looking for an allotment / garden space

[Adam@Rumen]

That 3 acres looks decent value for your part of the world.

Best of luck with your venture

 

[Adam@Rumen]

I've got a feeling you can put an orchard on "farmland" without having to notify the council of a change of use too

 

[suffolksmallholder]

http://www.stjamesvillageorchard.org.uk/ A lovely place & doing well the last time I visited!
Our orchard is now eight years old. We took much advice from this fellow;http://realenglishfruit.co.uk/
Plus;http://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/
We have some lovely fruit if there isn't frost at the wrong time.
SS

 

[Dry Rot]

I've got a feeling you can put an orchard on "farmland" without having to notify the council of a change of use too

Orchards bear fruit, don't they? See the definition of agriculture in post No. 13 above.

 

[Princess Pooper]

We sponsored a tree in this http://www.hosevillage.org.uk/hco-web/orchard.html. Very much just what anyone wanted, without any planning or strategy. The saddest thing is that 16 years on so many of our friends that also sponsored trees, whose names are on the trees, are no longer with us. Must make sure we go back in the autumn - we've not scrumped anything yet!

 

[asparagusbrain]

Thank you so much everyone for links and encouragement. I promise to send each of you a crate of apples should my plan materialise.

 

[renewablejohn]

I planted a crab apple orchard but still waiting for the first harvest.

 

[asparagusbrain]

I planted a crab apple orchard but still waiting for the first harvest.

Out of interest, what were you planning to do with the harvest? I think my Gran used to make crabapple schnapps, and that is all I know about them.

 

[Princess Pooper]

I planted a crab apple orchard but still waiting for the first harvest.

yum yum crab apple jelly and crab apple wine - used to make loads from the tree in my parents' garden and still make the former from trees we have growing on the farm.

 

[Still Farming]

Long term investments with money tied up ?
Why ?

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Without sounding too nosey, what do you do in london? Do you own your own house? If so could you not move to kent and buy a house with a bit of land attached, may be a better deal in the long run. Possibly commute and enjoy the country living!

 

[asparagusbrain]

Long term investments with money tied up ?
Why ?

Just a weird hobby, not an investment. I like growing things. Finance wise, it is not that different from other weird expenditures - cars, horses, plastic surgery etc.

 

[asparagusbrain]

Without sounding too nosey, what do you do in london? Do you own your own house? If so could you not move to kent and buy a house with a bit of land attached, may be a better deal in the long run. Possibly commute and enjoy the country living!

I am running a small consultancy business in the City. Yes, own my own house, but cannot move now for legal reasons. I would love to, just not plausible at the moment.

 

[renewablejohn]

Out of interest, what were you planning to do with the harvest? I think my Gran used to make crabapple schnapps, and that is all I know about them.

Crab apple jelly. Have high demand but lack of apples hence planted my own orchard. Quite fancy making schnapps if you have a recipe.

 

[asparagusbrain]

Crab apple jelly. Have high demand but lack of apples hence planted my own orchard. Quite fancy making schnapps if you have a recipe.

I have never heard of it before, but it sounds absolutely like something I would buy.
As for the schnapps, I think it involved just steeping crabapples in vodka for a couple of months. I cannot testify as to the taste, as I was just a kid at the time. Grampa loved it and used to boast to everyone about the fine taste and unique health benefits, but then, I don't think he has ever noticed that the crabapple tree was blown over in high winds just a few years after the first harvest and there were no more crabapples since.

This looks familiar: http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/crabapple.html

 

[renewablejohn]

I also find crab apple is a good stock for grafting family trees which is a bit of a hobby.

 

[theboytheboy]

Hi everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster here. Guessed this will be the most appropriate forum to post, as wanted to collect different opinions and thoughts.

I am looking to buy a small plot of land for a hobby orchard, within an 1-1.5 hr drive from South East London (i.e. Kent or Essex). Was thinking about 0.5 to 1 acre. Reasonable quality, not prime land, but needs to be well drained.

I know that land is seldom sold in such tiny parcels. Do you think any real farmer could be interested in selling to me? What price should I be looking at?

Very grateful for all opinions!

Would you consider renting rather than buying?

 

[asparagusbrain]

Would you consider renting rather than buying?

Of course, with a long-term lease (15y+).