How do I get a small holding?

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

Apart from having to save money for it, I have no idea how to go about getting a small holding!

Can anyone walk me through the process?

I presume I have to look...somewhere...for land? Where do I look? What's the current approx asking price per acre? Can I just start planting or would I need permission? I've heard that you can site a caravan on the land as long as you can prove it's for the accomodation of whoever works on the land - how true is this? I guess I'd need permission again? If I wanted to sell my produce, would I need permission?

Gawd, I want a small holding so that I can attempt to be mainly self-sufficient, but I can't unless I ask nicely for it!!

Thanks in advance

(also: Any good books that will help?)

RAS

It really is a lot harder than you think. I suggest reading some of this stuff http://www.tlio.org.uk/pubs/index.html#contents would be a good start, then read up on Tinker's Bubble, Ben Law and Simon Fairlie.

And whilst you are doing it, go wooffing as that is the best way to learn skills.

zarazara

We worked in farming for 20 odd years then Dh changed jobs. We bought a small teraced cottage in the village and a field at auction near by. ok not right next door to the house but 5 mins drive by car. This ,for us,was affordable. the field is 5 acres and has a shed on it. I keep sheep and grow veg and we make hay. small pieces if ground tend to go for more per acre than large blocks. price depends where you live. range is anything from £5,000 to £20,000 per acre. a couple of acres next to your house would verage about £40,000 a couple acre field standing alone about half that.
it also depends what you call a small holding. the National Trust have a farm for rent in Staffordshire [check out their web site] its approx 150 acres,but as it says,they are renting it as a part time farm only,the farmer,or their partner neds to have a job to make a living.

zarazara

re caravan. its not that simple. you need to speak to your local planning department about their rules.

rhosynbach

hi we have done the same as zarazara we brought a detached bungalow with a large garden and then brought land locally. we now have 16 acres in 3 places so we say a detached smallholding one place has a large barn and we have about 35 free range hens and we have planted an orchard of about 40 fruit trees and we have several vegtable patches. all the land is within cycling distance of the house, we would never have been able to afford to buy a small holding but doing it like this has acheived our dream in a different way.