Recent content by blacksheepcontracting

  1. blacksheepcontracting

    Are you in the top 5%

    Might be a good buy. My sister bought a 2 bed semi in Egham for £450k and sold it 4 years later for £600k Only improvements were a garden fence and a parking spot!
  2. blacksheepcontracting

    Hunting goats and rams in Scotland....photo evidence

    The world has gone mad. I see nothing wrong with it. If anything I think it should be encouraged and shared in a positive way as a chance to reconnect people with their food. I shot coyotes, beavers and bears in Canada for reasons such as protecting livestock, estate management and pleasure...
  3. blacksheepcontracting

    Shedding Sheep In Wales

    A few guys have them around. @GTB rest his soul had a fair number of them pretty high up. It’s a bigger problem selling them than running them it would appear. I myself am considering setting up a new flock of shedders on rented ground and am not put off by their shedding attributes
  4. blacksheepcontracting

    Not going to work for nothing

    I’m running 200 ewes and selling about 300 lambs and keeping a few for replacements. Total lamb sales don’t pay even 80% of the mortgage without adding my COP to the equation. Only been here a year and when the pasture is improved I will be able to carry more but this is the lot of a new...
  5. blacksheepcontracting

    The Real Issues with Current Agricultural Policy?

    Area payments lead to a large part of budget ending up in the wrong hands (1/3 of payment ends up in the hands of the retired in Spain for example). These subsidy mechanisms cause market distortion which affect trading with the rest of the world. It’s very slow to reform and is incredibly...
  6. blacksheepcontracting

    Anton Coaker : Cuddly Chris Packham

    I enjoy these a lot. Keep them coming
  7. blacksheepcontracting

    What would you do if you won the lottery?

    Pay off the small number of acres I have. Buy a few more. Live without debt and farm with security. Living the dream
  8. blacksheepcontracting

    The best way to save the planet? Stop listening to George Monbiot.

    Good article. If only we could condense this to something that could have real virality prospects so that the message could be shared and understood as easily as all that peta, Monbiot and vegan nonsense
  9. blacksheepcontracting

    The 'benefits' of EU membership

    What really got me recently was finding out a basic spec VW golf was £2k cheaper to buy in Canada. And seemingly products meant for lamb production (software, scales etc) was the same price or cheaper than here. Even though some of it is made here!
  10. blacksheepcontracting

    Cost of starting a dairy unit on a greenfield site

    The poor availability of land and the ridiculously high rent and purchase prices in my area are part of my flexibility with regards to moving in the future. Of course that could change in the not too distant future
  11. blacksheepcontracting

    Cost of starting a dairy unit on a greenfield site

    I’d need to be able to have enough of a margin to get married and start a family at the same time which would really ramp up the pressure!
  12. blacksheepcontracting

    Cost of starting a dairy unit on a greenfield site

    You are right but for my current situation I would be better off rearing calves for others, dabbling in a bit of sheep and contracting until I’m ready for the next property. Decent margin with small capital outlay leaving the servicing of debt controllable whilst building some equity but if I...
  13. blacksheepcontracting

    Cost of starting a dairy unit on a greenfield site

    It’s a very interesting thread that I’ve been following closely. I agree that it has been unduly negative. I have been considering doing the same thing on my small farm (68 acres) but the investment for me would be a waste as my plan would be to move to a bigger place in the next 10years...
  14. blacksheepcontracting

    "Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..

    200ewes plus lambs on 68 acres of old permanent pasture. All limed, p and k improved with fibrophos within the last 12 months. 15 years of grazing licenses and mowing so it was in a bad way. I’ve got a reseeding plan but I’m just looking to allow the grass to get ahead right now
  15. blacksheepcontracting

    "Improving Our Lot" - Planned Holistic Grazing, for starters..

    Sorry to butt in but I’m hoping one of you great minds can help me. After turning the sheep out to grass earlier than I would like to (poor planning) I can’t seem to get ahead and everything is getting overgrazed. At the moment I’m moving one big mob everyday but I only have 7 paddocks so I get...
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