What would you do?

[gavd]

Hi first time poster here,

Basically have around 75 acres of grass, three and a bit decent size sheds and about 5 acres of woodland. All newly fenced and with water and also owned by my family.
Currently have 8 ped AA cows outwintered on about 15 acres with there offspring kept inside in a shed over winter and sold as stores (fathers hobby really). The rest of the land and sheds are rented out. Also we own a fairly decent zetor 4341 with loader which is fine for mucking out/lifting bales etc.

Myself and girlfriend both have fairly well paid jobs and i work equal time shifts so have plenty time off. Looking at running the whole lot as a bit of a hobby/business and building it up (maybe even farming full time one day).

What would you do with the farm or think i should do? My ideas rotate around livestock- current one being 150-200 ewes run outside all year as well as buying in some weaned calves in spring and fattening them for the stores ring over summer on grass. Leaving some grass for hay/silage for winter. Any opinions?

Would like to expand the farm in the future and could probably afford a mortgage to buy another 50 or so acres. Do you think it would be possible to earn a decent income from 125 acres with maybe some more rented in? (girlfriend would still be working)

Sorry for the long winded first post!!

Thanks

 

[JP1]

First question. Where are you (roughly)?

 

[gavd]

aha no location on my profile, changed now, Aberdeenshire

 

[hillrun farmer]

if you have a decent wage at work, i think you'll struggle to match it with income from 75 or 125 acres. dont know your plans with your gf but if you plan to start a family in the future then you wont have her wage coming in either for a while. would it be possible to keep working and work part the farm as a sideline?

 

[multi power]

plenty of people make a living with less than 100 acres

 

[Davey]

Last year my wife and I bought a smallholding (around 20 acres) never going to make us millions but somewhere nice to start a family and a retirement nest egg.

We both work full time (although the Mrs has a bun in the oven) so everything has to fit around that. Obviously it all depends on demand in your area but we are currently trying to get planning permission for holiday lets, finishing rare breed pigs in our woodland which we have butchered then sell locally, as well as toying with the idea of starting up a livery yard (place has stables and she already has a few gg's of her own). I'd love to do rare breed beef too but don't have enough land if we start with the horsey lot

 

[Longlowdog]

I also have only a wee place. I am hoping that a small flock of pedigree sheep (Beltex) will generate an income stream above their establishment costs within a few years. I would concentrate on a small number of projects rather than many small projects all of which will conspire to demand your time simultaneously.