Small Holding

gggareth

Hi All First post for along long time.

Not sure this is strictly house buying but it has an element of it.

I'm interested in buying a small holding with house and about 3-6 Acres of Land, ideally small wood, pond, stream, polytunnels.The idea is to sell up where I am and try to be self sustaining to a certain extent with the potential to run a small nursery/plant business.

1. Where are the best sites to look.?
2.What are the differences between smallholdings with an AOC and those without.
3. Location seems to be the biggest issue as the prices vary wildly & with that your customer base seems limited.

Has anyone looked at or completed any viable and non viable plans to do this & has anyone actually done this.? Intersted in the Pitfalls /heartache that this causes or anyone that is living the "Good Life" and has found it fulfilling.


Cheers..

gggareth

MrsRobbo17

I can't offer any advice but best of luck!
I'd love to do this but finances don't allow (

Itismehonest

You'd probably get more answers over on Greenfingered MoneySaving. There are a few smallholders there.

Mojisola

How much experience do you have?

In the 70s when there was a movement back to land to become self-sufficient, many people ended up with broken dreams when they realised the mind-numbing relentless work in all weathers that is required.

If you haven't had a go, try WWOOFing or spending some time volunteering with these groups - https://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/

gggareth

Hi All thanks for the replies.

MRS Robbo not sure i have enough money to survive on either !

Itsmehonest thanks for the site.


Mojisola,

THis is a concern of mine great when the weather is good but in the middle of winter when there is afoot of snow or its chucking it down... different story. I have a good deal of buisness experience & can see some of the pitfalls.
How do they survive in Winter i can see the + of summer but your Income must be non existent in Winter what do they do ?

Also Struggle with some sort of USP how do you drive buisness to you when the big chains supply a one stop shop...

Cheers.

Itismehonest

It's on this site ......


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=134

Some of the Daydream thread are smallholders.

Mojisola

gggareth wrote: »

THis is a concern of mine great when the weather is good but in the middle of winter when there is afoot of snow or its chucking it down... different story. I have a good deal of buisness experience & can see some of the pitfalls.

How do they survive in Winter i can see the + of summer but your Income must be non existent in Winter what do they do ?

Also Struggle with some sort of USP how do you drive buisness to you when the big chains supply a one stop shop...

Income from such a small acreage is never going to be high, especially if you are using part of it to be self-sufficient. It will also be very erratic throughout the year so you have to be good at putting money away for the lean times.

Are you thinking about producing food for sale or ornamental plants? Have you any experience in growing? You will be setting up a new business which will have to compete with people who have been trained and gained years of practical experience.

gggareth

Mojisola,

1. Thinking about a small holding that used to be a nursery buisness so Plants,Shrubs, & all the consumbables from pots planters compost, etc SO it is an established buisness but has not traded for 2-3 years.My buisness head tells me it has not traded for a good reason Ie it is not viable. It has the majority of what i wanted and can be added to as neccesary.The current owners are in their 70's now and want to sell up and retire.

Currently we as a household earn well over 6 figures obviously i know it will never produce that kind of revenue but i may be able to continue with my work remotely so i have some sort of fall back position. But the small holding does have an AOC clause which may be difficult to fullfill.

I do have an edge on the local competion in that i work around the world & have contacts for all the hardware items in China, Vietnam, India & the Import of products by various modes. Also i have the cash to buy it outright & have enough savings to last for at least 2 years.So i'm in the best possible position i will ever be..

Not really much practical experience of growing though how hard can it be ? I will get slated for that i know ( only joking) i realize that the amount of time and effort put in to growing does not seem to get a great return & people think a plant costs 2 pence to grow..

There is local competion which makes it even more difficult to thrive and grow.

Actually completed my buisness plan but i now have more questions than answers. My head tells me its too difficult & just continue to earn a good living at what i do. My heart says life is not allways about money & quality is becoming more important to me.
Earning good money does not make life better it just makes it a little easier..
I think i have empty nest syndrome


Cheers..

Mojisola

gggareth wrote: »

Thinking about a small holding that used to be a nursery buisness so Plants,Shrubs, & all the consumbables from pots planters compost, etc SO it is an established buisness but has not traded for 2-3 years.

Would you be growing your own stock or buying in? Many small garden centres buy in plants along with all the other stock although there are some that specialise in particular kinds of plants and do grow their own. Many also sell over the internet because local trade just doesn't bring in enough money.

Joining the HTA and a visit here - https://www.nationalplantshow.co.uk/ - would be interesting and give you an idea of the competition.

gggareth

Thanks,

I think to get started i would have to buy product in from Holland shrubs at the very least,for a year or so & have looked at most of the traders in Holland.I never realized that we can transport through out the EU with no inspection or regulation required if Grown there.

Internet not sure i'm a fan of buying plants over the web i like to see what i am buying ( dont know if i am a minority on this)but website/webstore is one of my options allready started on the design.... .I dont like how companies deliver living plants either .. I would prefer personal delivery and the chance to maybe up sell some stuff Locally.

Cheers for the website.. Excellent they have a show Mid June thank you very much...

Mojisola

gggareth wrote: »

Internet not sure i'm a fan of buying plants over the web i like to see what i am buying ( dont know if i am a minority on this)but website/webstore is one of my options allready started on the design.... .I dont like how companies deliver living plants either .. I would prefer personal delivery and the chance to maybe up sell some stuff Locally.

I was thinking that, if you were able to import items from the areas that you travel in, you could build up a name for having unusual stuff and be able to sell those through the internet.