Author Topic: What to do...where to start? (Read 3166 times)

Pork Chop · « **on:** October 06, 2009, 04:26:56 pm »

Hello to all at TAS Forum,

My wife and I have began the road to running our own self-sufficient Smallholding with the desire to run it as a SME with a great interest in rearing rare breed British Pigs (2 to begin with for charcuterie); Chickens (for the eggs we will need to do all our baking and personal use), Bees (honey and botanicals) and Goats for milk and cheese production. Veggies and Fruit (trees and bramble).
We are at the very beginning of our start up, so any advice and assistance in establishing best contacts for all the above with easy drive from Gtr Manchester will be well received.
The initial issues we are having are finding a suitable property with land to rent. The local councils have recently sold off a proportionate amount of land to developers since the recession hitting the nation. Does anyone out there know of any private or public sector landlords who have a 3-4 bed house, min 5 acres with suitable out buildings for keeping our small herd of Goats happy, dry and warm and somewhere to develop into a milking parlour?

Many thanks,
PC

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2009, 05:45:55 pm »

So sadly unable to help, but want to wish you the very best of luck.

Pork Chop · « **Reply #2 on:** October 09, 2009, 12:36:24 pm »

Thank you.

Rosemary · « **Reply #3 on:** October 09, 2009, 07:33:23 pm »

There seems to be quite a number of smallholdings near my sister who lives in Preston, which isn't far from Manchester. There may also be rental properties. It's quite a nice area if you like flat.

MiriMaran · « **Reply #4 on:** October 09, 2009, 08:53:08 pm »

Sorry can't help, but welcome to the forum.

Troubled Waters · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2009, 08:49:25 pm »

hello and welcome
try greenshifters, they have properties for rent.

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2009, 07:01:02 am »

I wonder if you were prepared to move, could you try contacting other councils to see if they could accommodate you?

Roxy · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2009, 01:50:32 pm »

Hello and welcome!!

You cannot be far from me!!

Farms for rent are few and far between unfortunately round here. The farm next door was rented for years to different people. That has 5 acres, and outbuildings. For some reason the owners put it up for sale and it sold within a week. The only other ones I can think of in this area are ones owned by the Peak Park, and I know a few people who rent smallholdings from them. Quite often just a cottage and a few acres.

Oh yes, and the National Trust rent out some of their properties with land. There is one of theirs up for rent near us. Lovely spot, quite isolated. Letting a few acres, but think the farmer has the barn.