The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: ho !sheep! on March 20, 2017, 01:38:58 pm

Title: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 20, 2017, 01:38:58 pm
in the dim and distant past over 20 years back I did an agricultural diploma in race horses care and land management.
I now find my self immanently in charge of 3 huge arable fields and 2 large knackered fields of permeant pasture and a roll top hay barn and lean to shed both have seen better days!
HEELP I have a plan for 40 ewes and a ram and hay cropping.  I know I need to get a cph number asap but what do I need for this I haven't moved in yet and don't know the acreages or what's growing in the arable this year yet.  the Boss couldn't get the just the 2 fields I wanted for doggy day care and training barn we where planning on, with few pet sheep. So in his "wisdom" he's dumped on me a sizable parcel of land witch we take charge of on may 1st he's never even driven a tractor! he admits he knows nothing about farming. so looking into things I realis if we try for a single farm payment as theirs loads of stewardship stuff we want to do I have a whole 14 days help!
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: farmershort on March 20, 2017, 02:34:37 pm
re-adjust your sights a little, would be my first suggestion. Subsidies take months to sort out, not days. CPH numbers take 6 or 8 weeks, unless you say it's an "emergency" ;) tractors... well.... We've almost been in 12 months and don't have one yet. You can get almost everything done by contractors/neighbours in your first year. If he's never driven one before.... get a small open-topped one (with an anti-rollbar behing the seat)

If I were you I would read... read about land management, read about soil fertility, organic vs organic ish vs non-organic. Decide what values/principles you want to preserve/strive-for... then make a plan to match.

next, find the numbers of a couple of local contract farmers. If the grassland really is knackered then can you seed a nice herbal lay on one of the arable fields, then use one of the old pastures for fodder-beet for sheep winter feed? You'll keep a rotation going then.

I'm sure more advice will be on it's way :)
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 20, 2017, 06:04:40 pm
Thank you I'm going to try and get as much contracted out as I can I want to get us up and running then move to organic but well aware or land is not clean for a quick change we have been having methane extracted of the field just next to the house since August as it was a ww2 dump. and the pasture is likely wormy as hell going to ask for our neighbor if he would put his cows out on it for a few weeks to help or I may bee able to rent the better of the 2 for racehorse turn out for a month though that's had work for not much cash . will try to get one of the p pasture fields into rotation as we are putting so much to grass. the other field super steep
we are applying for planning to have the new buildings up with solar on the roofs and across one of our fields with descent gaps between so we can still graze or grow things like winter kale. defiantly planting more trees as big shelter belt herb lays and wildflower areas + pond we will look at glamping in the years ahead.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 20, 2017, 10:10:18 pm
Can't help with info but wanted to welcome you to the forum. Sounds like you've got some great plans.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: bj_cardiff on March 21, 2017, 07:55:16 am
Its hard to advise without having an understanding of the acerage - what seems huge to you might not to others.

First I'd find out if the arable fields are planted with anything, if not I'd get a contracter in and lay them down to grass. Whats the fencing like? I'd advertise and rent out the permanent pasture fields for a fixed term to give you a bit of time to sort out holding numbers and buy stock. If you planted the arable fields now you could graze them with your stock, or make haylage and sell it.

Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 21, 2017, 05:58:17 pm
thank you all,
fencing is generally good only 2 arable fields that its not will have acreages by end next week. water is harvested of the old barn roof so improving the supply to the tank is a priority, spoke to defra this morning and explained the we will need our cph number quickly due to the dates of the breed sales they said that wouldn't be an issue and they have put a marker on our fields so that they can not be "accidently "retained in there current cph come may 15.  :fc: and they are happy to give us an number within 48hrs (standard times at the moment 5 weeks). I have 6-8 weeks on the land before the breed sale at least I'm good at putting up electric fencing  and plumbing Polly pipe;)
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on March 22, 2017, 07:30:39 am
Hi and welcome to the forum! :) I have been reading this with a lot of interest and i would say ditto to the others suggestions about renting out pasture, if there is too much. Also as much as it is lovely going to breed sales if you can't get to them, it may be worth going through the societies and buying direct from the breeders themselves; that way you can really see the animals in their working clothes, sales can be tricky..... I know of some organic, pedigree Lleyn breeders if you're interested? We got a ram off them last August. Whereabouts are you?
WBF
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: pharnorth on March 22, 2017, 03:11:51 pm
Also there's have said what is the rush?  It's a great venture but maybe it is just the way I am reading your phrases seems like you are running head first towards a self imposed deadline. There are plenty of breed sales throughout the summer through to the Autumn and the first by no means have the best stock.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 22, 2017, 04:52:27 pm
I really want Dorset downs had them before with the horses, big soppy things how love a good head scratch and clicker train well the boys are very tasty too.  There bread sales are early as they lamb out of season naturally not that we will be doing that to begin with. so looking at getting some ewe lambs and a ram  my sister confirmed I can have mint sauce mk6 once he's ready to go (new name for him needed) to keep the our ram happy who we will not be getting at the bread sale we will get so x bread girls for him to serve for march lambs and sell on next year. Dorset downs aren't cheep sheep.
we also use sheep for teaching clicker training to dog owners as they are much more forgiving of bad timing from the students than dogs are.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 24, 2017, 05:28:12 pm
area is approx. 125 acers
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: bj_cardiff on March 25, 2017, 07:51:35 am
Oh heck thats a lot of land! If your only planing on keeping 40 ewes I'd start looking around for people to rent some fields asap. I'd say you needed a max of 30 acres for 40 ewes and their lambs.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 26, 2017, 01:05:15 pm
the dog business will take up 12 acers minimum 18 tops. the original idea was the sheep would be lawn mowers when the dogs weren't using their play paddocks.  having to adjust that some what upping our sheep numbers and planting a fair bit of woodland. one 20 acer felid full of solar leaves 8 acers of un-shaded grazing min.
we have 24 acers of maze growing atm and 20 of barley. at least we wont need to by in straw just need to find a contractor asap trying to pseud former farmer to manage it is not going smoothly few more bottles of whisky may be needed to sweeten him up he's had enough due to the methane extraction palaver its stopped us paying on time and formally exchanging contracts its also preventing us moving in. a few more dry weeks though and they will be done.
 
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: Backinwellies on March 26, 2017, 07:27:55 pm
What is the dog business that it will need 12+ acres?
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 26, 2017, 09:11:15 pm
day care, training & agility center the main building is 100m long and 50m wide at one end add play fields in "disaster" search area and gundog field and outdoor arenas need space to teach tracking.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: Backinwellies on March 27, 2017, 10:21:44 am
But wont most of that need maintenance ?  .... ie sheep grazing now and then?
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: farmershort on March 27, 2017, 11:42:28 am
Dog poo and sheep are not a good mix in general. Plenty of reading on the web about this.
Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: ho !sheep! on March 27, 2017, 07:40:32 pm
yep, sheep graze dog paddocks, dog poo gets picked up and goes in hot box composter all dogs get wormed. shouldn't be an issue if its managed right but it works both ways. sheep worms very bad for dogs too worm dogs no issues in them or the sheep. worm sheep keep them off dog felids 48hrs, sheep wormer is toxic to dogs. if it all grows to fast we get some Dexter's for worm hovering, and meat.


Title: Re: baa baa baa help!
Post by: Backinwellies on March 28, 2017, 07:53:49 pm
if it all grows to fast we get some Dexter's for worm hovering, and meat.

.... and great for exercising yourself too!!!  :roflanim: