[Penninehillbilly]

Just a thought on copper, we are now mainly on plastic (HEP20), our spring water is slightly acidic and corrodes copper pipe and cylinders. Spent one christmas with some of the kitchen units pulled out because pipes behind had started leaking. stainless steel hot water cylinder.

Lucky OH is a heating engineer 
He has just commented on THAT Christmas as well, I'd asked him about copper pipe corroding 

[macgro7]

Hello from Polish smallholder from Leicester 

Poland has beautiful climate - warmer summers and cooler winters comparing to the UK.
House and small fsrm prices are SO MUCH CHEAPER. For £100k you can buy a beautiful house with several hectares of land.
I would move either to the far north of Poland - region with lots of lakes, or far south - mountains.

[macgro7]

How does the weather compare to UK, sounds colder than N.Scotland?

Depends what region (obviously on the mountains it will be colder than on lower grounds), but even down south towards the mountains you can grow peaches up to 450m, i.e. around 1500ft, in UK you wouldn't be able to grow apples that high!
Winters are colder (on average) but summer's are much warmer. Average temperature in summer on Leicester is around 18C, in Poland around 23C. I.e. 27C at day time, and 18C at night.
Poland has the best climate in Europe for growing grain. That's why it's the largest producer of poultry and pork - because grain is cheaper to grow and locally available - no need to import.
We also produce around 80% of apples and 90% of geese in Europe.

[NickRJ]

Hello macgro7,
I have to admit we probably paid too much by Polish standards for the house here but it was, by comparison with property prices in the UK much more affordable. I do like the life here and while in part I am glad to be away from the politics in the UK I am not a big fan of the politics here either but thankfully my Polish isn't good enough to enable me to understand it. I guess in a way I am living in blissful ignorance, long may it last

Whereabouts in Poland were you from. We are not far from Mirsk and Jelenia Gora, that is where my wife's sister lives and so the reason for our choosing this location.

[macgro7]

I'd would prefer to stay away from any sort of polotics, but sometimes we need to be aware of certain things 

I am (as well as my whole family) from Lublin, and surrounding region.
I have lived in England since I was 17, but sometimes I think of moving back to Poland and getting a smallholding there instead of here.
You can literally buy something of similar size for 1/10 of price.
House with 10 acres in Leicestershire cost £1,100,000 nowadays 

[NickRJ]

That is true but it may not stay that way too long. While we were looking we couldn't believe how prices for property were rising here and there seemed to be no logic to it. Some properties weren't selling and yet the prices seemed to go UP rather than down, I just could not understand that. The property we bought was thanks to the sale of our semi-in the suburbs of London. The size of the property we now live in we could fit our old house into five or six times over! If you do decide to come back though a small holding as such may not be so easy. The property laws here are quite convoluted now. That is why my wife has been going to agricultural school since September and will be on the course until next Christmas. It is free which is a relief, but because she isn't a "farmer" she isn't allowed to buy more than a hectare. I believe there are "ways" around the matter but they are fraught with problems I understand. We have about a hectare here. We have been offered an adjacent plot of another 2 hectares but until my wife has the official "farmer" status she can't acquire it. A neighbour who has 19 hectares, adjacent to us has said we can keep animals on his land if we wish so that looks to be a way of keeping some animals.

[macgro7]

That is true but it may not stay that way too long. While we were looking we couldn't believe how prices for property were rising here and there seemed to be no logic to it. Some properties weren't selling and yet the prices seemed to go UP rather than down, I just could not understand that. The property we bought was thanks to the sale of our semi-in the suburbs of London. The size of the property we now live in we could fit our old house into five or six times over! If you do decide to come back though a small holding as such may not be so easy. The property laws here are quite convoluted now. That is why my wife has been going to agricultural school since September and will be on the course until next Christmas. It is free which is a relief, but because she isn't a "farmer" she isn't allowed to buy more than a hectare. I believe there are "ways" around the matter but they are fraught with problems I understand. We have about a hectare here. We have been offered an adjacent plot of another 2 hectares but until my wife has the official "farmer" status she can't acquire it. A neighbour who has 19 hectares, adjacent to us has said we can keep animals on his land if we wish so that looks to be a way of keeping some animals.

AH! Yes!
Several years ago they introduced a law that is supposed to make it easier for the farmers to buy land (instead of rich investors). You are only allowed to buy land which is larger than 1 hectare if you are a farmer, I.e. if you work in agriculture or have agricultural education, or if you leased it forn3 years (or more?)

[chrismahon]

They have a system in France which is designed to stop the loss of agricultural land to 'townies' who want it for a garden or horses. Once the sale price is agreed  it is offered at that price to the farmers co-operative. They can buy it, take the land and sell the house themselves. So it is very difficult to find a house with land and then be able to complete the purchase, keeping the land.

[NickRJ]

To be honest Chris my experience of Polish workers in the UK was always good. We have found a few reliable people here but they seem to be few and far between. I am beginning to think all the best ones are in the UK. It isn't just us but a lot of people are saying how people just don't turn up when you call anyone to do a job now. We have got to know a British couple in the next village from us. They have been here a few years and they have a list of trades people they are able to recommend through experience and that is very valuable information!