the daydream fund challenge thread

lucielle

Hello, gosh you guys have all been really busy. Had a nightmare journey to Skye as I broke down on the Skye bridge, had to be recovered and came home in a hire car and got to go back and collect mine in about 2 weeks time. Car is pretty terminal but we need it. Weather was appalling but struggled through in my little hire car who is now called Percy Polo. Absolutely knackered, so off to make tea. I did milk my friends goat and didn't spill any so still not lost the knack.
L

rozeepozee

Hello folks. Been really busy, it's half term so have 3 kids home full time requiring entertainment...

We have dispensed with the services of the architect - did I say that already. I wish I'd trusted my gut and not gone along with him after all as we've now received his bill and it seems unreasonably large... I have emailed querying how he arrived at the final figure.

So a bit of a downer. Plus we're still trying to work out how to site the bloody static caravan. The quotes we've had so far to put in some hardcore to stand it on and some drains to attach it to our septic tank are in excess of £2500 :eek: Then we have had people looking at the septic tank and we are told it really is on its last legs and was probably only able to survive because it was servicing the needs of one adult, not a family of five. Double :eek::eek:

The weather here has been grim or clear and pretty cold. A trip to Folly Farm, however, means I'm now rather keen on the idea of alpacas... Rummer. Can you spin me a yarn with your new machine please?

Itismehonest

lostinrates wrote: »

Looks like the best i can do is 124 inc delivery for 18 potted hollies of between 60 & 80 cms. Thats two a metre for the shortish run. Most places recommed three, what do you guys think, these are bigger plants than the 30 cm ones they also recommend at three per metre, and there will be a fence for "security" while they thicken up.....

Do you guys think we could make do with fewer?

Some hollies can be very slow growing, LIR, so it's hard to judge without knowing how your particular variety does. The fence means you do have time &, if you think the spacing is too wide, you can always add smaller plants between the originals next year or the year after.

I'm guessing LIR means the Rural Payments Agency, choille ........ but may be wrong.

Sorry to hear about the car, lucielle - darned nuisance

Sounds like you're going to need a new onion, rozee. At least if you have a new one in you can get something adequate in size for any future plans. We had a 32 person onion put in when we did the conversions.
Is there nowhere on your land which is rocky enough to use for hardcore? Or maybe on a friendly neighbouring farm? It can work out much cheaper than having to buy tons in.

lostinrates

choille wrote: »

Do you not get rpa? I thought you had to have a separate business acc for that? I have just arranged for a digger to come and put a ditch in for a road side hedge, so that ps where most of this years will go.....

Sorry? What's rpa? I do have a business account, but to sell fleeces on ebay I would need a buisness sellers account.

Yes, i meant bank acc. And rural payments. Ebay is a different world to me and costs me money.


Someone might be interested in dh's lr. We were advised not to take a penny less than a grand for in, and pref a few hundred more. I cannot see dh getting to it, it was a year ago now, his crash, and i think he should consider an offer.

rhiwfield

CTC, get your butt into gear and start listing

Alf, dont be despondent, you've just got those sad old ebay blues :cool: :rotfl:

To the point, I'm finding with Ebay that you get out in proportion to what you put in. Good photos really help, include all relevant words in the title and description for searchers to find. Think how the item might appeal across categories (sold an item recently that was Times war news but it sold high due to a letter from a famous author mentioned in the listing details) Make items end at times when people will be able to bid. And research to add value.

Even then there will be disappointments, but we get some items where we are amazed at the price we achieve.

Pity DW has chest and viral infections atm, she so wants to join in but she needs to rest.

Will be booting first thing, so an early night for me.

Oh no it isnt!

Yes it bluidy well is!

lostinrates

Rozee i suggest you look at a sewage treatment plant. Planners love them, and it is much easier to deal with clean water from it than septic tank soakaway ...e.g. You can run the clean water from a stc steaight into a ditch! Or if you had a pond which overflowed into a ditch running the biodisc/stc water into it would essentially make it clean water fed. We had ours emptied last month....they should be emptied annually not left to fill, and i was thrilled that it had performed so well, it was less than half full and the bacteria were obviously very active in there. I am well used to living on septic tanks, never new ones, so a new tank might be as great as a etc but i like our wtc. It is a kingspan, what was recommended to us by an indepenandant drainage specialist, who was recommended by an independant party to my dad!

alfie_1

So a bit of a downer. Plus we're still trying to work out how to site the bloody static caravan. The quotes we've had so far to put in some hardcore to stand it on and some drains to attach it to our septic tank are in excess of £2500 :eek:

rozee......only suggestions ...
ask around to see if any builders/contractors have hardcore they want to dump ? [check its JUST hardcore not just rubbish tho] these guys have to pay to tip !! AND HERE THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS IT..they will tip near to site and yr guys can use digger to shift it. if you are having someone in, get someone on a day rate [average £200] hire a digger [average £ 100 per day] and get it done, it could be done in a couple of days.. [2 men,one digger = £600 minimum??] ! i would get advise re a new cess pit. my friend had a new one [like a big plastic barrel] put in the ground and she wishes shed got the much bigger version as it has to be emptied SO often ! which is not cheap.... decide where it is to go by the acess for lorry to empty it easily... as for laying a waste pipe from static, can you use the old sceptic tank for now and that gives you time to decide re the perminant one ?? you can get temporary pipes put in [like at festivals]

edit...my maths is sh*te ! £800 plus digger =£1k although ive seen it done in a day !!

alfie_1

Cough up choille...... Give up the buttons....:D

OBVIOUSLY HUNGRY WORK UP IN THEM THERE HILLS..:rotfl:

Itismehonest

alfie_1 wrote: »

So a bit of a downer. Plus we're still trying to work out how to site the bloody static caravan. The quotes we've had so far to put in some hardcore to stand it on and some drains to attach it to our septic tank are in excess of £2500 :eek:

rozee......only suggestions ...
ask around to see if any builders/contractors have hardcore they want to dump ? [check its JUST hardcore not just rubbish tho] these guys have to pay to tip !! AND HERE THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS IT..they will tip near to site and yr guys can use digger to shift it. if you are having someone in, get someone on a day rate [average £200] hire a digger [average £ 100 per day] and get it done, it could be done in a couple of days.. [2 men,one digger = £600 minimum??] ! i would get advise re a new cess pit. my friend had a new one [like a big plastic barrel] put in the ground and she wishes shed got the much bigger version as it has to be emptied SO often ! which is not cheap.... decide where it is to go by the acess for lorry to empty it easily... as for laying a waste pipe from static, can you use the old sceptic tank for now and that gives you time to decide re the perminant one ?? you can get temporary pipes put in [like at festivals]

edit...my maths is sh*te ! £800 plus digger =£1k although ive seen it done in a day !!

The thing your friend has is an onion septic tank, alfie. The old cesspits were usually concrete or cement lined pits. Most of them are banned now.

lostinrates

Right, holly ordered. If it is too few i might interplant next year with hedge roses or rugosas if not other hollies.

I wish we had got lots of hazel to interplant with in the hedge rows too. We have some nasty gaps. It will have to be autumn now.