[DevonSmallholder]

You've got 30 acres, experience of keeping a variety of animals, gently sloping land with a barn but no ponds, ability to put in a good amount of capital to get going BUT you want to make a profit (not a living but a reasonable profit)...what would you farm and why? Multiple answers ok. Pros and cons would be great...I look forward to reading some answers, nothing is ruled out.
Thank you all

[devonlady]

Oh, if only I were young again! Bought in calves, either to sell in boxes as veal or to keep and sell as stores, sheep and Christmas geese and turkeys.

[BrimwoodFarm]

This is my dream situation! I DO have 40 acres but no capital, no house, just dreams. Hahaha.

My plan is a smallholding focused on rare breeds of the locality. The land is in Suffolk so want to develop a flock of show standard Ixworth hens, Suffolk sheep and would LOVE a couple of heavy horses - Suffolk Punch's, of course. I've developed a wildflower meadow and will soon be planting some native woodland. In the chalk quarry I've started planting a bluebell wood. Smallholding life is definitely about many income avenues, so I hope the variety of rare breeds would bring in some cash - both from food and for breeding stock.

I'm also planning on a Market Farm garden and my partner LOVES birds of prey so he wants to establish a small falconry centre. Lots of conservation stuff, eco living as much as possible and basically just taking our small patch of Earth back to a traditional farm with community involvement.

[Womble]

It sounds lovely!   I think I'd find a way to farm tourists  .

[bloomer]

Don't know about profit but I'd have many more sheep 

[ellied]

To make a profit you could put up polytunnels and a farm shop with cafe and some kind of family friendly activities according to your location and local alternatives already in situ.  It is the tourism and primary school age kids markets that make money, but you need more than a play area to attract parents.  Activities, crafts, deli and food shops for your produce and a good quality cafe as hot drinks and meals are the high mark up items.

Would be a nightmare for me not my dream at all but the most likely to succeed because the model is known to public and importantly to council planners..  You'd need to start small but with a clear design and plan in your mind for future expansion.

Me personally, with finance available I would expand poultry/eggs, mirror and expand the orchard and soft fruit, build a craft dksplay shed and workshop, and go for a holiday accommodation scheme of some kind - camping, caravan hookups and rustic cabins for preference.  Tourists looking for outdoor activities in the area who would buy my produce and crafts but be out most of the day!

[pharnorth]

Some form of farming tourists seems to be the most profitable. But not my idea of fun. I use my 15acres for a few horse liveries (four), small flock of pedigree sheep, small herd of Angora goats and soon a couple of breeding sows.  Also a hay crop. The horses bring in a bit of regular cash, the sheep and goats a led regular amount. If I had another 15 acres I would improve the grazing rotation and add another horse and a few more goats or sheep.

[Alex_]

Sounds like a dream. 
I think I would farm tourists probably a glamping type venture.
 Of course I would also grow as much of my own as well as food for the animals.
 to add some extra cash a small farm shop where I can sell chicks and ducklings as well as arts and craft supplies

[Marches Farmer]

Start small by selling eggs from the gate (helps if you're on a road frequently used by locals) and see what the response is.  Glamping seems to be losing momentum now and not much demand October to April.  I know someone locally with a 25ft "shepherd's hut" (I kid you not) which has underfloor heating and a hot tub (those were the days, eh?) hired out as a romantic getaway.  Livestock - start small, see how it goes before spending money on equipment or expensive stock. 

[DevonSmallholder]

Thank you all for your replies.

Some great ideas there. I posted this question in a couple of places and the ideas are really varied.

So far I'm considering a vague plan of;
Holiday cottages (if allowed)...I wouldn't like to go too much into tourism with having a farm open to the public I don't think.
A livery yard (rented out to one person on a yearly rental with 10 stables and 15 acres (I've done this before and 1 person is better than multiple...less hassle).
Use the rest of the land to have more sheep, I like the Christmas turkey idea, I'm not very green fingered so might avoid anything crop based...but other ideas welcome

Thank you all again.

[AndynJ]

I would suggest to everyone, if your considering tourism then either go into full time or leave it alone, its a world of its own and takes time and adds stress to your life, just consider most holiday parks that sell for less than £3M don't make a profit on paper.

30 acres as for me if it was for farming I'd have layers only.
If it was attached to my current holiday park I'd put lodges on it, 30 acres would be ok  for another 200-250 lodges, i'd develop it, sell them off to the public and then sell the site. A site that size here in Devon by the coast would be worth £7m plus the £10m profit off selling the lodges off would do it for me, then I'd buy a 4 acre plot with lovely home nestled in one corner.