[Hannah]

Hi there

I just wanted to introduce myself.  My partner and I currently live in Falkirk and are looking to buy a smallholding within the next 12 months.  We'd like to be as self sufficient as possible going forward and are trying to gather as much information as possible.

Any tips on good places to buy would be most welcome.  Though we're in Scotland at present more properties seem to come on the market in Wales so we may well end up there.

Thanks

Hannah

[Rosemary]

Hi, Hannah.

We're across the water in Clackmannanshire.

So true about locations - maybe a group of us should get together and buy a big farm and parcel it up into smallholdings. then we woudln't have to go to Wales (no disrespect to the Welsh). Aberdeenshire, D&G or the islands seem to be the best Scottish bets - but I get nosebleeds if I have to be away from Clackmannanshire for too long. And I could never leave Scotland.

Check out the Forth Valley and West Fife Smallholders Association www.smallholder.info - if you'd like to join, contact details are there and you would be made most welcome.

Oh, and welcome to the TAS forums!

Rosemary

[carole]

Hello and welcome from us in Brittany. Good luck in finding your new home

Carole

[stephen]

hey welcome to the forums! 

[Hannah]

Hi Rosemary

We're practically neighbours then!  We did come accross the smallholders association and sent off our applications about a week and a half ago - we're keen to meet up with like minded people - especially since I am new to Scotland.

H

[Rosemary]

Hi, Hannah

I'm sure Carol will be in touch soon! It will be great to meet up with you. Where you from originally?

Rosemary

[Hannah]

Hi Rosemary

I am originally from the West Midlands but spent a few years in London before coming here.  Oh, and I lived in Wales for a while as well!

H
:0)

[pigsatlesrues]

Welcome from us to - how is the house hunting going?

Kate 

[Malc]

We moved to Orkney a year ago and there's no way we would go back to England. Island life is terrific as long as you are easy-going and have a sense of humour. Your money goes a lot further in Scotland than it does in Wales, especially in the far North.

Good luck in finding a place.

[Hannah]

At the moment our house hunting is confined to looking at websites.  We have a kind of check list of what were looking for so its just a case of scouring sites to see what is available.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

hiya from fluff am in clackmananshire too

[doganjo]

Hello, I'm in Clackmannan itself.  I looked for a year and a half for a small holding - anything over an acre is grabbed for silly money by Edinburgh and Glasgow townies to put their horseys on as far as I can see.  I put an offer in on one £52K above asking and was the 6th out of 17 offers. Mind you things may have changed with the credit crunch so good luck with your search.  I finally found a modern house with an acre of garden which I hope to roughen up.  I have ducks, dogs & cats - hoping to add some chooks and more ducks
Annie

[Rosemary]

Hi, Annie - you're almost on our doorstep! If you like, come visit with us sometime. PM me if so.

[rommany]

Hello everyone
I have a 6acre smallholding.
I have had it for 10 years, it was arable land when I bought it so cheaper, no hedging all open waste land, and it  had to be all fenced, hedged, water laid on and  I waited 2 years for the grass to grow. Now I thave a 6 acre smallholding with an ex council house attached because I bought the field at the back of the house and hen bought the house. Its all taken 10 years but now I have chickens turkeys ducks pigs and veg and fruit trees. All a lot of blood sweat and tears but worth it 

[watercay]

hi there
I will be moving to falkirk soon, me and my partner are saving our pennies for a smallholding one day. We live in the west lake district just now though, which is so very beautiful, and so very very cheap, since it is the "poor relation" to more easterly lake district proper. My four bedroom townhouse price wouldnt buy a 2 bedroom flat in falkirk. So i am a little scared to be moving north again! I hope i will find the money to buy my own piece of paradise soon. I am moving for work.
So-- if anyone wants a smallholding reccommendation, i would suggest the west lake district. Beautiful spectacular countryside, teeny weeny prices. Not sure how often properties come up though.
I am nervous, moving back to scotland again, the area around falkirk seems fairly densely populated compared to where i am now. I am fairly active in the farming community here and i hope to be so when i move to falkirk also. 
PS any reccomendations for really good wild dog walks with minimal sheep in the falkirk fife clackmannan area would be really, really gratefully received.