Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[dancing cloud]

I now own the small field at the bottom of my dad's garden - a little less than an acre that's all mine (when completion happens).

 

Dad lives near the top of a hill and backs onto this field, then more fields, then a spectacular view over the Cheshire plain to Wales. The field was owned by the water company who leased it to next-door-but-one for many years and then recently put it to auction, and I won. Paid a ridiculous amount of money for such a small area, but it preserves the view and, more importantly, gives my dad peace of mind. When the neighbours first rented it, they turned it into a scrambling track, and their three lads and all their mates spent many hours riding round on motorbikes and quad bikes - drove my mother nuts. After a noise nuisance complaint they were stopped by the water company, but it could have been a different story if they owned it and just the thought of that was stressing my dad out.

 

The question is, what do I do with it now? I know Omleteers will have good ideas

 

There's covenants against residential development and a clawback provision, and it is green belt land. It's in a poor state, as the neighbours did nothing with it once the scrambling was stopped, so it's full of brambles and other weeds. It's very uneven and boggy in parts, and is surrounded by dry stone walls that look to be in reasonable condition.

 

On the upside, when I walked round it at the viewing, I loved it. My dad put his foot in a hole and got all tangled up in weeds trying to get out, so we joke that it grabbed him and wouldn't let him go! It has irises growing wild and lots of enormous dragonflies and there were some wildlife tracks as well.

 

My pie-in-the-sky idea is to create a cattery, but I may never get planning permission for that, so what else can I do with it that's preferably productive and not harmful? and how do I clear all the undesirable weeds without destroying everything?

 

Any and all ideas very welcome

[bluekarin]

That sounds amazing and a LOT of hard work. Would you want to leave it as a wild life reserve? That's what I'd be inclined to do. I'd probably start by clearing a path, make sure the wall is secure and sound, dig or pull up invasive weeds. I think peace of mind plus the bonus of an amazing view are almost priceless. I look forward to hearing and seeing what you do with it

[Redwing]

How wonderful

 

I think I would be tempted to spend some more money on some labour to get rid of the invasive weeds and brambles (by hand if necessary) and then once things are more under control re-evaluate the situation

 

If done with sympathy you won't do the wildlife any harm

 

If it was me I think in the long term I would mow the useable space, if well maintained the grass will keep the weeds down, I'd leave at least some of the edges wild for the wildlife and build a couple of woodpiles for insects. Then I'd use the mowed area for sheep, chickens and possibly bees tucked in a corner. If you can make some of the area pay by setting up a cattery that would suit you down to the ground

[Daphne]

What great news

 

I'm sure you'll get loads of ideas - I can see the attraction of a cattery The first thing that springs to mind are chooks - could be a business if you were so inclined! Or a farm shop/smallholding type venture. Or growing cut flowers or some crop that is in demand in your area perhaps from restauranteurs or from some agricultural perspective? Although I'm guessing if it was used for scrambling, the soil will be rough and compacted, not ideal for growing many crops. What about other livestock? And bees?

 

But like the other suggestions, in reality I'd probably think about making it low maintenance and going with the flow of the land. I'd plant an orchard (cider?) or nuttery or a mixed copse for spring flowers and firewood (depending on soil/weather conditions) which would be productive and I might leave quite a lot of it to nature, although this doesn't always look that pretty. Insects, birds, mammals and reptiles will all find their way to you if they like the conditions, making a pond is always a good idea Actually you could make a massive lake by hiring a digger thing for a day or two, plant trees and native plants around it and buy/encourage wildfowl, particularly if you have an island or two for roosting. A simple path around and what a lovely oasis

 

But if I had the money I'd like to make a sort of green 'sculpture' - where you make say a mound and turf it, then mow it so you create a spiral which is like a giant living shape. With an acre you can do a lot of different things. Perhaps counterpointed with areas of massed plantings of whatever grows well in that area. It all depends on the vistas and whether you look down on it, or up to it etc. I might create a sculpture park and invite local sculptors to exhibit.

 

In terms of clearing brambles and other weeds, you can use a brushcutter to cut them down. You may not want to use glyphosate which is very effective at killing things from the root, but its not selective (don't get it on keeper plants) or organic. However, it is very effective and you can buy it as a spot-on which means you can direct it better if that was a real issue. TBH with an acre, I would use it to start with on the tough and thuggish plants, but its a personal choice. The alternative is to cover with thick black plastic or similar for 12 months to stop the light and germination, and then if necessary to either mow off or dig out any shoots which still occur. Or you could just dig out/mow off without waiting, but it will be very hard work for at least a season as you will have to keep on at it.

[Jennifer Jane]

How lovely!

 

I would be tempted by a wildlife meadow, with maybe some beehives as already mentioned. Then you might have the possibility of selling honey and beeswax. Alternatively, DH and I are always talking about having a few animals, possibly alpacas, goats or sheep - it would depend on how often you wlil be able to visit.

 

Good luck with whatever you do.

[mollyripkim]

Wow, congratulations, what a lovely thing to own, you must be really excited thinking about all the possibilities. My dream is move somewhere where I can set up a small cattery, the profit margins are really good especially if you aim for the higher end of the market.

Good luck whatever you decide and enjoy.

[Egluntyne]

Wow. Could you turn it into allotments? Get it to earn its keep and have others doing the work - in a good way.

[HarrisonFamily]

Has it got a tree......I would love a secret tree house.....one hidden in the branches with a secret ladder that you can pull up and hide from the world....

 

And a donkey.....

 

And a goat....

 

And bees.......and chickens......

 

and a pond with ducks.....

 

a lovely wild life sanctuary with a patio sort of area with built in bbq to entertain....

 

Very jealous sound so lovely....

[Plum]

I would clear the brambles etc fill any holes add some hard standing and a shelter and keep some donkeys

[Charlottechicken]

Ooh, how lovely!

 

I would love an acre to call my own

 

Told my mum, and she suggests some fruit trees. Is it possible to leave the boggy bits as wildlife areas? I love watching dragonflies and damselflies darting around!

 

I like Egluntyne's suggestion of allotments, very clever, revenue and ground clearance in one!

[Cinnamon]

Allotments sounds great.

Or Alpacas.

Or make it into a sort of mini nature reserve with a gorgeous pond, wood piles & trees, add a couple of walk in runs & do hen holidays.

[redhotchick]

I wouldn't know where to start! Love the idea of owning an acre or so though. It would be good if you could make it pay for itself. Would camping be allowed on it? You'd need a water supply, and some kind of drainage. The most basic camp sites I have stayed on have had a cold tap and a toilet. I'd be quite happy with that for a night or two. I have more ideas along this theme if it's something you think you might do.

Solar powered hot tubs, hog roasts, clay oven, solar showers.

Are you near the Sandstone trail?

[Lavenders_Blue]

I love Cinnamon's idea of hen holidays, it might be a good alternative to a cattery, if that's not a viable option. Coupled with a little nature reserve (plant some trees and bird/bat boxes too) it would be a beautiful way to use the land.

I'm very jealous, can you tell?!

[sparkysmum]

What fantastic good fortune and wonderful opportunity. My first thoughts are wildflower meadow and love the allotment idea. Good luck and keep us posted. Ax

[dancing cloud]

Loving all the ideas - keep them coming!

 

Under the land are the remains of a huge covered reservoir that almost filled the field, so the soil may not be very fertile for allotments. My dad watched them dismantling the reservoir and they left the bottom slab untouched, and just broke up the sides and dropped them on top in a very higgledy-piggledy way. There's no mains water, but I'm sure it could be provided - at a cost, as the field is behind houses so a distance from the nearest pipes.

 

Some of it will definitely be left for wildlife and I'd love a wildflower meadow area for all the insects. There are no trees and an orchard area sounds great (I'm sure the many local squirrels would love nut trees ). I'd also like to grow soft fruit and veg for us.

 

If I could get planning consent for a cattery, it would probably include small animals and chickens, as there does seem to be a real market for holiday care for them. May have to invest in more cubes and eglus

 

I know nothing at all about alpacas, other than they guard chickens from foxes. What do they need and what do you do with them - wool, milk?

 

Ooh, it's so exciting, I can hardly wait till it's actually mine, and I can get in to walk round and spend time in it - maybe ask the land what it would like?

[newcountrygirl]

there are so many good ideas from everyone on here. Just wanted to say congratulations and good luck with whatever you decide.

[dancing cloud]

No news yet on the conveyancing side, but it should all be completed and mine mid-August.

 

Been looking at the prices for gates and stock fencing for the 60m not yet fenced - not cheap - and I will need to pay someone to install it, as I think that may be beyond Dad and I to do ourselves.

 

Going to talk to a couple of the local farmers about borrowing some of their sheep or goats once it's secured, to come and be organic mowers. They get to feed the sheep/goats for free and I get the field cleared - may work well for all

 

If I can't have a cattery, I really like the allotments idea as there's enough land to have quite a few and still leave room for a view, a doggy-walking area and chicken range. I'd have on-site chicken-sitters, my Dad would have people to talk to, and people without land could come and enjoy it here. I'm sure they'd be willing to sell us some of their spare produce too, or trade for eggs

 

Just impatient to get into it again!

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

Going to talk to a couple of the local farmers about borrowing some of their sheep or goats once it's secured, to come and be organic mowers. They get to feed the sheep/goats for free and I get the field cleared - may work well for all

 

 

That's what we have done.

As you can have only a very small number of sheep on such a small patch we are going to collect them in the van after we have topped the field.