[SteveHants]

IMO, you can keep 1.5 sheep/ac in winter and 3ish (maybe squeeze a few more on) with lambs at foot in summer. Any more than that and you are going to be having to buy in feed (I'm pretty sure hay alone won't do sheep over the winter - even I give buckets when I give hay) and feed is expenisve now.

[scarlettoara]

we are in a similar situation. i have 60 acres of woodland and rough grazing and are planning on moving soon. one place im considering is the same size but proper grass and barley. knowing how to seed, cut and plough is the scary bit, plus the cost of the machinery needed. or do you buy and presume other farmers will help you?

[FiB]

we are in a similar situation. i have 60 acres of woodland and rough grazing and are planning on moving soon. one place im considering is the same size but proper grass and barley. knowing how to seed, cut and plough is the scary bit, plus the cost of the machinery needed. or do you buy and presume other farmers will help you?

wow - a lot of acres!  I have found that there are a lot of farmers that also contract - so there shouldnt be any trouble getting most tasks done  - but you might be last in the queue... so I can imagine one ruined hay crop and you would be buying some of your own stuff (but by then you'd know more about what you want/dont want, so win win).  We havnt had a prob yet  in 3 years (just hay, fertilising, liming and reseeding pasture) which is just as well as there is NO chance of us justifying a tractor and all the bits with our acreage!

[scarlettoara]

we have had hay cut here but by the time the contractor turned up the grass was lying flat and the hay was terrible. also the labour cost was 50% of the cost of the best hay. but hay has gone up in price here from £10 to £35 a bale over last 10yrs. 

[Mickey]

Thanks again everyone, this really is a difficult thing to get started with so many unknowns.

[TheCaptain]

with your wish list I would say get as many (decent) acres as possible; anything you don't initially use can always be rented out to local sheepy people. We have near enough 10 acres, and in the last three years we've grown and grown to the point now that we're in need of extra grazing - it's just getting the local lads to accept the 'new kid' and give him a bit of a chance!!!