[Paul and Caroline]

Hi

We are Paul and Caroline (bet you would never have guessed if we hadn't told you!) and we are enthusiastic wannabe's doing loads of research prior to taking the plunge and buying our very own smallholding.. We are both shall we say - past the first flush of youth - and just coming to the end of long careers in the public sector. We have been on an excellent short taster course in smallholding with Lydia and Simon of Tower View Farm in Dorset and this went a long way towards convincing both of us that this is the lifestyle we both want and we would be very grateful for any advice, warnings and encouragement as we progress with our plans

Thank you

Paul and Caroline

[Trixie]

  Hello from Lincolnshire

[Possum]

Hello and welcome from a soggy Somerset. 


Don't worry about the age thing. I was in my 50's when I started and managed to cope! So long as you are both enthusiastic, you can support each other if one of you starts to flag.
 
You are doing the right thing by researching and training. I would recommend books by Katie Thear and John Seymour and reading smallholder magazines. Not to mention this website. However, there is no substitute for practical experience. Have you thought about joining WWOOF and helping on organic smallholdings?

[FiB]

  From north wales! This is almost all you'll need, other than some good phone a farmer friend neighbours. Where are you?

[Treud na Mara]

Well as OH likes to say 'we are at an age where we are still able to put in the work to match our enthusiasm' and I say it helps to be free of family responsibilities.
You've found a great resource here. Welcome.

[Paul and Caroline]

Hi FiB (and everyone else who has welcomed us)

We are in Suffolk equidistant between Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds. Thank you all so much for your warm greetings.

In answer to the 'Enthusiasm versus age' issue all  we can say is that after 40 years and 30 years respectively working for others it is a lovely feeling to get those butterflies in the tummy when we think about our new life - and to be honest we are never not thinking about it these days!

We have been speaking to mortgage providers getting the low down on what they will or won't lend on - they are not keen on anything that has a CPH number as they seem to think that it places a restriction on the re-saleability of the property - this is wrong and shows a lack of understanding of the term CPH - and we have been told that if we are not asked don't volunteer the info! Nowhere on the documentation we have seen so far does is expressly ask for a declaration re CPH - unless of course any wiser heads know better............

[melodrama]

  Welcome from Canada xx

[FiB]

They are probably getting mixed up with cph and an agricutural tie. Any place can have a cph....or not! What they should be more concerned with is whether it's south facing. That's all that matters  . Enjoy the search ahead