Hi! You and a lot of others are after a plot of affordable land! It seems criminal that there's so much land tied up in wasted sites, closed businesses, abandoned; patches cut off by road building/re-routing, etc. When the Land Registry's finished putting us all in tick-boxes and worked out what we owe the government (!!!), perhaps they should identify what land is unused /under-used, and create a way for people like us to rent or buy it for sensible money. At the very least, it would stop those irritating plots being a source of weeds or vermin, and we'd save someone the expense of having to keep them tidy or trimmed. And knowing who owns what land would give us a means to contact the land-owner to ask to buy or rent a bit; that odd corner the farmer never works because it's cut off and too small for full-scale farming, though ideal for a small-holder....
In the meantime, an allotment from the local council (or sometimes an allotment association; the council can direct you) is a cheap interim. Allotment plots are becoming scarce, but if you can get them, four standard plots amount to about 1/4 of an acre. My partner and I managed to get five a few years back, though there's now a waiting list for them where we are (Milton Keynes). There are drawbacks, but they can give you workable land to get started, grow something (what it's about, after all), develop your skills and invest in equipment, so when land becomes available, you can 'hit the deck running'. Many allotments allow poultry or bee-keeping, but not all: check if you need to.
Good luck, and please keep us posted.
John