Is it possible for me to turn over a piece of scrappy land?

Hello Landowners,
I live in the Croston, Leyland area, and I was wondering if there is a scrappy piece of land near to where I live that I could turn over so that I could use it. I would like to turn it into a piece of agricultural land which I can use for my attempts at a self-sustaining lifestyle. I don't have a lot of money by any means but I'm willing to do anything to prove myself as worthy for such an asset.

 

[Still Farming]

Give it a go.
Just get your searches done as you don't want to be lumbered with any "contaminated" land possibly?

 

[Helenah]

Give it a go.
Just get your searches done as you don't want to be lumbered with any "contaminated" land possibly?

Yes, I've considered that, Croston is in the countryside, and I've seen lots of scrappy bits of land which each time I walk past, there's been no changes made, I've considered the risk of adverse possession but I want to be careful for the point you made, and also incase I put a load of effort in only for someone who owns it to successfully challenge that it's theirs. I've even considered approaching farmers but need to build up the guts to do it, how do I approach a farmer? Say I see on a farmers land, a piece of land they year-on-year don't seem to be using, how do I enquire about that land? Like I said, I don't have a lot of money by any means but willing to do anything to earn a bit of land.

 

[spin cycle]

it's such a shame...there are loads of ppl that would like a 'little bit of land' yet so much is controlled by a few

those of us who own even a little bit are so lucky

mind you I've tried to help a coupla ppl and just got left with a mess I had to tidy up

 

[Helenah]

it's such a shame...there are loads of ppl that would like a 'little bit of land' yet so much is controlled by a few

those of us who own even a little bit are so lucky

mind you I've tried to help a coupla ppl and just got left with a mess I had to tidy up

Please may I have more information on how you got involved in helping people with their land?

 

[Helenah]

Another thing, sorry for the multiple posts, it just came to mind, I noticed that an acre of land is often sold for way more than the average land price per acre, where are people going for a good deal?

 

[Rich_ard]

Another thing, sorry for the multiple posts, it just came to mind, I noticed that an acre of land is often sold for way more than the average land price per acre, where are people going for a good deal?

There are no good deals! Good for the seller perhaps.

 

[Helenah]

There are no good deals! Good for the seller perhaps.

True, yes, I suppose it's a business for most custodians.

 

[Wooly]

The reality of it is, that you will never buy an acre of land for the average cost of an acre. (unless you buy 100 acres and sell off 99 ! )

Land values maybe £10,000 / acre..................but buying one acre will probably be £40,000 plus

Hopefully that hasn't burst your bubble.

 

[spin cycle]

Please may I have more information on how you got involved in helping people with their land?

one was my nephew who wanted to have a go at organic veg....he literally nearly killed himself trying to do it by sticking religiously to the principles....we fell out ...he left a mess...but hey that's family

the other was the husband of my part time helper...similar story...lots of enthusiasm and stuff arriving initially.. to much. ..I've still some mess to clean up after that one

 

[Still Farming]

Best way to approach a farmer is NOT with an adverse Possession order to start with possibly?
Land registry searches are cheap to start with.

Search for land and property information

Find a property and get its title plan, title register and see who owns it

www.gov.uk

 

[Nearly]

The reality of it is, that you will never buy an acre of land for the average cost of an acre. (unless you buy 100 acres and sell off 99 ! )

Land values maybe £10,000 / acre..................but buying one acre will probably be £40,000 plus

Hopefully that hasn't burst your bubble.

There are more buyers for 1 acre than there are for 100 acres.
In the true spirit of 'you can only sell it once' If I've 20 acres to sell that I can't see from home then it might take me half a dozen attempts depending how many roadside gates I can manage to 'find'.
I've had to pay 'over the odds' to buy 4 acres that joins up to me so 'real' farmers are at the mercy of the same real world as smaller buyers.
I had to outbid all the caravan owning or pony paddock folk in the area. I decided that it was worth it and I'm bliddy glad I did.

 

[Helenah]

Best way to approach a farmer is NOT with an adverse Possession order to start with possibly?
Land registry searches are cheap to start with.

Search for land and property information

Find a property and get its title plan, title register and see who owns it

www.gov.uk

Yes, I was very reluctant to do it.

 

[Helenah]

So what's the best way to approach a farmer? Do I help him do his job by asking if there's anything he'd like help with? Do I just get to know him first, if so, how do I approach a farmer to start a conversation? Do I just say "Hey, I've noticed you're not using that land over there, may I have a bit of it?", what do I do? What would farmers on here classify a a rude encounter, or a friendly one? Is there a way I can actually experience self-sustainable living? I'm having a hard time regarding this, I want experiences with agriculture, water irrigation, renewable energy, anaerobic digestion, heat pumps, solar heating, I want to know it all, I want to do it all. I'm really ambitious. There are things I do myself but I'm really wanting to go further yet have a pokey yard, and live in a council house, things have been very difficult but I have been doing, and I have been learning.

 

[Jrp221]

I think there will be very few farmers/landowners who would be happy to support you if you were wanting to live on the site. Its one thing to grow your own veg, keep some hens etc but anything more than that could have planning/legal implications.

 

[Helenah]

I think there will be very few farmers/landowners who would be happy to support you if you were wanting to live on the site. Its one thing to grow your own veg, keep some hens etc but anything more than that could have planning/legal implications.

I don't intend to live on the site. I intend to keep this council house going. My point being was the pokey back yard that provides me with no real benefits. I have squashed out there a solar electricity setup where I'm running cabling into my home, a shed which my solar panels are mounted onto, my compost heap, and a few beds which are in a not so ideal location. Then there is a biodigester and gasometer I'm building, I've set up a water farming tank and guttering on my shed roof which collects water that I irrigate into the beds. I intend to grow garlic, onion, basil, oregano, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, thyme, bell peppers, chilli peppers, parsley, dill, chives, lettuce, spinach, I can source apples and pears out the wild so those aren't an issue and I have hundreds per year and make my own cider each year from those. Chickens sound fun, my auntie used to keep those so I kind of have an idea what's involved. I've wanted to erect a greenhouse for vines, and for providing warmth to plants that need it.

 

[spin cycle]

are there not allotments in the vicinity....research that perhaps

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

If you can't afford to buy some land then have you considered an allotment? If it's for your own use to be self sufficient in fruit and veg rather than a commercial venture then shouldn't be a problem. and it's a fairly secure and cheap tenancy with others around for support.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

are there not allotments in the vicinity....research that perhaps

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