Smallholdings.. What have you got ?

[BrianO]

Hi Guys

Love to hear what you have , acreage, what you keep produce ? What has worked and not worked, any other experiences or even advice.

Or even if like me , you have not yet got your holding, what you are planning.

I plan to get something in next 5 year time frame, in the order of 20 - 30 acres. Honey production will feature but only as a part of the plan. Will be more about lifestyle as an out and out money making venture.

If I can get it to " wash its face " I will be happy, as have great plans for operating on an organic basis and creating a large part as a wildlife sanctuary.

Cheers

Brian.

 

[dexter's shed]

not really a smallholding, but have 7.2 acres of ancient woodland within 80 plus acres, only have 8 hives in situ at moment, but plan to have 30-40 eventually

 

[enrico]

Only have 3.5 acres. One acre of which is woodland. All the wood we need for our three woodburners. Grow most of our own fruit and veg, own spring water... Not on mains. Bees, chickens and we are in a pig club where we share in looking after pigs on someone else's land for a share in the meat. The only things we buy in are household goods and things like rice and potatoes. You don't need a small holding to have the good life.
E

 

[Glenviewbee]

We have just under 4 acres - just under 1 acre is taken up by our cottage, garage, garden, 2 barns, chicken run, pig paddock, polytunnel and outside veg bed. The rest is basically pasture which we cut for hay.
We fatten weaners once a year for our own use - in fact we have given it a miss this year as the freezer is still full..... The chickens provide more than enough eggs for us and I sell the surplus to colleagues at work. The polytunnel and veg plot is just for our own use - can't be bothered to get into selling the surplus so the pigs/chickens also eat well!
we have 3 hives - we got our first honey ever this year but it did take 4 summers to get it!
Around here a smallholding of the acreage you are after (without a house!) would cost around £250000 to £300000 - good luck

 

[BrianO]

We have just under 4 acres - just under 1 acre is taken up by our cottage, garage, garden, 2 barns, chicken run, pig paddock, polytunnel and outside veg bed. The rest is basically pasture which we cut for hay.
We fatten weaners once a year for our own use - in fact we have given it a miss this year as the freezer is still full..... The chickens provide more than enough eggs for us and I sell the surplus to colleagues at work. The polytunnel and veg plot is just for our own use - can't be bothered to get into selling the surplus so the pigs/chickens also eat well!
we have 3 hives - we got our first honey ever this year but it did take 4 summers to get it!
Around here a smallholding of the acreage you are after (without a house!) would cost around £250000 to £300000 - good luck

Thanks, may well have to scale back, but really look forward to getting it.
So many opportunities to try different things. Look forward to not spending the day sitting at a desk !

 

[MikeT]

WE have 6 ac we own and rent a further 17 ac of grassland. Have 10 ewes, (Suffolk Xs) 3 Highland cows 3 calves, 2 followers. Also numerous chickens and 14 pea fowl of various ages ( some of which must be sold).

Have a large soft fruit patch, the surplus is sold to a market trader the proceeds of which finance the rest of the garden. We are not self sufficient but we have large quantities of vegetables and fruit for our own use. I have planted an orchard of Norfolk apple and pear varieties with a number of East Anglian plum var.

I have 5 hives of bees but these have not been very successful this year

 

[For want of a better word]

I have a couple of acres!

Slipped onto the crossbar of my bicycle!

Yeghes da

 

[Glenviewbee]

 

[mbc]

I have a couple of acres!

Slipped onto the crossbar of my bicycle!

Yeghes da

Lol.
I rent a four acre field and have access on another three acres of grazing.
I have a dozen or so ewes (welshies) plus a Jakob, two dozen turkeys fattening for christmas, occasional weeners but like Glenviewbee freezer is full at the moment, and more bees than you can shake a stick at.

 

[44Whitehall]

Two beehives, a pair of egg laying hybrid chickens and three raised beds in suburbia, all of which I tend in well worn green wellies. But the dream shines brightly!

 

[Mrs Shoot]

Have 3 hives and 1 poly nuc in the garden, (the rest are a couple of fields away from our house on our neighbours farm) 4 hybrid laying hens and 2 raise vegetable patches, which provide enough for us, the surplus gets frozen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

SWMBO is always complaining about my small holding - but then I always retort that when we got married I was expecting a bigger spread


- not the five or six acres of land at the side of the mountain

 

[Tremyfro]

My family combined forces and we bought a lovely property. We know of a number of families who are doing the same...living together in a multi- generation household. We have 10 acres....which although had been grazed and the hay taken from it ...nothing else had been done for years. So we have fencing which is gradually being replaced....new gates....watertrough to put out....a hay barn rebuild...more stables...and a manège under construction. Buying the land is the easy bit...maintenance and improvement is a big investment. We have 7 horses including ponies for the grandchildren...our riding horses...a mare I rescued, which turned out to be in foal!...we also have 3 ancient ex battery chickens, 4 newer ex battery chickens and 3 bantams. Still can't believe we have finally done it. My daughter laid out a vegetable garden...so we have enjoyed some fresh vegetables too. This year most of the veg on the table at Christmas will be from the garden. We have lots of plans for the next few years...

 

[Erichalfbee]

We have 3 acres which is fenced into a half acre apiary and pond. We have planted thousands of crocuses. This part of "the field" is surrounded by mature trees; oak, ash, sycamore and willow that form the boundary.
We have large veggie plot, still under construction and the rest is being slowly returned to a wild meadow, (neighbouring fields are fertilised and grazed and this was our starting point).
The house has a half acre garden with a bit of woodland at the bottom where the chickens live.

PS....oh and a new pub has just opened in the next village