The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Girlfrompembs on August 29, 2023, 10:32:33 am
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Hi everyone,
👋👋
I’m very new here and very new to samllholding. In fact, I don’t even have any land yet!
I’m posting here in the hope someone can advise me slightly, I’m looking at a pasture field but it’s on top of some cliffs, the next “fields” down from it are coastal slope. So, the edge of the world.
Is this viable? Will the wind simply blow down all my crops? I have visited the site but only on a nice day so far, just to check soil depth etc.
Apologies if this is the wrong place to post, if it is could someone show me to the “rose tinted noob” threads please 😂
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I am not an expert but the idea of starting out trying to grow in a place with high winds carrying salt water, on land that may be at risk of falling into the sea at the best of times, never mind with potential sea-level rise... It's just not worth it. Aside from the added difficulty in growing in that environment, even though the land may not be directly affected in our lifetimes, it's not unlikely it'll lose value through that added risk. When I was looking for a site I used this tool (http://"https://coastal.climatecentral.org/") to rule out any that could be a future flood risk (it only works by elevation and won't show erosion risks).
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Thank you so much. There are probably more suitable sites if I’m patient.
I knew I’d view it and fall in love! Needed the sensible view. I think you’re right, with the wind and salt I may be fighting a losing battle. I guess if it worked more people would be doing it!
It’s a fair distance set back in terms of erosion risk and very high up in terms of flood risk but I think just the wind and salt alone could be the problem.
Thanks again for your reply.
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Doesn't sound like arable land. Look around at the surrounding land. Grazed close (or mowed and hay taken) and/or has sheep on? Or stubble fields where crops have been taken off? If the latter, you may be in with a chance. If nothing but scrub and livestock, it'll not be the best growing land.
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Hi,
Thanks for your reply. Yep, it’s had hay cut off it. It’s a lot nicer and greener than the surrounding fields, but I think it’s just been well managed grazing land! Surrounding fields are pretty much scrub. I’m turning my sights inland now, thanks for your response.