3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[stehaggan]

Well my allotment plot doubled in size when we took over the next one - but it just will not satisfy my desires.

 

I want pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, cockerels, THE LOT!!! But we can't have them on there obviously. After speaking to a man today he said he used to rent a 3 acre field for £50 a year.

 

Which got me thinking, does anyone actually rent a field to start up a smallholding? I know £50 a year would be cheap so im not working off that sum but I was just wondering if anyone on here actually rents a field to do this sort of thing or do you just buy? And if you do rent it what would be the best way to go about it?

 

Many thanks

[Redwing]

Hiya, my field is a rented one

 

Here are my thoughts in random order

 

Scout round your local area to look for unused fields, ask around to find out who owns it so you can approach them, this is what we did, someone in the area will know so knock on doors if you have to

 

Check any field has buildings on it, if it doesnt check the landlord will let you put up sheds/field shelters, keeping stock with no decent buildings is very hard, they may be able to live out but a building of some sort is really a must. Goats especially wont live out full time

 

Some landlords wont allow pigs on their land, we have a pig pen and its been firmly stated that if we have pigs they stay in the pen! apparently this is common as pigs can wreck fencing as well as grass

 

When any temporary buildings are removed check they wont mind bare patches of ground, we have kept all of our chicken runs together and plan to reseed the area when we leave

 

Be prepared to maintain fencing or pay for your own (electric fencing within boundaries may be your only option) We got the ok to put up 100m of new fencing which we paid for at £5 a metre

 

You need trust from the start, a good landlord is essential especially if you are investing in fencing/sheds then you need to know that you you arent going to be kicked out a few months down the line, we asked for a guaranteed years tennancy, the time after that has all been done on trust but a contract may be a good idea!

 

check the landlord doesnt mind a mixed flock, these could be deemed as being more trouble and damaging than a pony

 

Dont dig up the ground/erect a polytunnel without getting the ok, we grow veg in old bathtubs rather than dig the ground as we feel that full on cultivation may be frowned upon as essentially the place is meant for a couple of ponies not full on self sufficiency though if we end up here for years we may revisit this

 

You may need to have a field topped if its not been maintained then your flock may not keep the grass down, topping a 3 acre field could be £75-150

 

Hay is very expensive and hard to source at the moment, consider a larger plot and taking hay off part of your field, we have put 1.80 acres aside for hay this year

 

Think about access, especially in winter, when it was very cold we had to rely on a friend who delivers our feed and bedding to take it on to the field in a 4x4. The rest of the time we drive the car on to the field as it has a decent access lane

 

Find out about water and power, our field has neither, we use waterbutts to harvest rainwater from our stable roof which works out well most of the time. In winter and during the dry spell in the spring we took water up in 25 litre drums in the car, a bowser on a trailer would be ideal. During lambing the lack of power was a problem, a generator is a good idea but you have to be careful because smallholdings/stables are always at risk of thefts

 

If the land has buildings dont go drilling in to walls without permission, be prepared to maintain roofs, doors, guttering etc.. its not like renting a house where you can call up someone and expect them to deal with things

 

Be prepared for the odd spot check

 

Think about feed storage and vermin

 

We split our field in to two (with permission) which makes it more flexible, in saying that we have never used the second half so the hay idea this year was perfect

 

Be aware of security, stock can be very valuable say nothing of all the equipment

 

Think about the practicalities of having a field if its not close by, we agreed that having to get in the car to drive was a no-no, we would find it more of a chore and also if we had a sick animal or bird it would make things tricky - you cant move a sheep or pig easily with all the red tape

 

Lastly the cost (sit down) we pay £1100 a year for just under three acres, it has a brick built stable block with two stables and a small tack room and also a lean-to hay store, a small field is always the target of the horsey set so the cost will always depend on what they are prepared to pay for it. Water and power availability will affect the price too. A good bet may be to try for land not currently sectioned off and rentable,for example you find a corner of a farm that isnt being used or a patch of wasteland

 

Good luck with it, we were really in two minds but honestly its the best thing we have ever done

 

Here is our original thread, we have come so far since then http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=48568&hilit=now+we+want+sheep&start=30

[stehaggan]

Thanks for all that info Tasha and taking the time to write it for me - very very useful indeed.

 

I will get looking in the local area this weekend and start knocking on doors I think x