Author Topic: At last we have purchased 9 acres of land (Read 1448 times)

Leefle · « **on:** March 19, 2020, 07:12:48 pm »

Good evening

My name is lee, and I have just purchased 9 acres of agricultural land, the goal is to create a small holding.
I have very keen girls more excited about this than I could imagine, and I would in the future like to build a dwelling on the land, I have little experience but for years have tried to purchase land, please if you could offer any good advice I would really appreciate it.
The land is in South Devon and is a mixture of both flat and sloped areas.

Regards

Lee

cambee · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2020, 07:10:39 am »

Hi Lee welcome to this fabulous forum where you can get loads of brilliant advice as I have experienced over the last 3 years. You need to ask specific questions really on the relevant subject for the best advice. What are you interested in doing? If it’s keeping sheep and you want to know about which breed go on the sheep forum and ask. It’s very exciting when you get your first smallholding.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2020, 12:01:29 pm »

Hello Lee, welcome and congratulations on your land purchase. It's a great feeling

.
Are you near a village, as you would probably be better to rent a house in the village, as getting planning permission to build a dwelling on your land is a long and exhausting task apparently - years not months, with no promise of success at the end.
Meantime, think carefully about what you want to achieve on your land, and how much time and money you have to spend on it. Don't dive in straight away with lots of different species, start with a couple, perhaps some sheep or goats and definitely hens, which will need good security with you not living on site (I think thefts of crops and livestock might increase with this virus on the go and shops struggling with supplies). Gradually build up your livestock as you become familiar with the amount of work involved. Don't forget fruit trees, soft fruit and a large veg patch

We also have 9 acres - it seems massive when you first buy it, but it won't be long before you need more! We have always had sheep and laying hens, and have had pigs in the past. We now also have geese, but mainly we grow fruit and veg, and look after the environment on our patch. We have planted lots of hedges, a coppice, a copse, various wildlife areas, and we have filled our garden with flowers loved by bees, butterflies, hoverflies, night and day moths, birds and so on. We can no longer imagine living somewhere else.

Leefle · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2020, 05:30:46 pm »

Hello, and thank you.
We live around a 15 minutes drive from the land at present, so not to far we are hoping to get a temporary structure on the land at some point first.
The land has lots of different gradients to it so we were thinking of landscaping first and putting in an orchard.

? Then thinking sheep and a few goats. Any advice on breeds?
We are so excited as a family it is all we have wanted to give our girls a better lifestyle.

Look forward to hearing from you
Lee.

Rosemary · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2020, 05:34:00 pm »

I've never kept goats, only sheep and I know folk who do keep both, but keeping the two together has some challenges around worm control. Others more knowledgeable will comment.
Don't rule out some pigs - a couple of weaners don't need much land or attention - and you'll get the best pork available!
Good luck - your enthusiasm does you credit.

Leefle · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2020, 05:49:12 pm »

Thank you Rosemary.
Our youngest daughter would like some pigs

So again a good breed recommendation would be grand for when we start to put animals on the land, we know we have a lot of work to do first and we need to start small.
We have just been trying so long to do this, it's hard not to get excited.