Another one of those threads........how much?

[GTB]

too many are just keen to farm more land totally regardless of if it will make them better off or not ..................bloody expensive and dangerous addiction if you ask me !

I totally agree but everyone needs to start somewhere. Some of us have expanded past the point of being efficient, others are too small to be efficient.

 

[Grassman]

They have clear rules to define an active farmer so no need for the hang man

What so nobody is claiming except active farmers?
I know of five just round my place. These are landowners who have no livestock or equipment to even make a token effort at farming!

 

[Brisel]

What so nobody is claiming except active farmers?
I know of five just round my place. These are landowners who have no livestock or equipment to even make a token effort at farming!

What's wrong with contract farming? There are plenty of industries where one person take trading risk i.e. builds the project, buys materials etc but uses contractors to do the physical work. Farming is not unique in this respect. Sure, to an outsider it looks like the farmer is doing nothing other than writing invoices, but there's far more to it than meets the eye.

 

[Grassman]

What's wrong with contract farming? There are plenty of industries where one person take trading risk i.e. builds the project, buys materials etc but uses contractors to do the physical work. Farming is not unique in this respect. Sure, to an outsider it looks like the farmer is doing nothing other than writing invoices, but there's far more to it than meets the eye.

No idea about contract farming really.
These I refer to are just landowners who let out the land and claim the subsidy.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Tell them you want the BPS and entitlements - they are not allowed to claim if they don't have management control. A grazing licence is ok as the grazier is only making use of what is growing out of the ground, not the land underneath it - whilst this seema pedantic, this is how the RPA view it for BPS purposes. Cropping licences are not viewed at valid unless the BPS claimant has bought the seed & sprays then sells the crop off after 16th May.

If not, you want £40/acre to look after it for them and to undertake the works you talked about. If they say no, it's a grazing licence only really. Otherwise, walk away. It doesn't really sound like arable is viable - the rabbit fencing will cost a fair bit for a start.

Can you wander down & take some soil samples on your own account? I somehow doubt there will be much in the soil & with the developer's unpredictability of timing it's not worth putting much more than offtake back on either. The organic status really doesn't help.

If he finds out he can't claim he will probably let the wildlife have it as the rent won't replace the loss

 

[Derrick Hughes]

What so nobody is claiming except active farmers?
I know of five just round my place. These are landowners who have no livestock or equipment to even make a token effort at farming!

What rental terms, most people have been questioned in Wales on their degree of activity and had to give evidence in the form of invoices to prove such

 

[Grassman]

What rental terms, most people have been questioned in Wales on their degree of activity and had to give evidence in the form of invoices to prove such

Sounds like they are a lot keener in Wales than England. I havn't heard of anyone here being penalised for not farming the land themselves.

 

[Grassman]

What rental terms, most people have been questioned in Wales on their degree of activity and had to give evidence in the form of invoices to prove such

I don't know what rental terms.

 

[hally]

If that was in Wales some idiot would offer £100 per acre for it.....

I would try to get the organic status removed and would offer a sensible rent of say £50 per acre on the clean land. Year two you would still pay the same rate but for more acres. The field with rushes might not be so bad once it's been mowed and sprayed/weed wiped.

Many on here will tell you not to take it unless it's free but in reality (especially in this area) there's always someone that will pay silly money for it so it's best to offer something as long as the sums add up.

in cumbria that would be the cost of upland ground not grade one

 

[Derrick Hughes]

in cumbria that would be the cost of upland ground not grade one

Grass rents here, goodish Ground £120 to £200 2cd £40 to £60 , with a few either side that, i did here of some at £18 , the landowner would be claiming the SFP or let with no claim

 

[Robigus]

Landowner

He has already got his rent.

Take it for free and let out the rabbit shooting - there are always people on here asking for it (but some how they don't seem to think they should pay)

 

[CopperBeech]

Why should someone pay to sort your problem out? If you make them pay they do it for sport and don't want to get rid of all the rabbits. Give it to the right ppl and they will wipe your rabbits out!

 

[spin cycle]

it's a market place...all this 'for free'/ 'pay me' rubbish....if you want it pay £50 over sfp...if it's not worth that walk away....someone else will pay at least £50 i bet JMO

 

[Derrick Hughes]

it's a market place...all this 'for free'/ 'pay me' rubbish....if you want it pay £50 over sfp...if it's not worth that walk away....someone else will pay at least £50 i bet JMO

Post of the day,

 

[Guiggs]

@Jerry i hope you can get it for the right price to make it work for YOU!!
I'd love a chance at something like that around here....
Good luck!

 

[Jerry]

Thanks all for your input, deliberately have not replied much and have been thinking on the situation considerably the last few days.

I am going back to see the land in question again this week, will have a very good walk around this time.

I have a potential home for some organic bullock hay.

Im inclined to try and take the land on at the right deal, ideally on a 5 year deal with the correct treatment of entitlements etc. On that basis I will do some of the cleaning up and wont want to pay a huge amount for it and probably nothing for the first 18mths or so.

If he does not want a 5 year deal then a grazing license on it only with the option to take a cut of grass as well. I wont waste my time clearing the hedges though unless he is paying me.

He has said he may let the organic status go, that would be a bonus.

As some one said there are no other organic farmers in the local area.

Talking to a few locals in the know the last couple of days, there is definite development potential on one field, that is the worst one for rabbits funny enough, but they say it wont come for at least 3 to 5 years, no options on it in place but it could go onto open market I guess.

The rest wont see development for some years but it will be in the next 15 years.

It could be ideal ground for us with the right price and structure, and would supplement the current farmed area quite well.........at the right price.

Lets see what this week brings.

 

[yellowbelly]

Thanks all for your input, deliberately have not replied much and have been thinking on the situation considerably the last few days.

I am going back to see the land in question again this week, will have a very good walk around this time.

I have a potential home for some organic bullock hay.

Im inclined to try and take the land on at the right deal, ideally on a 5 year deal with the correct treatment of entitlements etc. On that basis I will do some of the cleaning up and wont want to pay a huge amount for it and probably nothing for the first 18mths or so.

If he does not want a 5 year deal then a grazing license on it only with the option to take a cut of grass as well. I wont waste my time clearing the hedges though unless he is paying me.

He has said he may let the organic status go, that would be a bonus.

As some one said there are no other organic farmers in the local area.

Talking to a few locals in the know the last couple of days, there is definite development potential on one field, that is the worst one for rabbits funny enough, but they say it wont come for at least 3 to 5 years, no options on it in place but it could go onto open market I guess.

The rest wont see development for some years but it will be in the next 15 years.

It could be ideal ground for us with the right price and structure, and would supplement the current farmed area quite well.........at the right price.

Lets see what this week brings.

Good luck

 

[Jerry]

Well rightly or wrongly I have decided to take on some of the land and our agent is working on an agreement that will protect both parties.

It is all currently grass and organic though he is dropping that status so that gives us more flexibility.We will leave it as grass for now and will both graze and cut it. I have had a proper walk around it all now, walked all hedges and across all fields. Rabbit issues are only really in one corner and should be easily sorted over the winter.

Fences in all hedges are good, very good most of it and there are portions of rabbit fence as well. Hedges need tidying up though.

First 18mths I think we will be in the position to get it back in hand and not pay anything, crop of hay of some this year that I may split profit on with him is it works out.

Arable may well be an option come next year, will have to see. But we can get a good crop of grass of it and will mean we can up sheep numbers or run store lambs over winter.

I know some wont agree and others will but think it will fit OK with our current operation.

 

[Jerry]

As a little update on this, we managed to get Siskin winter wheat in in near perfect seedbed on 2nd of Nov 16. Roundup Max pre ploughing to to sort out the couch and rolled pre and post drilling. No need for lime or P&K.

We have had to put a bit of rabbit fencing up but all in all the wheat looks well. Its had a couple of spits of N, a cheap post em and no Fungicide as yet, we are skipping T0 as no disease showing.

Needs a second herbicide as some perennial weeds showing and that will go in with the T1. Got to decide on N strategy now going forward but I think it has good potential as tillered very well.

Last pic is the worst bit where rabbits had a good go but getting away from that now.

 

[CORNFLAKE]

Have you got any photos of it before you took it on? Looks good.