The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Bigdreams on July 06, 2014, 04:55:15 pm

Title: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 06, 2014, 04:55:15 pm
 :sunshine: Hi everyone!! My partner and I recently moved to West Sussex to open up a dog grooming salon in Horsted Keynes. This is one small step in huge plans!! We want to be self sufficient, want to work on some land! We both have great determination and my partner is an amazing carpenter/cabinet maker/ all round handy man.

Our next quest on our journey together is to find some land and or woodland near us but it is all too large a size what comes up for sale. We want 0.5 to 1 acre for growing fruit, veg and some livestock.
We've gone down the usually path ways of estate agents, land agents, gumtree etc we are now thinking of approaching local land owners to see if we could buy or rent a small piece from them.

Would like to hear how others managed to get their little piece of heaven  :D

All the best!!

Fruity  :excited:
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 10, 2014, 02:50:30 pm
Heeeellllllooooo!!?? 86 views and no ones said hello yet? :gloomy:  :gloomy:
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Greenerlife on July 10, 2014, 03:18:27 pm
Heeeellllllooooo!!?? 86 views and no ones said hello yet? :gloomy:   :gloomy:


Don't cry!  :hug:  A lot of people here don't reply during the day!  Busy, busy.  Just off to look up where Horsted is...


I would think you are much more likely to get a small amount of land like that by asking around than looking at estate agents.  I am lucky enough to have a large garden, which is where I started, then was able to buy an adjoining field.  Very, very lucky though.  Perhaps you should just start out in your garden?
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 10, 2014, 03:32:07 pm
Awwww thank you Greenerlife :) posted it a few days ago and was hoping someone would say hi.
Have no garden and can't have an allotment  :-[ My partner and I live in a box room of my elderly relative park home. We spend most of our time at the business unit where my dog grooming salon is based and bf does some woodwork. We are saving the money we have spent on renting a flat for buying some land  ;D we really want to take on something over grown and unloved and make it beautiful and better for wildlife.
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Rosemary on July 10, 2014, 04:12:03 pm
Hello and welcome from  :sunshine: Carnoustie  :wave:

Don't know why I didn't see your first post - usually these pop up in my unread posts list.

Have you tried Landshare?

Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 10, 2014, 04:30:42 pm
 ;D  :wave: Yay!! Hi there Rosemary ;D thank you  :excited: is that the River cottage Landshare? I can't seem to find the website?
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bionic on July 10, 2014, 04:59:36 pm
Hello and welcome from Carmarthenshire Fruity  :wave:
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: The Woodsiders on July 10, 2014, 05:12:36 pm
Hi There from Surrey (was Sussex) found our dream, only 1.6 acres but its our 1.6 acres, keeping Pigs,chickens, Ducks and soon a couple of sheep. Good luck
 :excited: :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 10, 2014, 09:03:44 pm
 :wave: Hello Bionic!! and hello Woodsiders  ;D How did you find your land? We want up to an acre and it's proving difficult!!
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bionic on July 11, 2014, 08:21:10 am
We have 2.5 acres bought as a Smallholding. OH would like more land so he keeps trawling through local estate agents websites. We do see land for rent at the agri merchants sometimes.
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: ponylady on July 11, 2014, 06:31:08 pm
 :wave: hello! I am new too. I am in East Sussex I have 3 acres, 22 chickens, 5 guinea pigs, a rabbit, 3 ponies and 3 dogs. 3 acres isn't really enough for me, I would prefer 5, but as I love the marsh and don't want to move
 I am stuck with 3 acres :)
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 11, 2014, 10:26:05 pm
Oh wow 3 acres!! :D Sounds amazing ponylady. Your extremely lucky :D
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: kelly58 on July 18, 2014, 08:31:40 am
Hi from Caithness  :wave: we have 21 acres,  :chook: :dog: :goat: :horse: :sheep: :&>  and yes we are blessed !
Love every day of being with the animals, we both work full time too.
Its hard work but worth every minute.  We keep pigs to go in the freezer, but we dont eat any of the other animals.
Wish you luck with your dream  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How do :) Newbie in West Sussex
Post by: Bigdreams on July 18, 2014, 11:29:12 am
21 acres!! :o Cor  ;D