the daydream fund challenge thread

rozeepozee

janiepopps wrote: »

No, I haven't managed the whole thread - yet! Last I heard your MIL's big garden was a goer and you were getting in folk to clear it. So sorry it didn't work out as planned x

I was chuffed to see you still heading towards the goal though

I've been out this morning digging thistles while the ground is still recovering from the last lot of pigs, it is SO soft and easy to dig atm (which is weird for January!) Also managed to fence an area off to keep the chooks out whilst the grass recovers and we can start planting (soon, hopefully?) the first lot of seeds.
Have I mentionend how excited I am...?

Thank you all for the kind welcomes, gonna go put the kettle on and start at the begining. I may be some time...

Hi Janiepopps and welcome. It's a very busy thread. I have trouble keeping up on a daily basis, but I've often thought it would be really interesting and informative to re-read the whole thing. Can't imagine when I'd ever manage it at the moment though!

rozeepozee

I did attempt it once though, when there were a lot fewer posts. I found my introductory post on this thread on 10/03/2010:

"Reading backwards and just finished page 45.

Here's my own quote from the Frugal Living Challenge thread yesterday commenting on how many of the posters want a smallholding

Quote:Originally Posted by rozeepozee
There seem to be so many people on this thread with similar aspirations (and some already living it) it makes me wonder if there's some way of sharing hints and tips - or having some sort of challenge thread for those wanting to do this. Not quite sure how it would work.

Where we are at at the moment with this dream is:

We both like the idea but circumstances have stopped us from implementing (new baby, needing fertility treatment for sibling so wanting to be near a suitable hospital, now pregnant with twins and don't foresee a move til they are at least 18 months old).

We have the funds to do it on a small scale (buy a house with some land - how much do we need - I really have no idea?!? How much land do you need to be fairly selfsufficient?) without any additional borrowing or selling our current home, which we could let out. Ideally we'd like something that could give us an additional income e.g. a holiday let, but that would probably mean borrowing.

Would it be too hard, too much of a culture shock? I have a large social network of other mums in the city in which we live. I'm a bit scared of being too isolated and would prefer to be on the edge or near to a village or town. DH is less social than me and less concerned about this but worries about lack of amenities in rural areas, e.g. schools, access to further education, jobs.

My feeling is we just have to make the leap and if it doesn't work, we won't have put all our eggs in one basket and can always return to Sheffield. Want to be as prepared as possible if we do though so less likely to fail. Where can you get advice, info on doing this kind of lifestyle change?

Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received.

R x

I can add that we are in the fortunate position of being able to run any smallholding we initially buy as a "hobby" as we own three rental properties and would also rent out our own home which would make it four. These properties don't make fortunes but they make enough to live on as long as we don't splurge. We've not had a "proper" holiday for five years, unless camping counts. Our own home is mortgage free and we've spent the last few years building up the funds in our buy to let offset mortgage accounts so would be in a position to spend about £250K without taking on any extra debt and that would still leave a contingency fund of at least 10%. We'd like to buy in Wales, preferably near the coast and also would be near the inlaws.

It almost feels like we could take the plunge if we had a proper business plan (and the courage!), although realistically, I think our lives will now be "on hold" for at least a year once the twins are born - it would be too stressful to even consider moving before then - having two babies is going to consume a lot of our time and be stressful enough.

Skills wise, I've started my own business previously (I was a lawyer many years ago and sold my practice before I had the obligatory near nervous breakdown, buying the rental properties referred to above), so I have some transferable skills. DP was formerly and IT consulatant, has retrained as a teacher (though doesn't much care for teaching), is handy with wood (has done a furniture making course and is very good!) and we both have been practicing growing for the last year or so in our small garden - really basic stuff on a very small scale (e.g. our carrot harvest last year was about two plastic bags worth!). We did raised beds in baths that I'd salvaged from a hotel that was being refurbed!). We're also practicing living frugally - hence the Frugal Living challenge. My in laws have had an allotment for years and produce much of their own food from a small plot so we have good growing advice on tap.

I won't write a novel. Hope that gives posters a flavour of where we are at - you seem like a friendly bunch so please be nice to me if I've said something horribly naive. I'm happy to elaborate if anyone has any questions"

Having re-read that, we've not done too badly, we've relocated despite the babies and bought our smallholding within 18 months. The difference is the price though - we spent £311K at auction and the house needs a lot of money spending on it to make it what we want - and that's before we start turning our attention to what we can do with the land!

Itismehonest

rozeepozee wrote: »

My OH saw a fledgling that had fallen out of a nest on his walk in the wildlife park. I asked him what species but his reply (a small brown thing) wasn't too enlightening. Anyway, it seems pretty early for baby birds doesn't it?

It seems extraordinarily early & I wouldn't have given the poor thing much chance even if it had stayed in the nest.

There was a news story from Cornwall back in November about a hen which had hatched her clutch but I can't think of any wild bird, not that I'm an ornithologist, that would hatch in January.

It's probably down to the mild winter. Nature doesn't know whether she's coming or going.

Davesnave

Itismehonest wrote: »

Dave - What's all this I hear about you holding an illegal rave last night? :rotfl:

alfie_1 wrote: »

dave.....RAVE ??? :beer:

Moi? :A I might be 'raving' for taking this place on, but I don't think that's what you mean. It must be this:

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Police-break-rave-woodland/story-14362169-detail/story.html

Hmmmm...I'm not sure what went on there. At 3am the cats decided they needed to go out, and as it was a still night, I stood at the door and listened to the sound of the weir down at the station, which carries here in those conditions. No raving going on then.

At 08:00 DW went to let the hens out, and she returned to say there was another rave going on.

Shortly after that, we all set off for Bournemouth, so I didn't hear anything.

ukmaggie45

rozeepozee wrote: »

How old are your twins, maggie? I think grandparenting them is probably preferable to parenting them :rotfl:Aww, I don't mean that, but after a heavy night nursing two teething toddlers who like to use me as their dummy, I feel pretty shattered!

:rotfl:

They're 20 months now, one is walking, other is almost walking but finds crawling faster. :rotfl: Very talkative today, much more so than when we last saw them, which was only on the 2nd. It's amazing how quickly they change at this age! The sat at the table for lunch and had much the same as us (chicken, stuffing, chipolata sausages, roast spuds, kale, peas, parsnips). They really liked the parsnips. Then they had mince pie and xmas cake slices for pudding.

It's funny the things kids like - their favourite game currently is rolling all over the sofa and having cushions dropped on them! :rotfl:

Itismehonest

Davesnave wrote: »

Moi? :A I might be 'raving' for taking this place on, but I don't think that's what you mean. It must be this:

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Police-break-rave-woodland/story-14362169-detail/story.html

Hmmmm...I'm not sure what went on there. At 3am the cats decided they needed to go out, and as it was a still night, I stood at the door and listened to the sound of the weir down at the station, which carries here in those conditions. No raving going on then.

At 08:00 DW went to let the hens out, and she returned to say there was another rave going on.

Shortly after that, we all set off for Bournemouth, so I didn't hear anything.

I guess it's the same one but I saw it on the D&CP website. That gives the place as near E. (The place with the station & large garden centre ). They had the police helicopter up for it.

Davesnave

I've just caught up properly. Hello and welcome to Janiepopps.:wave: Its nice to see Alexilisey returning to the fold too.

I have nothing of importance to contribute today, except to say that I agree with rhiwfield that money is tight out there ATM. I was in a John Lewis today and it seemed that people were looking, but certainly not buying in any numbers. Methinks this will be a tricky year for many folk.

CTC, does your post mean that MiL didn't keep the cleared garden clear? If so, it looks like you have the moral high ground.

We returned to find that someone had delivered a trailer load of hardwood logs, but we've no idea which of our suppliers was responsible. If it was Pete they're free. If it was anyone else, we owe them some money. And if the weather goes on like this, we shan't use them till next year!

Davesnave

Itismehonest wrote: »

I guess it's the same one but I saw it on the D&CP website. That gives the place as near E. (The place with the station & large garden centre ). They had the police helicopter up for it.

Wembworthy is up the hill from there and in the wrong direction, but it's slightly larger than the other places, so it got a mention.

The ravers wood is half way between the station and Pete's place, so they won't have made his day. :rotfl:

lucielle

alfie_1 wrote: »

welcome janiepopps... we dont eat newbies till at least 5 posts !!


Just checking how often I've posted!!!:rotfl:
L

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Davesnave... hahahaha nope, havent lifted a finger, so its all over grown again... but in her defense her mobility isnt what it used to be..so now i know it would be really difficult for her to go into the garden let alone go to the top part....

alexilsey thanks for the offer of the tom seeds, but i will pass this year.... but would love to hear your sucesses and which ones you rate