The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: PPF on July 19, 2012, 09:04:51 am
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Hello all :wave:
I'm from Worcestershire and have just viewed a small piece of land (1.6 acres) available to rent from a local Council. I have miniature ponies and a few chickens at present.
I'd like to use the 1.6 acres as a smallholding if possible, but don't want to keep any animal that will annoy the Council etc. I may take two or three of my mini ponies there (sheep size) and was then thinking of maybe a couple of sheep and my chickens.
The land hasn't been used in over a year and was left ploughed. It's growing grass, but no deapth in it so if I get to take it on then I'm thinking I should top, harrow and roll. I guess I may need to seed it too.
I'd love some ideas on what I may need on the land, storage etc and if there are other animals which anyone suggests.
Pictures of people's set ups would be great!
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Hello and welcome to TAS :wave:
I'd suggest trying to get power to the land if possible (perhaps a socket in whatever type of storage building you choose?) you'll definately need a water source there too - so worth looking into both of those first ;)
There's also the issue of having a storage shed/container/building and whether you'll need planning permission - I'd be double checking all of these things with the council before signing on the dotted line. Also check out the fencing and who is responsible for the upkeep of it. :thumbsup:
For sheep, stocking is recommended at 6 per acre - that's about as much help as I can be with them I'm afraid :-\ Now if it was pigs you were thinking about that would be a whole different matter, but I'm guessing the council might not be too happy with them :D :D :D
Good luck and keep us posted, you'll get lots of good advice and ideas here - before you know it you'll be looking for 16 arcres :o ;D
Karen :wave:
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Hi there and welcome from me (in Worcestershire) :wave: I must be just round the corner from you ;D Good luck with the venture, sounds like you have got the "bug"
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Thanks for replying both.
Darkbrowneggs, the land is in Inkberrow - am I close to you?
HappyHippy I've walked the land and there is no mains water, however I have a huge metal bowser and tractor so I'm sure that will come in handy. There is an awful lot of greenery at the bottom of the field, but it's so overgrown that I haven't managed to explore that bit yet. Hopefully a little water from land drainage etc.
I don't think I have much chance of getting power onto the land unless one of the houses which back onto it come up for sale and we buy it. I do have a generator however and it isn't massively noisy.
My thoughts are that I'd like a small amount of stock so chickens, sheep and maybe up to three of my mini ponies. I'd then like a section which I can grow veg and herb. I just have to be careful not to upset the Council in anyway. They don't keep an eye on the land at all as the houses which back onto it have been using it as a rear entrance to their gardens in the dry weather.....they've also removed fences >:(
There is already a little shed on there, but it's padlocked and a railway carriage type wooden building which I thought would be ideal fro my chickens! I have a portable cabin which hopefully I can use to shelter and have a cup of tea when time allows ;)
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Welcome from Sunny Midlothian!
Hope all goes well!
Dans
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Thanks Dans.
Hopefully I'll be posting lots of updates and asking loads of questions! :D
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wecome to the tas its a great site full of info
Good luck
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I expect you have checked with the council that you are allowed to keep animals. Good fencing is a must , make sure there are no nasty plants that would harm any animal.Make a plan of the plot, where the veg will grow one year and rotate. Are you just going to have a couple of lambs for your own meat or do you plan to breed. Think small to start with and see how you get on. :wave:
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Yes have checked with the council on the animal front. I would imagine they wouldnt want me having pigs though.
I will be responsible for the fencing and although there is stock fencing it really does need replacing. I'm not one to patch old fencing up as its just not worth the stress when stock escape.
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Hi worst thing you can do is over stock - do you know what size of land your 2 or 3 Ponies need to get them through the year?
Not sure how much room you will have left from 1.6 acres might be worth getting a couple of commercial weaned lambs to fatten, that way you can get some practice with sheep, fatten them and pop them in the freezer. You will know better then what the land is able to cope with and have more time to see what breed suits you
Good luck
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Hello PPF and welcome to the forum from Staffordshire. Worcestershire seems a popular place -my sister-in-law has recently moved there from Devon. We used to buy 'pet' lambs, those that had been bottle reared, from local farms for fattening. Got them lat May early June and to slaughter as soon as the grass ran out. Things were going fine until one year our supplier of Jacobs didn't have any and we bought a pair of Texels. One was an uncastrated boy who grew huge and went crazy and the other a ewe that slipped through their inspection. She grew huge as well and became uncontrollably naughty so moved her down the road earlier in the year and she now has two girls of her own.
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I am a fair way off on the Herefordshire border out the other side of Malvern towards Bromyard way :)
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Hello from near Offenham :wave:
I used to live in Flyford Flavell and my daughters went to nursery in Inkberrow so I know it very well :)
I think the point about overstocking is a valid one :-\ we have just under 4 acres with 5 sheep and 4 goats on, we are sorting out land rotation for assisting worm control. I would be a little worried with ponies and sheep that this might not be enough grass? but will be good to hear from others with more experience :)
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:wave: Hi and welcome from sunny Shropshire. You might have to be careful about any rights of way over the land. If people have been using it for more than (I think) 12 years, you could find yourself with problems.
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Hello and welcome from Durham :wave: