[UK Fisher]

Hi everyone,

I have just joined this great site and would like to thank everybody concerned for the great info found here.
After years of yearning for the country/smallholding lifestyle, we are about to buy a 13 acre field for our smallholding venture. Our house is not on the land,,,it is 30 minutes drive, but we just cannot afford a house with land in our area,,,,,do you think it will be ok to go this way,,,,or will we be the first people to try a smallholding without living on the acual site?

All advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Andy

[Hilarysmum]

Hi congratulations and welcome.  If you keep livestock it may be a good idea to get friendly with a few of the locals and to ask them to keep a weather eye out for the animals. 

Of course if you go down the pig route you will be so enamoured with them that you will probably end up camping out there anyway as you wont be able to part from them.

[Micko]

Welcome Andy....we're in a similar boat as you. Recently bought 16 acres and live 45 mins away and are just in the process of setting it up. We also couldn't buy land with a house cos of the cost but because we desprately want pigs/chickens to help provide an income we obviously need to live either on the land or really close so are following the Field to Farm techniques of building a barn on the land and living in a caravan for a few years to get round the problems of planning. That will give us a chance to hopefully make the business viable and then apply for a log cabin as a permanent house. Piece of cake!!

Your land is also just over the magical 5 hectares which is important for the planners.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on!.....Dee and Micko

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome from Devon 

[sandy]

Hello and welcome, Farmers always have some land away from thier houses, no problem for them BUT, I should watch the security of any equiptment, things do go missing on occasion..now where are my glasses

[Roxy]

We managed for 20 years, travelling 8 miiles to our land.  Yes, it is a problem in the bad snow etc. and when an animal is ill, lambing or whatever.  I have been known to travel back at midnight to check on a sick animal, so thats the sore point of not living there.  But its a start on the smallholding ladder, and I am sure thats what you want, so I would do it.  I know lots of people who travel to their land, even farmers have outlying land from their house.

As to security, I never had a problem, except the neighbour, who wanted money for drugs so helped himself to two lots of diesel. I never lock my sheds, or feed stores, and nothing has ever gone, although I appreciate thats not the case nowadays sadly.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome - and good luck with the new venture!

[little blue]

Hello and welcome... sounds exciting!