The New Homestead forum

[woodstock]

Funnily enough we just went to see where our new home will be 17 acres fresh water spring certified, some paddocks and a lovely spot for a round house and we will be woofing instead of paying rent, so i'll be on this part of the to contribute and also learn Cheers Tony.

 

[treadlightly]

As I understand it you have very little rights in the woods that they sell. I doubt if permanent habitation is one of the rights.

You have shooting rights, the right to take a reasonable amount of timber per year but no right to live there permanently.

 

[treadlightly]

I though that there are such things as "living huts" that can be inhabited all year round. Saw one a bit back for £16,000.

Do you have any more details on that please Boatman?

 

[rik_uk3]

It might be possible to homestead by stitching together the necessary rather than buy a functioning smallholding or farm straight off. For example, companies like woodlands.co.uk sell off sections of woods. The prices might be over the odds for larger woods. In some areas terrace houses can be any price but one has to live somewhere and one handy for the wood should be possible, add in a couple of allotments or give over part of the wood for forest gardening and the like and you are away if you are serious.

The 'new' terrace house we're waiting to exchange contracts on does indeed have a wood literally over the fence at the end of the garden and the garden should allow me a polytunnel of around 15m in length; for me this will be a new experience. That said, instead of relying on a car to get me to the woods I can walk a couple of hundred metres and have little overnighters whenever the fancy takes me I may get a few chickens which I think the grandchildren will enjoy (and me).

Woodland prices even in Wales are seemingly going up all the time and you are so tied (very often) with what you can and cannot do with your land. For those of you young enough I'd say go and get a 'needed' skill and get out to Canada or New Zealand...room to grow there. Unless you have a pot of cash, homesteading in the UK will always be a struggle given current land prices.

 

[boatman]

Normally the only covenant with the woodlands for sale people's woods are an agreement to respect the peace of the area. Of course living on the wood will not be permitted but 28 days can't arf stretch but I was talking about living reasonably handy for the wood not in it.

 

[petrochemicals]

I have a home - yippee

Great idea Tony thank you. I may have a photo or two to contribute as some point

congratulations Red, I hope you'll be very happy together. Also tommy the cat and a few others, should take a while to shift all the threads you started.

I think I'll start a thread, entitled living in the woods, or purchacing land, or rights on your land,,, by clicking on the start new thread icon.

 

[THOaken]

An excellent edition to the forum.

 

[boatman]

Might be worth investing in some of their courses.
https://www.facebook.com/centreforalternativetechnology

 

[Dreadhead]

superb! Me and swmbo are really striving towards having our own smallholding one day, and i just know this forum will be a huge resource to draw from

In the summer when we return from our trip, i may do a small write up of the things of interest we have picked up from each farm along our journey, if it is of any interest to others

 

[Goatboy]

Great idea Tony, a lot of crossover stuff takes place in the home and is just as important. Makes it more of a "BCUK - A Way Of Life!"

Looking forward to some cracking recipes and tips.

 

[woodstock]

We have managed to get some land free for 5 years until our crop starts to make some money and the guy who owns the land gave us this..for next to nothing, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARAVAN-S...451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5af3f78c5b

 

[woodstock]

Just thought I would share some of my friends with you all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCdp3G2tDNI

 

[Alexlana]

oh man, how i wish i had some land that i could make my own and be left alone to bring my family up the way i want to

God this I dream about every single day. If we all chipped in and bought a frighten island or Scotland we could do it lol.

 

[Swallow]

God this I dream about every single day. If we all chipped in and bought a frighten island or Scotland we could do it lol.

(Half Joking, Whole in Earnest I think). I've said it before and I'll say it again. Group Buy. Or was that what Tony already had in mind when he started the "Bulgaria" thread?

 

[MartiniDave]

I love the way BCUK just keeps growing and evolving. This has the potential to be wonderful.

Dave

 

[rik_uk3]

Problem with a group buy is you rely on decision making by committee which will give issues without a doubt. If these little Scottish islands/small woods/land were up to the task why are so many not thriving?

I can really understand the attraction of a Homestead or small holding but its a tough life and you would need exceptional family support, commitment and to a degree sacrifice (material and social) to make it work...thats the reality and not the dream IMHO.

 

[Tony]

I tend to agree with you Rik, I think that it's possible for multiple people to share land, resources etc and be a part of the experience but I doubt that it's possible to have the complete experience. When it comes to multiple people contributing to land, or an island etc then they would basically have to give the money to some sort of trust that's got rules and abide by those rules for ever more.

If we ever collected money for woodland or some such it would be governed by rules we'd all have to abide by so everyone would have to go into it very aware, I do dream sometimes though of having small woodlands all over the UK so that our members can use them as a place to escape to, practice skills etc, they'd still need to be managed and all that but it would be brilliant for everyone to have somewhere they can go.

 

[Swallow]

Oops. This bit was half joking, whole in earnest.

(Half Joking, Whole in Earnest I think). I've said it before and I'll say it again. Group Buy.

This bit was pure banter.

Or was that what Tony already had in mind when he started the "Bulgaria" thread?

 

[Swallow]

Problem with a group buy is you rely on decision making by committee which will give issues without a doubt. If these little Scottish islands/small woods/land were up to the task why are so many not thriving?

I can really understand the attraction of a Homestead or small holding but its a tough life and you would need exceptional family support, commitment and to a degree sacrifice (material and social) to make it work...thats the reality and not the dream IMHO.

I don't see it as all in a la Tom & Barbara. There very few (if any) all in bushcrafters on here.

Like that, for those that are a bit in for what we're calling "homesteading", it's going to depend a lot on how you make your money. If you are not tied to location or can work by remote access you are laughing. That might get a lot more common.

 

[milius2]

Yep! Excelent timing Tony as many of aspects of this topic is to be explored out here!!! Thanks!