30 Acres how would you make a living?

depends on the ground, if you had woodland or waterways, where it was in the country etc if you could have temporary accommodation on it? Those yurts holidays are pretty popular at the moment we paid a fortune http://yurtcamp.co.uk/ If you still wanted to do the horses you could do those bring your own riding holidays on a DIY grass basis or using temporary stabling facilities that they do for shows.
 
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I wouldn't bother with horses I'd be looking to hold corporate training days or similar. Does the land have any water ie fishing or any other specific features.
 
Quiet location is ideal for veterans enjoying retirement, youngsters who need play time and time to grow up, or horses that are recovering from illness/injury! As long as there was grazing, shelter, strong fencing etc etc and someone checking daily that's what I would do:)
 
Not horses TBH!

Nice retirement livery you could probably do for say 20 horses to give you enough spare grazing which at £30 a week, so £31,200 for 52 weeks, less, hay in winter, worming, trims, vacs etc. that's not quite a living for me.
 
If suitable I'd rent to local farmers, they'd plough it up and grow stuff. I believe it's a good earner to rent land to farmers.

Either that or I'd do livery or something.
 
if i had the money to invest definatley log cabins with hot tubs... they are pretty much 100% occupancy all year around!
Could the house not be done up to rent out ? The hot tub thing is definatley a winner!
 
I like the sound of retirement livery too... Every one i speak to says they could cope with the horses just not the owners, so retirement livery sounds ideal!
 
Noels_Star_Chaser said:
depends on the ground, if you had woodland or waterways, where it was in the country etc if you could have temporary accommodation on it? Those yurts holidays are pretty popular at the moment we paid a fortune http://yurtcamp.co.uk/ If you still wanted to do the horses you could do those bring your own riding holidays on a DIY grass basis or using temporary stabling facilities that they do for shows.
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Those, or a campsite - would make far more money than anything horsey!
 
That's what we have in Aberdeenshire.

Not horses unless its excellent land. Ours has become progressively wetter over last 8 years as has everyone else's. Now struggle to support 10.

We do have log cabins at another site but would argue with the 100% occupancy. The cabins are also really labour intensive with cleaning, booking and generally dealing with general public.

Renting out to farmers will yeild max £70 per acre per year.

Sorry to be so negative but if you could make money from 30 acres we'd all be doing it.
 
Another vote for not horses exclusively, sorry.

How labour intensive do you want to be?

I would explore the leisure/entertainment route I think. Are you on good riding country? Maybe 'bring your horse' type self contained holiday cottage/s? Naturists love remote areas - seriously.

I make many times the income raising goats than I do with the horses.
 
Is the house fit to be occupied?? Do they want to rent the whole lot out?? That sort of place if you didn't want the maintenance is ideal for those who want a self sustainable lifestyle but would depend on where it is.
 
divide it up and lease it out? 5 acres per owner?

(horses)


or a static caravan park.............. make a killing on the one we were on! fees alone were a few 0000's a year....and that was only 10 month occupancy?
 
30 acres isn't much, it is only a big field really. If it is in a nice walking and/or riding area,
then B & B with turnout facilities is a possiblity, but what is the trailer access like? If it is up lots of narrow twisty lanes then it isn't going to appeal much to horse riders. The type of people who go on riding holidays generally only want to travel for a couple of hours. Walkers and cyclists are a better bet. Building self catering lodges, etc. is possibility for the tourist trade. Although I don't think there is much or any grant available now as the B & B business is just about saturated. If you are talented or skilled in any way, e.g. flower arranging, cookery, furniture restoring, etc. etc. then offer learning holidays. Catering to the public is hard work though, everything has to be immaculate and you have to be available and there is a lot of cleaning, laundry and general upkeep to be done.

Breeding poultry or high value sheep or cattle is something else, but you have to pay out a lot for breeding stock and go round to all the shows and then sell the off-spring for a high price, but some people make a start in farming like this. Other than that, you could rent it out, but it wouldn't provide much income.
 
Static caravans if its a good area and you'd get planning, we have a site and its a goldmine.

NOT horses! :D

We are considering going down the glamping route but not sure how much is in it....

Or, if its suitable you might get a stewardship grant to leave it alone as a conservation site, particularly if there's water and trees.
 
We have 30 acres and horses and grow our own hay. We don't make a living it is a retirement hobby.

If I wanted to make money out of this farm. I would offer livery at 500-600 euros/month. Just four horses and I would have a life.

Put up a poly tunnel and grow micro vedg. or herbs for Michelin chefs.

Grow speciality vedg.

Keep free range chickens.

Rear geese for the christmas market - depends on how important you cash flow is.

Caravan site or camping depending on where you are.

Make a garden with a maze and offer afternoon tea.
 
There used to be a good subsidy for growing hemp, don't know if it's still around but might be worth a look if field is remote enough.

Haylage if you can get a good contractor to make it.

Try to get planning permission for six five acre "crofts" and lease them out to wannabe goodlifers. Won't make a fortune short term but longterm you have six valuable properties that could fund your retirement years comfortably if you sell them (after living in each one for six months as your main residence before you sell them to avoid any of that tax malarkey ;) )
 
luckyoldme said:
I like the sound of retirement livery too... Every one i speak to says they could cope with the horses just not the owners, so retirement livery sounds ideal!
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This is what id be doing, maybe because its something very close to my heart right now. Id love to be able to give homes to horses that were no longer able to be kept in work or with their owner for any reason. Especially oldies

Probably not the best venture money wise though!
 
It would need to be niche to make money I'd say

The yurts are a good idea as are the naturists and if near a 'posh' town the specialist food is also a good bet

Gypsy caravans and 'glamping' are all the rage too

There is sod all money in fancy/rare chickens at the moment, I'm eating mine rather than selling them! there is a bit of money in rare breed sheep meat though and overheads are pretty low too, very little damage to land and you can sell coloured fleeces to craft people too - think mail order fleece and meat rather than relying on passing trade

If it was me and I had another source of income and wanted horses around I'd offer livery for youngsters in herds especially colts which get a raw deal sometimes - being remote and to get a reasonable number you'd need to offer full grass livery


All in all I'd go with the rare breed sheep I think
 
I have always kept our land as a hobby and earned my money away from home. Having read some of the posts on here, I am so glad I did not go down the livery or DIY route.

For us arrangement with neighbouring farmer works really well, he puts his sheep on fields to keep grass under control and will top for us etc. In return I get lamb for freezer and hay for ponies.

We have an old cottage and barn in the field and as we adjoin a NT area have considered turning into camping barns, or holiday cottage with space for horses, but then stop and think, I love the peace of the area, do I want others spoiling it with noise and questions!!!!!!!
 
Patterdale said:
Static caravans if its a good area and you'd get planning, we have a site and its a goldmine.
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Agree. My parents are officially retired but have a touring campsite and do well. Its open easter to the end of october so they have quite a bit of time off too. The get loads of offers from people wanting to be a warden in return for a free site for the season, so you dont even have to do all the work yourself!
 
What about schooling, breaking, etc.? Does that pay? Either buy in to re-sell or train horses belonging to others?

There seem to be an awful lot of unbroken youngsters for sale and no end of horses with behavioural problems!

But the answer to the OP's question is "with difficulty". There are farmers on quite modest acreages (but a lot more than 30) who are struggling at the moment. On the other hand, if you can work the grant system, there seem to be all sorts of hand outs for small farmers, especially in Scotland. But most small farmers will have a second job. Not as difficult as it seems now we have the internet.
 
I would do 10 stables for full livery with an indoor school (ideally) and a small xc practice paddock.

Set up a small doggy day care but also provide standard kennel services

Set up a few log cabins with hot tubs, and a couple of large saunas, possibly a turkish steam room too.

I would also want to set up a lecure hall type of thing, and organise events and rent it out.

love the idea of growing microveg in pollytunnels but would kill it!
 
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