ARE there any other National Trust tenants out there in the same predicament as we are?

[Flat 10]

Time to get a journalist involved.
Joe public will be onside
Public bodies like NT should not be eligible for bps money

Couldn’t agree more.

 

[Daniel Larn]

In simple terms we will not be able to farm the land and produce any food from it. Rent doesn't come into it as we would be expected to stay here to implement their crazy policy and put up withe the general oublic wandering through our yard and past the house at all times of day and night. It is bad enough at the moment so I dread to think what it will be like in a few years time!

If they aren't allowing any productivity then that is madness, are you just in beef/sheep or something at the moment?

Can you ask for help from them to pivot and start to move to a more diverse, multi-layered business? - I don't know whether you'd want to do that, but if you're open to it then it could be an option. - could be a nice little earner.

As for public access, I would suggest it's a serious risk to bring the public into the yard while under National Trust banner. Although, not sure if something in your agreement with the Trust prevents it, but it could also give you a steady supply of customers to sell to.

Unfortunately, I don't know what you can do about the Trust pushing you someway you don't want to go, but perhaps you can try to find a way of getting something out of this yourself as well.

 

[bitwrx]

Time to get a journalist involved.
Joe public will be onside
Public bodies like NT should not be eligible for bps money

I went to a viewing day on an NT farm tenancy in Monmouthshire. Several things were clearly evident to me from the tenancy literature:
1) the NT had a very clear idea of what they wanted the land to look like in the long term future.
2) the NT had a very clear idea of the farming techniques that they wanted to see employed. (In my view, they didn't really understand what they were saying with regards to the farming, and if the farm was farmed how they wanted, they wouldn't get the future landscape they wanted. But that's just my opinion.)
3) the way they wanted the land farmed would not be a commercial proposition, and that's before the tenant had stumped up £6k/yr in council tax for the rundown (but absolutely stunning) farmhouse.

So - having decided that short of a sizeable lottery win the farm was not for me - I was able to be quite direct in my questioning of the NT people on site.

I asked that since they had such a clear idea of how they wanted it farmed, and that since it clearly wasn't a good commercial proposition, why didn't they just farm it themselves. The answer was basically "we think the govt is going to limit the max bps claim per claimant, and we'd be stuffed if we claimed it all ourselves. So we need farmers to claim it so we can charge them rent, and get the money that way" (I paraphrase slightly).

TL;DR: the NT think they won't be able to get all their bps money in the future, so are getting their house in order now. The OP would probably do well to look up their farming and nature policy if he/she hasn't already. I can't find a copy just now but think I have one on the computer indoors. Must go feed pigs now.

 

[TripleSix]

Most of the dale next to us is NT owned.

Newer tenants in the farms never seem to stay for long.
Too restrictive and not helpful?

 

[jondear]

Word for word, pretty much exactly the same on this estate, plus beavers, also add in the NT stance on badgers & the cull = rather alot of worried tenants as to the future on NT farms that have often been in families for generations.

I would add that lots of neighbors to NT are also worried as to stance on cull as it's Us who are feeling it now !

 

[Flat 10]

In simple terms we will not be able to farm the land and produce any food from it. Rent doesn't come into it as we would be expected to stay here to implement their crazy policy and put up withe the general oublic wandering through our yard and past the house at all times of day and night. It is bad enough at the moment so I dread to think what it will be like in a few years time!

But you have a right to quiet enjoyment of your property. Are you having a rent renewal? Otherwise I can't see how they can dictate to you at all.....

 

[glasshouse]

Most of the dale next to us is NT owned.

Newer tenants in the farms never seem to stay for long.
Too restrictive and not helpful?

Rent too high
You cant hide from reality for long
A lot of thse farms cant generate a rent, the tenants are donating capital to the landlord, both financial capital and physical

 

[Flat 10]

Prince Charles is chairman president or some such thing of the NT. I'm not the biggest fan of him but he seems to run his dutchy estates with respect for the family farms. Write to him, I think he really would be be 'appalled'......
Seriously, its got to be worth a whirl.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Prince Charles is chairman president or some such thing of the NT. I'm not the biggest fan of him but he seems to run his dutchy estates with respect for the family farms. Write to him, I think he really would be be 'appalled'......
Seriously, its got to be worth a whirl.

They allow the cull as well.

 

[rusty]

NT playing silly beggars in Derbyshire. Farmers daughter from next door and her very switched on partner had got a NT tenancy on a local upland farm. The house had been unoccupied for over a year. NT had done it up and let them choose the carpets etc. Week before they were due to move in they pulled the plug and decided to leave it to nature for a year then reconsider!
Another local NT tenant retired recently and had worked closely with NT on their projects, I.e handful of native breed suckers on a big expanse of moorland. They made their money from the campsite they ran on the farm. NT done nothing with the farm, currently letting it rewild.

 

[Oscar]

Unfortunately I am in same boat, want me to stop arable (225 acs out of 310) grass out farm, plant 32 acs broadleaf woods plus hundreds of in field ones, no inputs ,low grazing, block ditches and drains to get water spread, use 52 acs as water flood storage, 18m corridors linking woods, extra hedges, hedges to grow out etc etc . Basically it's a stop to commercial farming and make farm look like the 1950 s . Unfortunately I m 8 months past my original 20 yr fbt and this is their germs re me staying here ie , yes you can have a 15 yr extension but this is what we are offering ie take it or leave it . FBT rules allow this so I m over a barrel . Did nt want me in any schemes ie HLS etc but I pointed out that even on a zero rent what was I meant to earn ?? I have no stock either by choice so the future is looking rather bleak.
I think they might regret this policy in the future when the current personnel have left but the current president has made it her legacy to plant millions of trees and all they are concerned with is how their estates look like. Would think their benefactors who ,left them the estates might disagree but hey ho .

 

[glasshouse]

NT playing silly beggars in Derbyshire. Farmers daughter from next door and her very switched on partner had got a NT tenancy on a local upland farm. The house had been unoccupied for over a year. NT had done it up and let them choose the carpets etc. Week before they were due to move in they pulled the plug and decided to leave it to nature for a year then reconsider!
Another local NT tenant retired recently and had worked closely with NT on their projects, I.e handful of native breed suckers on a big expanse of moorland. They made their money from the campsite they ran on the farm. NT done nothing with the farm, currently letting it rewild.

Ffs

 

[glasshouse]

Unfortunately I am in same boat, want me to stop arable (225 acs out of 310) grass out farm, plant 32 acs broadleaf woods plus hundreds of in field ones, no inputs ,low grazing, block ditches and drains to get water spread, use 52 acs as water flood storage, 18m corridors linking woods, extra hedges, hedges to grow out etc etc . Basically it's a stop to commercial farming and make farm look like the 1950 s . Unfortunately I m 8 months past my original 20 yr fbt and this is their germs re me staying here ie , yes you can have a 15 yr extension but this is what we are offering ie take it or leave it . FBT rules allow this so I m over a barrel . Did nt want me in any schemes ie HLS etc but I pointed out that even on a zero rent what was I meant to earn ?? I have no stock either by choice so the future is looking rather bleak.
I think they might regret this policy in the future when the current personnel have left but the current president has made it her legacy to plant millions of trees and all they are concerned with is how their estates look like. Would think their benefactors who ,left them the estates might disagree but hey ho .

NT should not be using fbt tenancies, should be forced to convert to AHA

 

[Daniel Larn]

Unfortunately I am in same boat, want me to stop arable (225 acs out of 310) grass out farm, plant 32 acs broadleaf woods plus hundreds of in field ones, no inputs ,low grazing, block ditches and drains to get water spread, use 52 acs as water flood storage, 18m corridors linking woods, extra hedges, hedges to grow out etc etc . Basically it's a stop to commercial farming and make farm look like the 1950 s . Unfortunately I m 8 months past my original 20 yr fbt and this is their germs re me staying here ie , yes you can have a 15 yr extension but this is what we are offering ie take it or leave it . FBT rules allow this so I m over a barrel . Did nt want me in any schemes ie HLS etc but I pointed out that even on a zero rent what was I meant to earn ?? I have no stock either by choice so the future is looking rather bleak.
I think they might regret this policy in the future when the current personnel have left but the current president has made it her legacy to plant millions of trees and all they are concerned with is how their estates look like. Would think their benefactors who ,left them the estates might disagree but hey ho .

I don't necessarily see the issue doing a lot of this, but it has to be done right.

The Trust should be buying what you can produce at a cost that allows you to continue, agree to plant trees and hedgerows, but try and get them to plant fruiting and feeding varieties. Look at adding some small batches of poultry, maybe bees. Argue to keep some arable, go for 'ancient grains' that you can sell at a premium.

using all the stuff you've got, try producing small batches of value-added goods, cider/gin/vodka, bread, jams/pickles etc. Offer to sell it back to the trust and tout it under 'deepening the connection between the visitors and the farms, showing them exactly what the Trust's vision of farming can produce'. - They will be eating out of your hand and giving you all the support they can to make it happen.

 

[glasshouse]

I don't necessarily see the issue doing a lot of this, but it has to be done right.

The Trust should be buying what you can produce at a cost that allows you to continue, agree to plant trees and hedgerows, but try and get them to plant fruiting and feeding varieties. Look at adding some small batches of poultry, maybe bees. Argue to keep some arable, go for 'ancient grains' that you can sell at a premium.

using all the stuff you've got, try producing small batches of value-added goods, cider/gin/vodka, bread, jams/pickles etc. Offer to sell it back to the trust and tout it under 'deepening the connection between the visitors and the farms, showing them exactly what the Trust's vision of farming can produce'. - They will be eating out of your hand and giving you all the support they can to make it happen.

Cant see the issue?
All that takes a lot of investment and hard work
Are nt going to fund it?
Blocking drains will ruin the farm

 

[Daniel Larn]

Cant see the issue?
All that takes a lot of investment and hard work
Are nt going to fund it?
Blocking drains will ruin the farm

Again, it has to be done right.

NT should be assisting, with contracts to allow for funding or even with funding directly.

Blocking drains just changes what you have to do, I agree it will bugger it up the way it is now, but you just have to take that into account in looking at the future plans.

 

[anzani]

These are your landlords. It is interesting to see their other life experiences. Remember, the National Trust is a membership organisation. While it is a generalisation, the rump of that membership is the archetypal conservative remainder of Great Britains original indigenous population, who have invariably deep roots in the rural past of this nation. They are your strength.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/board-of-trustees

 

[2wheels]

Unfortunately I am in same boat, want me to stop arable (225 acs out of 310) grass out farm, plant 32 acs broadleaf woods plus hundreds of in field ones, no inputs ,low grazing, block ditches and drains to get water spread, use 52 acs as water flood storage, 18m corridors linking woods, extra hedges, hedges to grow out etc etc . Basically it's a stop to commercial farming and make farm look like the 1950 s . Unfortunately I m 8 months past my original 20 yr fbt and this is their germs re me staying here ie , yes you can have a 15 yr extension but this is what we are offering ie take it or leave it . FBT rules allow this so I m over a barrel . Did nt want me in any schemes ie HLS etc but I pointed out that even on a zero rent what was I meant to earn ?? I have no stock either by choice so the future is looking rather bleak.
I think they might regret this policy in the future when the current personnel have left but the current president has made it her legacy to plant millions of trees and all they are concerned with is how their estates look like. Would think their benefactors who ,left them the estates might disagree but hey ho .

tell em to stick it, there are other options in life than farming.

 

[Tha Ulsterscot]

Again, it has to be done right.

NT should be assisting, with contracts to allow for funding or even with funding directly.

Blocking drains just changes what you have to do, I agree it will bugger it up the way it is now, but you just have to take that into account in looking at the future plans.

Sounds as if he's trying to back the trust, with typical wool pulling. no doubt he's on their side trying to justify the madness. They're all tossers.

 

[SilliamWhale]

In simple terms we will not be able to farm the land and produce any food from it. Rent doesn't come into it as we would be expected to stay here to implement their crazy policy and put up withe the general oublic wandering through our yard and past the house at all times of day and night. It is bad enough at the moment so I dread to think what it will be like in a few years time!

Why won't you be able to farm this land? They must have specific policy or habitat aims from this parcel of land? Is it near a country house etc. I definitely don't think you want the public wandering through the farmyard in general but is their room for a discussion on habitat reversion on some land in exchange for less/ no rent and you charge a management fee?

I suppose every situation is specific.