The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: plt102 on July 31, 2012, 09:20:36 am

Title: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: plt102 on July 31, 2012, 09:20:36 am

I am considering buying 8 acres of land near my home to expand my smallholding but it is currently planted with thatch straw so it would be stubble when bought. Can people give me some advice on the steps I should take an approx timescale to make it into grazing for horses and sheep?

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: lachlanandmarcus on July 31, 2012, 09:35:37 am

To be able to use it full time for horses and ponies etc, 2 full seasons.
To be able to lightly graze it, removing the horses as soon as they start to create any damage, 6-9 months, tho it could be longer depending on when the purchase goes through ie if at start of winter you might not be able to do much more than plough.
 

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: Sbom on July 31, 2012, 09:59:31 am

If you plough it as soon as its cleared of straw you can re seed straight away, this way it will be ready for use in the spring, if you put the sheep on it first they will make less mess and help the grass to produce  more side shoots and be a thicker crop.

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: Victorian Farmer on July 31, 2012, 10:30:22 am

only 1 option round up full field kill every think ,leave 2 weeks and disk not plough just disk 2 or 3 times then plant new grass seed you will need 8 bags cost 40 a bag you will then have a top field perfect .iv had 3 folk look at my weedy field with lots of dock naw its sorted not 1 weed .iff you plough it will be weedy doc etc .

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: Fleecewife on July 31, 2012, 11:24:22 am

Another option would be to grow the thatching straw again for next year if there is a good market for it and the previous owner is happy to buy it from you and do the work, then undersow that with pasture grass, timing the sowing carefully.  Once the harvest is taken next year you will then be a step closer to having your grazing fields as the grass will already be growing, plus you will have a cash crop.  I've never started from scratch with newly sown grass, but I would think that a year of grazing sheep on it would be better than putting horses on straight away as horses hooves do a lot of damage whereas sheep are far lighter on the ground - and the sheep could be another interim cash crop.

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: plt102 on July 31, 2012, 04:42:51 pm

Thanks for all your advice. Off to the bank to see if it is possible!

Title: Re: buying a field currently planted with thatch
Post by: Penninehillbilly on August 01, 2012, 01:52:28 pm

Does the seller use their own machinery? any chance part of the agreement could be to be resown with grass after crop?