[KerryA1]

 

Just wanted to say 'Hi' and to ask a general question.

We aren't smallholders yet as we live in Edinburgh and have a very small garden (most of which we do use for growing fruit and veg).

So, how did people on here find their land? How much space do you need for some chickens (6ish), and maybe a pig and some veggies? I know this is probably a 'how long is a piece of string question', but I'd be interested to know what other people do and and how much space they have.

Thanks

K

[Fergie]

Hello & welcome from Lanarkshire.

There's no straight answer to your questions - you need as much space as you can get (there's really no minimum other than zero), and the only way to get it is to be vigilant & sieze any opportunity you can.  What you use your garden / land for depends on the size of it.  Chickens need very little other than sympathetic neighbours, pigs need more space.

John

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome from sunny Angus!

What you need to do is buy our smallholding in Alloa. Only an hour from Edinburgh by train; veg garden, orchard, pig pens; paddock; riverside property!!! 

[KerryA1]

Sounds wonderful - not sure we could afford it right now though, we get married in September.

Is there anyone with a smallholding or allotment in Edinburgh (or close by as we don't have a car) who would be willing to exchange their knowledge and experience in return for some physical labour?

[Roxy]

Hello and welcome!!

Before coming to our farm here, we were fortunate that we had already bought a couple of small fields.  This was years ago, could not do it now as prices have gone sky high here.  Everyone is wanting little plots for veg, hens, etc.  There is a small piece of land near us, about a third of an acre, sloping, right by the roadside.  And its up for sale at £50,000!!

If you get a decent sized allotment, thats a good start.  Some of them are double sized, and people share them, which is good as it cuts workload, and also you have more chance of getting one.  Thats another thing here, big waiting lists for allotments.  If you want to keep hens on the allotment, check its allowed. Some here do not allow any livestock, others you can have hens or pigeons but no pigs or goats etc.

[little blue]

hello and welcome

[Anke]

Hi, welcome from the Borders.
We were in your situation about 6 years ago, just when our children were quite young. We decided on how we wanted to live, and then drew a circle of 50 miles around Edinburgh (my OH wanted and still does work in Edinburgh), and looked at any property with land for sale. Quite a few were horrendous, as it was also the height of the property boom... But with all options being open, we went for a building plot with land attached to it. It took two years to build the house and then we started to develop the holding slowly, chickens first, then pigs, sheep and now goats. Also veg/fruit/polytunnel.

Really you have to look at what you can spend and how you are going to live (and earn a living). A large garden in a village can easily accommodate a couple of weaners (as diggers in particular) and chickens, however once you start .... more animals might just come along! Also once you live in a more rural area it will become easier to rent a field to fatten some lambs for example.

[Fleecewife]

Hi KerryA1, from South Lanarkshire    Like Anke, we were living in Edinburgh 15 years ago.  We had a couple of allotments near Saughton Jail where we grew most of our veg needs and a very rocky small garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh where we grew our fruit and herbs and started off our plants.  We searched for several years before finding our smallholding.  Anything remotely promising was snatched up by builders or people with horses, for prices higher than we could afford.  We searched the property pages every week looking for anywhere with land. When we eventually found this place it was far beyond normal commuting distance although now there are several people who commute to both Edinburgh and Glasgow from this area.  It was very run down and the selling agent thought no-one would want it so wasn't trying very hard.  We bought it because the soil is excellent and it had several large outbuildings - the house didn't matter  . Our initial intention was to grow veggies to sell but the reality of the climate here made us change our minds and we got a few sheep as well as our hens.  Now we grow about an acre of fruit and veg largely for our own consumption and the sheep part has grown to be more important than we had ever thought.
The rule of thumb is that a family of four needs about 4 acres to be self sufficient.  However, if you also want to make a profit you would need far more than that.  Also, once you have bought what initially seems like a huge acreage, after a few years you find you want more.  We were lucky in that we were able to buy another field.  It's a good idea to get some experience of smallholding before you commit yourself - read up everything you can and visit as many smallholdings great and small as you can.
We are aware that we have been very lucky and that we have what many other people want so we are happy to show people what we do and to help them gain experience.
If you want to discuss a visit, please send me a personal email - there is a good bus service here from Edinburgh.

[ballingall]

Hello,

We are about 25miles from Edinburgh, and I work just near South Gyle. Lots of good advice given here, I would recommend trying to get as much land as you can afford. It can be hard, but if you trawl and trawl through houses for sale, you will find some properties with big gardens, if thats all you can manage to start with. Be careful with newer houses, my sister lives in a house about 10 years old, and it states in her title deeds she is not allowed to keep chickens! She could of course ignore this, but if a neighbour complained, she wouldn't have any grounds to back her up. So be aware of that, and check any small print.

We have just over an acre, about 7 miles south of Linlithgow, where we breed pedigree dairy goats. We have 18 just now I think. We also have chickens, ducks, 3 lambs which we are rearing to go in the freezer. I try and grow a few veg, but I really struggle for time what with the animals, and we also show the the goats.

You would be welcome to come out and visit, but unfortunately we are quite a way out- 2 miles from the nearest village.

There are exchange systems out there as well- WWOOF and HelpX which you can go and volunteer to help on a farm/smallholding for a few days or a week or two in exchange for your accomodation and meals.

Beth

[Cinderhills]

Hi from North Yorkshire.  I have about two acres and have 3 rescue goats, 4 sheep (inc. 1 ram), currently 3 lambs, 10 chickens and 1 guinea fowl.  I think we are up to our limit now although I would like some turkeys and more guinea fowl!  Oh yes, and I have a caged veggie garden too.

[Fergie]

Hello again, KerryA1,

I echo the points made by Fleecewife & Ballingall, since I also work from South Gyle in Edinburgh (but only another year before retirement! ).

Like them, I'd be delighted to let you see our smallholding & talk about things in general.  Just PM me.  The bus service from Edinburgh is poor, but there is an hourly train service through Shotts which is fairly close.

Good luck,

John

[Fergie]

sorry,

having just read my last post, I didn't mean to exclude all the other comments - I agree with them all!

John

[woodlandproductsfife]

Hello and welcome from across the Forth in Fife. I have a small back yard to. with 13 hens. I let them out to roam the whole garden alll day but pen them in at nite,

         Craig

[Daisys Mum]

Hello and welcome from the Scottish Borders. I am bought a house in a village and have been lucky enough to be able to buy 6 acres of land behind my house, mainly through constantly pestering the farmer ( I think that he sold us it to get rid of us haha,) We now have horses, sheep ,pigs, hens ,ducks and turkeys. I must admit it would be a lot easier if I was 20 yrs younger but love it.
I am situated just off the A1 about 40 miles from Edinburgh so please feel free to visit.

[Hilarysmum]

Hi welcome -