  , what part of Lincolnshire are you hoping to be in ?

 I suggest long before you go deep into the stock to read and read many times :-
 Farm building construction by Blackwell Scientific . ( or a very similar sort of name )  as a book worth its weight in gold .

 Do make written plans for everything .. The human neck top computer is very fallible despite what we like to think .

 The book gives you food for thought about setting out your buildings  ,planning & implementing the infra structure and also how to actually construct them.

 I found that about the best way of starting our mammal was to write down what we wanted at the end of the day .  Then design and plan in staged developments  to accommodate it .

That way we didn't have to do the same work three or four times and have to change things & systems when we got bigger. Having a plan also meant that there was always something to do that could be fitted around our daily life . instead of always having to fight fires and try and build the enterprise in between .   

[pharnorth]

It's a great adventure and so far has taken me best part of 15 years to get to the stock range you are looking for (albeit no cattle).  Agree with all the comments on planning especially for buildings and fence/ gate layouts.  A moveable poultry shed and some electric netting is a neat way of getting started while you work everything else out.  Good stock fencing all around the perimeter then think hard before you start sub division as it is easy to get over complicated. If you are going to fence your veg patch could consider a moveable ark and a couple of weaner pigs to do the clearing and digging for you.  It would all be ready for spring planting along with some nice pork chops.

[devonlady]

I agree with the points made above! Forward thinking and proper planning have never been my strong points and when we bought our land ten or so years ago it was one huge field. I rushed into dividing it up and soon found myself regretting the placing of gateways so as to make a lot of walking (lovely in fine weather but not so good in winter in rain, mud and howling gales!!)
Put everything down on paper and imagine said rain, mud etc.
Remember the saying "Only a fool learns by his own mistakes, a wise man learns by the mistakes of others"

[nikks14]

Thank you, I have been busy planning and reading, we are fortunate in that we have seven buildings in situ, the rest is two big areas.  I was planning on clearing all myself, and thinking of animals next year, but the idea of some weaners to help has made me think again.  Thank you to everyone it is great to know other poelples experiences and advis , we will hopefully be in North Lincolnshire in a months time.  Lots to do here with our business (20,000 car parts) and house to pack up and move, exciting and overwhelming in equal measures!

[kelly58]

Hi from Caithness