Uses for pasture

[Guest Gimlet]

I've just put in an application for a property lease on a house that has an agriculture restriction: you have to be employed in agriculture or a related industry to apply. That's fine. I qualify with my hedge laying and landscape/countryside management work. It comes with four acres of hill side pasture. It's good grass, well drained but does get a lot of rain, not overly steep but quite high and exposed in the winter. 

 

I wasn't particularly after the ground, more the outbuildings that come with the house, but it's quite a good deal so I'm going for it and I will be expected to have a use planned for the pasture. I will certainly need to maintain it, either by mowing or grazing. 

 

I will check but I don't think I will be permitted to cultivate it, so I'm wondering what livestock I could profitably keep on an such a small acreage. Any suggestions.  

[Vedhoggar]

26 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

I've just put in an application for a property lease on a house that has an agriculture restriction: you have to be employed in agriculture or a related industry to apply. That's fine. I qualify with my hedge laying and landscape/countryside management work. It comes with four acres of hill side pasture. It's good grass, well drained but does get a lot of rain, not overly steep but quite high and exposed in the winter. 

 

I wasn't particularly after the ground, more the outbuildings that come with the house, but it's quite a good deal so I'm going for it and I will be expected to have a use planned for the pasture. I will certainly need to maintain it, either by mowing or grazing. 

 

I will check but I don't think I will be permitted to cultivate it, so I'm wondering what livestock I could profitably keep on an such a small acreage. Any suggestions.  

You might consider just letting out the grazing on an annual basis to someone local if you are not particularly interested in keeping livestock. 

[Stere]

Dunno about any livestock profitbility on 4 acres.

 

 

Would have to be to something niche like bee hives or free range chickens,  or growing stuff but thats not allowed...

 

Allowed to sub let as a pony paddock etc?

[Stubby]

2 hours ago, Stere said:

Dunno about any livestock profitbility on 4 acres.

 

 

Would have to be to something niche like bee hives or free range chickens,  or growing stuff but thats not allowed...

 

Allowed to sub let as a pony paddock etc?

I would not want to put ponies on what sounds like " cow " grass for fear of laminitis .

[agg221]

What's the fencing like? If it's OK or fixable (or a hedge...!) you could probably run a few sheep on it at little more than cost. It depends on the area and how quickly you can build up contacts - you might need a route through lambing that doesn't involve you sat in a shed for weeks on end but a rare breed sheep with suitable wool to sell and cover the costs, or a good meat breed sheep from the area that's too slow for modern commercial farming and grow them up for butchering for your own use or selling to local restaurants and farm shops might do it?

 

Alec

[Guest Gimlet]

5 hours ago, Stere said:

Dunno about any livestock profitbility on 4 acres.

 

 

Would have to be to something niche like bee hives or free range chickens,  or growing stuff but thats not allowed...

 

Allowed to sub let as a pony paddock etc?

Bees are a nice idea. Maybe I could give an acre or so over to wild flowers, but that would mean sending some of his grass sward into retreat. 

I wouldn't mind getting a horse for myself. Just a gentle old plodder for rambles over the hills. But I get Stubby's concern about laminitis and the landlord may not want a horse on there all the time. My brother's daughter has horses and I know he doesn't like them in the same field all the time. He likes to rest the ground. The landlord may be of the same view.

 

The agent has asked what I intend to do with the field. I've said I have various options in mind but need to see it first and discuss with the landlord what he will accept and what the ground is suitable for. But I need to have some ideas lined up. 

 

Bees, a horse for me, or a handful of rare breed sheep all appeal. 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Gimlet

[djbobbins]

Can you not let it to someone with a few sheep / lambs, in exchange for a couple of them when they get slaughtered? Saves you the grief of registering animals etc, but you get something out of it.

[Guest Gimlet]

That's a good idea too, as long as I'm allowed to sub-let. 

[Will C]

Hebridean sheep.
They are very very low maintenance, you will hardly ever have to trim a foot or lamb one they just get on and look after themselves. Treat for fly strike (prevention) and shear once a year is about it. They are excellent conservation grazers and will thrive on good grass or thorn/bramble scrub.

If you want a better profit line find a farm with Dorset short horns to run your ewes with there ram you will get a bigger lamb

[Guest Gimlet]

How many sheep can you have on four acres?