The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: LottieNFC on June 02, 2013, 05:07:47 pm

Title: How much land?
Post by: LottieNFC on June 02, 2013, 05:07:47 pm
We are looking at buying a steading to convert and the farmer had said if we bought the steading then they'd be happy to sell us as much or as little land as we want either at the same time when we buy the steading or in the future.

We'd be looking at wanting summer and winter paddocks for 2/3 horses, space for stables and sand school, field to grow hay for the horses and a metal barn to store it in, space for growing fruit and veg and maybe a couple of piglets for the freezer each year.

How many acres would we be looking at needing for this?
Title: Re: How much land?
Post by: clydesdaleclopper on June 02, 2013, 10:51:04 pm
It depends on a lot of factors. How big are your horses, where in the country it is and at what altitude as that will affect the growing season for the grass, what the soil is like as clay will turn to mud in winter and you'll want to keep the horses off it, how much hay you usually get through over winter. In my mind you can never have enough land  ;D
Title: Re: How much land?
Post by: SallyintNorth on June 02, 2013, 11:27:37 pm
Certainly not less than 5 acres but as clydesdaleclopper says, it depends on a lot of factors.