23 replies to this topic

[Ruby1]

Any news is broken what you post doesn't come up Eve / shepie and pigsmightfly

[pigsmitefly]

your right ruby1, I did try and post something yesterday and it didn't show up,

[Eve]

I think I can see everything.... I didn't write a very interesting post, but this is what it said....

I still pop in here from time to time, I don't have much to offer in the way of advice or any questions to ask ATM, so am sitting quietly until I have something to say!
It took me 4+ years to find our land, I was obsessed!... knocked on doors, posted letters, spent time with locals alongside all normal land hunting avenues.
We are now about 18 months in, things are going a lot slower than we ever imagined, but we now have a farm rather than a field! We are in our second year of business, and look to make a healthy profit. We have just forrowed for the 20th time, currently have 120 pigs on site and we're about to start lambing (14 ewes). After a pause on our hatching due to the bird flu issues we now have a couple of batches in the incubators, we sell POL hens, but these will just be used to increase our laying flock, currently at 54 birds.
We are roughly sending a pig a week off to the abattoir and selling out with no problems, our location is perfect for attracting interest, so have yet to advertise!
We gained permission for our barn in January and plan to have our 3 yr temp in by Easter. Sadly a lack of funds means we have done our own application, but our accountant has been helpful.
Just wish we could pause time and had an extra £100k!
(Oh and we have learnt that most pigs are bastards and will destroying everything!) xx

[pigsmitefly]

well my latest news is,,,, just put in an offer for 21 acres, am waiting for gooooooood news, ( I hope)

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Good for you pigsmitefly.... hopefully living in a motor home for 2 years has been worth the wait. We don't stay on site yet but I'm itching to leave we're we are.

[pigsmitefly]

thanks ssd, am still holding my breath as the land agent cant get an answer from the owner,  

[Sunnysouthdevon]

🤞🏿 you get the answer your looking for

[pigsmitefly]

hi ssd, yes I have just had an email, I'm now a land owner, well will be in a few days or so,  21 acres of nice land, just outside of brighton,

wasn't cheep, but you get what you pay for I guess,

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Ahhhh congratulations....... owner in a few days? How quick do the solicitors move up your way? Mine took 12 weeks !!!!!!

[Ruby1]

Congratulations pigsmitefly great news

[pigsmitefly]

hi ssd, I spoke to solicitors today and she said as it wont take long as the seller has already done all the searches. we will see I guess,

 

thanks ruby 1,  i think i will be on here a lot more soon as will need a lot of advice from you seasoned pros,

 

myself and the wife have been spending evening with our heads in books trying to learn as much as poss,

[j and H]

nice one PMF ….books are good, but you will learn so much when you start….best wishes from us, we are loving it...

had our 1st lambs this year, now we are kidding the goats….life is good, hard but good...

[Eve]

Congratulations PMF! That's great news, fingers crossed it all goes through quickly and smoothly... our land sale took over 6 months from offer to completion! Xx

[pigsmitefly]

thanks j and h, and eve, our completion date is 24th of may,  ( that is if there are no problems)  I'm getting backache just thinking about all the work,

[Greenbeast]

I think I can see everything.... I didn't write a very interesting post, but this is what it said....

I still pop in here from time to time, I don't have much to offer in the way of advice or any questions to ask ATM, so am sitting quietly until I have something to say!
It took me 4+ years to find our land, I was obsessed!... knocked on doors, posted letters, spent time with locals alongside all normal land hunting avenues.
We are now about 18 months in, things are going a lot slower than we ever imagined, but we now have a farm rather than a field! We are in our second year of business, and look to make a healthy profit. We have just forrowed for the 20th time, currently have 120 pigs on site and we're about to start lambing (14 ewes). After a pause on our hatching due to the bird flu issues we now have a couple of batches in the incubators, we sell POL hens, but these will just be used to increase our laying flock, currently at 54 birds.
We are roughly sending a pig a week off to the abattoir and selling out with no problems, our location is perfect for attracting interest, so have yet to advertise!
We gained permission for our barn in January and plan to have our 3 yr temp in by Easter. Sadly a lack of funds means we have done our own application, but our accountant has been helpful.
Just wish we could pause time and had an extra £100k!
(Oh and we have learnt that most pigs are bastards and will destroying everything!) xx

 

 

wow, i thought we were doing well and things seem to be moving pretty rapidly, you say things are slow and you're up to 120 pigs on site (i think we're about 50-60 including our micro-pig population)

[Eve]

Hi GB,
Animal wise things are moving fast with us, now finished a very successful lambing season... just the last ewe (hog), who I was worried about all the way through, had a difficult birth and then decided that motherhood wasn't for her! So one little lamb to feed, just as we thought we'd got away with it!
Now up to 78 chooks and down to 98 pigs (although 2 more due to farrow in the next few days!).
It's the paperwork that's taking us so long, we had planned for the barn application to be in by Easter last year and then the 3 yr temp to be in before last xmas... but at least it's in now! I should be on tenterhooks waiting, but we're too bloody busy to be thinking about it!
We've taken so much inspiration from you, I wish we could be half as organised as you seem to be though!
Now we are trying to get our house ready to put on the market (on the assumption we'll get our three year!), we need to release the equity to build the barn, connect electricity and buy a mobile home... not to mention help with the never ending feed bills!
You say you have micro pigs... is there much market for them? I've seen adverts for weaners at an amazing price! Xx

[pigsmitefly]

hi greenbeast,  can i ask how often you move your pigs from field to field, as im just starting to think about pigs now,

 

thanks ,

[pigsmitefly]

Here is a question for all, the person that used to own the land that we have just brought has the single farm payment entitlement, she no longer owns any land but said she doesn't have to pass the entitlement on to us,,


Is she correct, or telling porkies,

Any info would be. Much appreciated,

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Have they offered you to buy them?

[shepie]

She can keep them legally