our smallholding

[mandy davey]

Hi to everyone . We have a 20 acre smallholding in cornwall along with 2 hoilday lodges we grow our own veg and raise our own livestock .we would like to stop doing the holiday lets .and offer families plots to grow there own veg and raise some livestock for themselves we would be available to feed and water etc during the week leaving the families the weekends to attend the veg and stock we would like to include the lodges on a rota basic for the families to stay weekends or during the week .We only intend to have limted number of families with plots and hope to build a nice community of like minded smallholders . Any thoughts or ideas would be great .

Happy new year to all mandy

[pizzamomma]

HI MANDY

Sounds a great idea. Are you going to rent out the plots to people.
Have you thought about offering courses to people thinking about the smallholding business who could perhaps live the life for a week or so, and seeif it is practical for them? Just an idea as whne I first thought of doing this I had no knowledge (have only a limited amount know) and when i investigated the possibility of going off somewhere to learn it was soooooo expensive.

Good luck with your venture. If I lvied nearer Id love to join.

Pizzamomma

[mybarnconversion]

A great idea ... running courses seems like a potential income stream.

One concern I'd have would be around looking after other peoples livestock and its welfare - how would you deal with sick / dying animals when the owners are absent, uncontactable or have just lost interest?

[mandy davey]

A great idea ... running courses seems like a potential income stream.

One concern I'd have would be around looking after other peoples livestock and its welfare - how would you deal with sick / dying animals when the owners are absent, uncontactable or have just lost interest?

Hi there very good points
As to the welfare the condition would have to be in regard to calling a vet etc when owners are absent the livestock owner would have to agree to us calling the vet etc i would contact the owner but if no contact could be made i would call the vet as i would with any of our own animals and take the vets advice . As to people losing interest we would do our best before they purchase any stock to show them the amount of work involved and the commitment needed in raising any stock example christmas day carved the turkey family sitting at the table husband shouts aloud betty walking up the road betty is our large black sow with 8 pigglets she decided to go and have her xmas dinner on the next door neighbours farm luckly a few rattles of the bucket full of sow nuts she soon turned round and all 9 followed me home i changed the flat battery on the fencer and all was well went and enjoyed my warm xmas dinner .For us being on the smallholding 365 days a year we will be on hand if the owners are not there for the care of there stock.

[Mal]

I think you'd have to write it in to the contract of rent that if they were keeping livestock and the animals needed treating when the owners were non-contactable then you could do it and charge them and they might forfeit the animals as capital against the charges. You'd have to make a commercial assessment of whether you could recoup the outgoings on vets bills through sale/use of the animal.

A similar clause could cover if the lesees don't turn up/take good care of land and livestock - if you sent them warning letters before taking it back over, it's no different to what happens on allotments.

Might sound harsh, but it's got to be a business first and foremost, doesn't it? It's not a free social project (unless you're Jamie Oliver or Hugh Fernley-Thingamy)

[bodrighy]

Hi, just spotted this post. Where in Cornwall are you? I am just south of Truro

Pete