Need Advice From Old Hands

[New Wellies]

Hi looking to buy 30 acre hill farm in north west Ireland. Never farmed in my life but have new wellies lol.

Not looking to make a living at this more a hobby to cover my expenses and the outlay of the land etc.

what should I start with on the hill farm with zero experience?

I know everyone will say rent it out but rent wouldn’t cover loan and like the idea of keeping my own animals with a mix of rewilding ie pheasant, grouse etc and organising shoots etc?

also trout stream runs through land for fishing etc?

I haven’t bought it yet but interested but nervous I’ll be pouring my life savings into a romantic idea which could become a nightmare?

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Don't give up the day job.

 

[ARW]

I bought a 10 acre field of prime arable land and grassed it down, I will have to farm it for 100 years to get my money back, never mind the fencing and drainage it cost!
Farming is an expensive hobby

 

[Sharpy]

Couple of points.
1. Experience costs something. Time or money. Without experience or guidance you will mess up with stock. This will cost time and money.
2. There have been two periods in this country when you could make enough profit off an acre (with conventional agriculture ) to pay for it while paying the interest on the loan. These periods were iirc the 1950s and the 1500s. Not at the moment with land prices and interest rates versus commodity prices.
3. 30 acres ain't that much. If you are running a shoot and rewinding some of it your flock or herd will be very small, even if it was prime agricultural land.

If you want to do it and can afford it then go for it, but you will need an off farm income to subsidise it.

 

[New Wellies]

Couple of points.
1. Experience costs something. Time or money. Without experience or guidance you will mess up with stock. This will cost time and money.
2. There have been two periods in this country when you could make enough profit off an acre (with conventional agriculture ) to pay for it while paying the interest on the loan. These periods were iirc the 1950s and the 1500s. Not at the moment with land prices and interest rates versus commodity prices.
3. 30 acres ain't that much. If you are running a shoot and rewinding some of it your flock or herd will be very small, even if it was prime agricultural land.

If you want to do it and can afford it then go for it, but you will need an off farm income to subsidise it.

Hi thanks and all advice is appreciated I’m not depending on it for a living I just want to cover the running costs and some of a loan repayment. It’s more a hobby idea I will be using a fair bit of my savings from my day job to fund it.

more advice on what could make some income to keep it afloat?

highland cows?
Free range chickens?
Pheasants for local restaurants etc

im sure all the real farmers maybe disgusted by my ideas but its an honest post for some pointers

 

[New Wellies]

Don't give up the day job.

lol no plans to give it up this more of a hobby but need some pointers from the people who know like yourselves what if anything is low maintaince and provide an income to cover expenses

 

[New Wellies]

I bought a 10 acre field of prime arable land and grassed it down, I will have to farm it for 100 years to get my money back, never mind the fencing and drainage it cost!
Farming is an expensive hobby

Arw I’m sure it is as I say maybe I have a romantic view of this but need some ideas to cover costs

 

[Sharpy]

Hi thanks and all advice is appreciated I’m not depending on it for a living I just want to cover the running costs and some of a loan repayment. It’s more a hobby idea I will be using a fair bit of my savings from my day job to fund it.

more advice on what could make some income to keep it afloat?

highland cows?
Free range chickens?
Pheasants for local restaurants etc

im sure all the real farmers maybe disgusted by my ideas but its an honest post for some pointers

The bother is that the higher returns per acre need more investment in stock and time. Buying cattle or sheep to fatten for a profit is at best tricky to get right and the returns are lower than for example dairying but the time and financial investment is lower.
If I was you I would try to buy cattle I the spring if the ground is fit for them, definitely bullocks as they dont get in calf, probably hairy ones as they will be tougher, albeit slower growing and sell them in the autumn. You will need handling facilities etc but if you are fortunate you may make some money.

 

[New Wellies]

The bother is that the higher returns per acre need more investment in stock and time. Buying cattle or sheep to fatten for a profit is at best tricky to get right and the returns are lower than for example dairying but the time and financial investment is lower.
If I was you I would try to buy cattle I the spring if the ground is fit for them, definitely bullocks as they dont get in calf, probably hairy ones as they will be tougher, albeit slower growing and sell them in the autumn. You will need handling facilities etc but if you are fortunate you may make some money.

Sharply really appreciate your advice It will be basically 20 odd acres of a mountain and 10 of meadow. How many bullocks would you start with as I say zero experience and handling facilities I assume is housing for them?

sorry if I’m asking child like questions but this is all totally new hence why I appreciate all advice from people who know what their doing lol

 

[cowboysupper]

Hi looking to buy 30 acre hill farm in north west Ireland. Never farmed in my life but have new wellies lol.

Not looking to make a living at this more a hobby to cover my expenses and the outlay of the land etc.

what should I start with on the hill farm with zero experience?

I know everyone will say rent it out but rent wouldn’t cover loan and like the idea of keeping my own animals with a mix of rewilding ie pheasant, grouse etc and organising shoots etc?

also trout stream runs through land for fishing etc?

I haven’t bought it yet but interested but nervous I’ll be pouring my life savings into a romantic idea which could become a nightmare?

Is this Donegal or N. Ireland? ACRES environmental scheme (in Roi) might have some financially attractive options, while allowing you to dabble with small numbers of livestock. No new environmental scheme yet here in the north and might be a year or two.

Is it on any tourist routes?

 

[Wood field]

We started with 30 acres of very poor ground, having wanted to farm since I was at infant school, a life in engineering later we finally did it . One thing I did do was a few night school classes at myerscough , more to get my head around the various rules and regulations.
We started with a few dexters and a handful of herdwicks followed them .
bare in mind not only is it your hobby , livestock becomes a commitment, so outside the day job you still need to sort the farm

Personally, if it’s your dream then go for it , we grew our place in bits and bats up to a current 177 acres , I just wish I had done it sooner
Good luck with your new venture

 

[New Wellies]

Is this Donegal or N. Ireland? ACRES environmental scheme (in Roi) might have some financially attractive options, while allowing you to dabble with small numbers of livestock. No new environmental scheme yet here in the north and might be a year or two.

Is it on any tourist routes?

Hi yes it’s Donegal and just off main tourist routes in mountains, basically 20 odd acres of a mountain and 10 of meadow must check out Acres thinking of rewilding. Maybe shoot on mountain etc more sporting and hobby farming but would like to cover costs

 

[New Wellies]

We started with 30 acres of very poor ground, having wanted to farm since I was at infant school, a life in engineering later we finally did it . One thing I did do was a few night school classes at myerscough , more to get my head around the various rules and regulations.
We started with a few dexters and a handful of herdwicks followed them .
bare in mind not only is it your hobby , livestock becomes a commitment, so outside the day job you still need to sort the farm

Personally, if it’s your dream then go for it , we grew our place in bits and bats up to a current 177 acres , I just wish I had done it sooner
Good luck with your new venture

Wow that’s some expansion great going I agree a few night classes at an agri college or weekend working on a local farm for free to gain experience invaluable.

agrrec any live stock a commitment no different to domestic animals all need care and attention and takes work. I really want to go for it but nervous as no experience and afraid it will not only take my savings now to buy it but burn money going forward I’m sure no easy options are everyone be at it lol

 

[cowboysupper]

Hi yes it’s Donegal and just off main tourist routes in mountains, basically 20 odd acres of a mountain and 10 of meadow must check out Acres thinking of rewilding. Maybe shoot on mountain etc more sporting and hobby farming but would like to cover costs

Any nice views to site some glamping pods? Seem to be all the rage these days. Where in Donegal is it (sorry for being nosey... I love the place).

 

[New Wellies]

Any nice views to site some glamping pods? Seem to be all the rage these days. Where in Donegal is it (sorry for being nosey... I love the place).

Glamping had crossed my mind but it’s very remote and need planning I think and major infrastructure works so don’t think that be feasable cost wise up a mountain and probably not get planning at the start any way. Had more idea of hobby farm with planted woodland with shooting pheasants, grouse etc and hill walking etc. If I buy it I’ll send you the postcode lol

 

[David1968]

Hi yes it’s Donegal and just off main tourist routes in mountains, basically 20 odd acres of a mountain and 10 of meadow must check out Acres thinking of rewilding. Maybe shoot on mountain etc more sporting and hobby farming but would like to cover costs

I'd be wary of having a shoot in close proximity to cattle, if you've bought them in and don't know their temperament.
We have a lot of shooting next door. Our cows don't bother because they've been brought up with it. But the neighbour's had his bought in stores stampeded more than once.

If you have no experience at all, I'd be inclined to start with a few sheep till you get some confidence with stock.
Cattle can be dangerous to handle sometimes.

 

[New Wellies]

David that sounds like sound advice to be honest I was just thinking of ways to get an income from little outlay to get started but all advice is appreciated. I had the idea of a shoot but hadn’t factored in the risk of being stampeded hence why all advice appreciated and considered

 

[Sharpy]

Sharply really appreciate your advice It will be basically 20 odd acres of a mountain and 10 of meadow. How many bullocks would you start with as I say zero experience and handling facilities I assume is housing for them?

sorry if I’m asking child like questions but this is all totally new hence why I appreciate all advice from people who know what their doing lol

Without seeing it I would guess 10 or 15. Handling facilities would be catching pen/corral and a crush as a minimum.
They will need wormed a couple of times, they will need tags checked, they will need held somewhere ready to go to market, never mind what happens if one gets ill and needs treated.

 

[New Wellies]

Without seeing it I would guess 10 or 15. Handling facilities would be catching pen/corral and a crush as a minimum.
They will need wormed a couple of times, they will need tags checked, they will need held somewhere ready to go to market, never mind what happens if one gets ill and needs treated.

thanks so much all taken on aboard and understood and very helpful all this info helping me to make the right call versus the romantic image and the day to day reality

 

[ollie989898]

I would suggest you work part time for a local farmer to get an eye for stock before keeping your own.

Ask your vet about rich morons who keep livestock without having any iota whatsoever on how to feed them or their management and then have them list the terrible welfare cases they can recall as a result of this. Don't be another person on their list. This is one of the reasons why I believe you should have to have a licence to keep farm livestock.