Question for farming buffs and lucky land owners...

[custard]

Supposed to be looking at a 4 acre plot in a village 20 miles down the road tomorrow.

The plan would be to buy affordable house in village 1/2 mile down the road eventually (we would never be able to afford the two together on our salaries unless we retire and move to outer Hebrides).

Looks level plot with road access but is sown with winter wheat at present, would need to sow with suitable grass mixture for horses and fence it before grazing with sheep perhaps to lick it into shape for a year or two, need advice.

I need to have an idea of the cost of re-seeding and most economical type of stock proof fencing for a 4 acre plot before we even kick off and how long it would be before suitable for horses.

 

[dozzie]

Cant help much but my neighbours had a field sown with grass by a farmer. That was two years ago and I would say that it is ok for horses now. They have it topped a couple of times in the summer. Id definitely go for topping rather than sheep! Much less hassle! And not that expensive if you have a nice local farmer to do it for you.

Fencing wise make sure your posts are good quality and treated. Sounds odd but I had cheap posts put in when I bought our fields and had to replace them all within 10 years! I would always have post and rail. It is expensive but so are vet bills! You can ring up a company for a quote or just measure the lengths and work it out yourself from the prices you are given. Try to get a contractor by recommendation! There are some good and some bad ones out there!

With 4 acres you would be wise to divide field in half so you can rest one side at a time so budget for this in the longer term.

And if you do go for post and rail always keep some spare rails and posts in stock! You can guarantee horses will break rails after the wood merchants have closed!!

Has it got water laid on? You need to add this on and may also have to pay water rates for the field.
Sorry not much help really!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

I'd agree with having it topped if it's not being grazed by horses, as sheep are liable to dropping dead with no notice and they're escape artists. Once the horses are on it, it's good to have sheep to rotate the paddocks (or even better a few borrowed cows who seem to be better at eating the rubbish stuff and keeping worms low).

We get our wood from a local wood yard. They cut it to size, etc etc, treat it, and we paid about 30 pounds to post and rail 1/2 an acre. Okay, it meant assembling it ourselves.. but it's not hard and it's the cheapest way of getting good quality fencing.

 

[Tia]

Stock fencing would be the cheapest permanent fencing.

No ideo on the price of grass seed over there now, sorry. Ask at your local seed merchant and they will be able to help you.

If you are talking ploughing and reseeding then you are easily looking at 2 years before you would dare put horses in it.

 

[claire1976]

I get seed online for around £58 for 2 acres of paddock seed, this is a special blend of different herbs and grasses.
I paid £350 to have 2 acres ploughed, reseeded, and rolled. But my field is an odd shape and uneven.
Actually wished I'd not bothered now as the best grass in the field is on the bits where the plough didn't reach. The birds got the best of the seed and I now have to wait for the old grass to resurface which could take months!
As best I am looking at next spring before the field will be ready.

 

[miller]

We paid £100 for our 3.9 acres to be harrowed, rolled and reseeded and the seed was £27.50 a bag (1 acres bags)

Better to put extra seed on as the birds do like it.

P+R definitely the best and the best thing to do is work out what you will need then ring for quotes.

We P+R'd ourselves as worked out much cheaper but it is hard work

 

[airedale]

put in Tornado stock fencing round the perimeter and the divide up internally with post and rail or post and electric

the stock fencing round the outside has the advantage of keeping out dog walkers and loose dogs if you get the high stuff

as you won't be living there then you need to consider the risks to your animals from other people - assume joe public are idiots and you won't go far wrong

if there is a gate onto the lane then add into the cost a double gate system so that you can open the outer gate, drive in, shut behind you and then open the inner gate - no risk of horses escaping onto the road

don't go for sheep, etc as you need to be a registered holding to legally have any cloven hoofed animal on your land

water is essential

also - sorry - but assume that anything you leave there will get nicked or smashed as you don't live on the land - plan accordingly