Starting out with c16acres

tbukela

Looking for some help, PAYE job is getting quiet and thinking of preempting the inevitable and taking 16 acres of family land that is currently being rented out. 12 acres is good grass with the rest being bog land. Thinking about commercial cattle? Any thoughts?

Min

16 acres is rather small in the overall scale of things, have you any decent farm buildings to go with it?

Is there a SFP going with the land?

Whatever the case it will be only a part time job as sizewise it would not be a sustainable job.

tbukela

No SFP unfortunately. There are four big sheds, currently used for storing bales etc.
To be honest can only do part time at the moment so want to start off small and maybe increase if goes well.
Just wondering how many cattle/ sheep would be manageable in that little land. Also as it'll be part time initially looking for the least time intensive.

MfMan

Is the land all in one big field, or is it divided? Least time-intensive would be to buy a few store / light cattle in Spring, graze them on the grass during summer and autumn and sell them off the grass later in October. If the land is in a big field, it may be necessary to sub-divide it to graze rotationally and allow the grazed section a few weeks to recover and grow again. Under this system, 10-12 cattle may be the max you could carry.

polod

would you not be as well to lease out the land ? you would get money for it and not have to spend a cent on it or waste any time working on it if you already have a job

Username John

If you want to do this for the love of farming, then get cattle or sheep, whichever you prefer to work with most.
I dont know much about cattle, but what you will make on 16 acres with sheep - it wont make you rich

If you are doing this hoping to make some money - then as previous poster said, let it out. It will generate a bit of money, from little time involvement from you.

Its a bit of an awkward one - you're working off farm, and the reality is that the off-farm job has to come first. Keep that in mind too...

Best of luck either way.

tbukela

Thanks for the advice. How many cattle for a farm to be sustainable these days?

ravima

sell 12 acres silage, €1200.

Or, set a few acres of rhubarb for direct sale, along with blueberry bushes and sell on a pick your own basis or supply to farmers markets. Theres work involved,
but there is a return.

research renting the sheds for storage, perhaps to local contractor for the winter, or some youngsters to store cars.

4 acres bog, try to rent to shooters, or make a pond and stock with fish to charge anglers.

You need to think outside the box as 'ordinary/normal' farming on that holding won't make money.

tbukela

Out of curiosity how big is the average farm these days? I'd like to get into cattle since that is what I grew up with.
I had heard that the prices had risen this year?

polod

tbukela wrote: »

Out of curiosity how big is the average farm these days? I'd like to get into cattle since that is what I grew up with.
I had heard that the prices had risen this year?

its something like 32ha or 80 acres is the average from when i was in college any way ........yeah beef is good now but diesel and fertiliser costs and wrap have gone through the roof.....that way it all balances out and you dont make any extra money....you would be lucky to scrape a small profit........dairying the money is in but its a 100% commitment and specialist set up is required.......