Is this land a no go?

[OAG]

Hello,

I am looking at purchasing a small holding, where I am from they are few and far between so choice is restricted. One has come up locally however the paddocks are infested with rushes. I would intend to use this land for stocking alpacas. All I know about rushes are what I have managed to google in the last hour, do you think this land would be impossible to use as a paddock?

 

[HolzKopf]

Does it flood?

edit after thinking some more:

I wouldn't
Who's fencing it
It looks wet

 

[OAG]

Does it flood?

edit after thinking some more:

I wouldn't
Who's fencing it
It looks wet

The home owners passed away, they lived in it for over 3 decades and so there is no available information about the land. The actual home is lovely and as I said very rare in my location so I am majorly disappointed about the land.

 

[Sheep]

There's a hard track to the side and looks to be on a hill, I'd say you could make a good paddock from that no problem, just looks like neglect.

Is there any sheughs/dykes/rivers to drain to?

 

[HolzKopf]

The home owners passed away, they lived in it for over 3 decades and so there is no available information about the land. The actual home is lovely and as I said very rare in my location so I am majorly disappointed about the land.

That's only my opinion - others may think differently

 

[spin cycle]

draining ,lime + time .....go get it.....if you improve it you'll add value

 

[OAG]

There's a hard track to the side and looks to be on a hill, I'd say you could make a good paddock from that no problem, just looks like neglect.

Is there any sheughs/dykes/rivers to drain to?

There is a very steep hill to the left of this land which is owned by a farmer which he uses for sheep. This land is at the bottom of that hill.
Not any that I could see but due to the current covid situation I was not able to enter the land to get a good look however I do not think so, it is 8 acres.

 

[Werzle]

Hello,

I am looking at purchasing a small holding, where I am from they are few and far between so choice is restricted. One has come up locally however the paddocks are infested with rushes. I would intend to use this land for stocking alpacas. All I know about rushes are what I have managed to google in the last hour, do you think this land would be impossible to use as a paddock?

Flail top off and it will look a different field as long as its not a marsh. Whatever value you think the rushy field adds to the value of the property you could times it by 10 if it was a grade A field. Looks like there are a few man made mounds there, old quarry or coal mine ? Buyer Beware

 

[anzani]

Take a spade, dig a hole or three

 

[Kidds]

Hardly good land but you could make something of it for grazing.
Do you mind if I ask what part of the world it is? I don't want to come and take it from under you, it just looks remarkably like a place we used to own.

 

[OAG]

Here is a picture of the land in the listing (I have crossed out the property to protect their privacy) would have been taken around oct/nov from reading when the home report was completed. It looks like a different field!
I must note I am in Scotland so constant rain haha.

 

[OAG]

Hardly good land but you could make something of it for grazing.
Do you mind if I ask what part of the world it is? I don't want to come and take it from under you, it just looks remarkably like a place we used to own.

As long as I could use it for grazing I would be happy, I wouldnt want to be in a situation where I was having to rent paddocks elsewhere for alpacas as they would most likely be stolen when out of eyesight. It is in central Scotland ???????

 

[Kidds]

It is in central Scotland

As I said, it looks exactly like a place we owned in N.Wales some years back, so obviously not where I was thinking.
We made ours fit to grow crops never mind grazing. Not an easy task mind but still doable.

 

[OAG]

As I said, it looks exactly like a place we owned in N.Wales some years back, so obviously not where I was thinking.
We made ours fit to grow crops never mind grazing. Not an easy task mind but still doable.

You have given me great hope! I do still wonder if the rushes are as a result of neglect, that is my hope anyway.

 

[Kidds]

You have given me great hope! I do still wonder if the rushes are as a result of neglect, that is my hope anyway.

Neglect, lack of grazing and sometimes lack of lime. Most land has long established drains if they are needed and almost always don't take much to get going again. It takes a bit of hard work and getting your hands dirty but very worthwhile.
Someone also said take a spade and dig a hole, that will tell you a lot. Covid shouldn't stop you doing that, doesn't look particularly crowded or likely to be.

 

[onthehoof]

From what I’ve heard alpacas don’t like wet, if you think about it they originate from a very dry low humidity climate and need a lot of dry matter in their diet, lots of issues with them down here and Scotland will be worse

 

[OAG]

Neglect, lack of grazing and sometimes lack of lime. Most land has long established drains if they are needed and almost always don't take much to get going again. It takes a bit of hard work and getting your hands dirty but very worthwhile.
Someone also said take a spade and dig a hole, that will tell you a lot. Covid shouldn't stop you doing that, doesn't look particularly crowded or likely to be.

Yes I think digging a couple holes is a great idea, we are just waiting on the estate agent reopening so we can arrange a viewing and get permission to enter the land.

 

[OAG]

From what I’ve heard alpacas don’t like wet, if you think about it they originate from a very dry low humidity climate and need a lot of dry matter in their diet, lots of issues with them down here and Scotland will be worse

I am really hoping the land is dry enough for them, I have just looked on google maps and think I can see a burn hidden down behind the house. We won’t know more until we can view it but thought I would try do some research on rushes as this will be a completely new lifestyle for us.

There are some very large trees at the front of the land don’t know if that would absorb some of the moisture or not.

 

[Woolless]

From what I have seen/read topping rushes followed by weedwiping with glyphosphate when they start to grow again is a good way to get rid of them. But presumably better drainage and lime will be required to prevent them coming back.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Fluke is your grazing problem if it lies wet.

Even the farmer with sheep on the hill wouldn't want it for that reason.