What do you think is a reasonable rent for a 1 acre field?

[bonniethomas06]

I am planning on asking our landlady if we can rent her field (one of about 20 of hers - she lives next door) which is behind her house. Which would be a dream come true!

We are not sure what to offer her - she has been good to us in letting us graze our chooks on it since we moved here in October, so don't want to offend by offering too little. On the other hand, our budget is erm...tighter than something very tight, so we would also like to get away with as little as possible! (would naturally share anything we grew).

Does £100 sound reasonable to you for a bit-smaller than 1 acre field? I would be really interested to hear if anyone pays a similar amount?

Thanks

Bonnie

[Minnesota]

open farm land in Minnesota USA goes for about $200 to $300 US. an acre.

Have you considered a Share-cropper situation?
She might think produce is worth more than Money...I know I do.
It's not being Cheap...it's being Ish !

[snapdragon]

i'd be tempted to discuss the possibility with her, before you start thinking about cash. To me a share of whatever comes out of the field sounds like a very good deal - as long as it isn't bye-law restricted to grazing/pasture use

[oldfella]

Why not have a chat with her and let her make the first move. You may well find that she would like to see a use made of her field.

[grahamhobbs]

I have no direct experience but good agricultural land is about £7k - £8k / acre to buy, so I would have thought that a commercial rent would be at least 5% of that, £300 - £400/year.

[boboff]

My opinion only.

£5 a week, £20 a month would be the maximum. £10 a month would be fair I think, or £100 a year...... Plus share the surplus to keep good will.

[TheGoodEarth]

Offer to look after it for free by keeping the grass down, fixing the fence etc and she may let you have it for free. About 3 acres near me are rented for two horses and they pay £75 per month.

[Fred Hoggin]

I have no direct experience but good agricultural land is about £7k - £8k / acre to buy, so I would have thought that a commercial rent would be at least 5% of that, £300 - £400/year.

[Minnesota]

Prime farmland in Minnesota usually sells for $4500 to $5000 US per acre.

Lowland in a flood-plain but still farmable is called Marginal Land
that usually sells for about $2000 to $3000 US an acre.

marsh, swampy, and wooded Hunting land which would
not be farmable would go $1000 to $5000 depending on it's huntablity
and proximity to other hunting type land including Government owned land.
More room for Wild game to room, the better the hunting, and the higher the price.

[bonniethomas06]

Thanks guys, that gives me an idea.

I hear what you say about having it for free, but I think that is pushing it a bit, as I know she is struggling financially, and could have horses on it if she wasn't letting it to us. Also, I would feel a bit restricted if it was a favour, and wouldn't want to put up a polytunnel or the like.

Can't stop lusting over it on google earth...all that space...all those potatoes!!!

[ElizabethBinary]

Prime farmland in Minnesota usually sells for $4500 to $5000 US per acre.

Lowland in a flood-plain but still farmable is called Marginal Land
that usually sells for about $2000 to $3000 US an acre.

marsh, swampy, and wooded Hunting land which would
not be farmable would go $1000 to $5000 depending on it's huntablity
and proximity to other hunting type land including Government owned land.
More room for Wild game to room, the better the hunting, and the higher the price.

Screw the crap accent, I'm moving back to America!

[bonniethomas06]

Please excuse shamelessly gratuitous new thread celebrating the news, but we managed to negotiate £50 for half an acre.

To us, that is reasonable (as it has running water and electric fence) and we spend double that with Riverford anyway.

And if we can grow enough veg, she is even prepared to reduce it in future!

We may have been able to get away with less, but to be honest I don't want to feel like we are taking advantage, and feel better about being able to do pretty much what we want with it if we are paying (i.e, polytunnel).

Cannot wait to get that rotivator on it this weekend! Thanks for advice all.

[gdb]

Please excuse shamelessly gratuitous new thread celebrating the news, but we managed to negotiate £50 for half an acre.

To us, that is reasonable (as it has running water and electric fence) and we spend double that with Riverford anyway.

And if we can grow enough veg, she is even prepared to reduce it in future!

We may have been able to get away with less, but to be honest I don't want to feel like we are taking advantage, and feel better about being able to do pretty much what we want with it if we are paying (i.e, polytunnel).

Cannot wait to get that rotivator on it this weekend! Thanks for advice all.

That's great news!

Good for you.

Mind you, you could almost buy land the size of Wiltshire for that much over here... !!!

[Minnesota]

You can plow or cultivate this time of year ?
I am jealous.
ground froze solid here...probably 10 t 20 inches deep.

[Thurston Garden]

Sounds like you have a good deal. I was renting at £250 an acre, with water but I had to fence it myself. £100 an acre sounds good. Half an acre is a good chunk too - probably better to have taken on a smaller amount and made a good go os it, rather than taking on an acre and it getting on top of you and your landlady thinking 'what have I done letting it to them' and taking it all back.

Now all you have to do it talk her into letting you put up a nice big polytunnel