Time to eat my hat

johngalway

Anyone got salt and pepper, or even a decent recipe?

After attending the AEOS information meeting, I was genuinely less than impressed and decided it was not in my interest to go into the scheme.

As I was in town I dropped in to get my SFP done online. Was asked if I was going into new scheme, no thanks! Just happened that my accountant came in later, between the planner and much more importantly my accountant I got talked into signing up.

Plan is in. All based on commonage. I am happy enough with the grazing regime, and there are no other restrictions on what I do.

I still have a bit of doubt left over the money situation. Have to suck it and see as to how that pans out I guess.

Urgh, that hat was horrible, should've eaten humble pie instead!

€621 for the plan :eek:

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

Anyone got salt and pepper, or even a decent recipe?

After attending the AEOS information meeting, I was genuinely less than impressed and decided it was not in my interest to go into the scheme.

As I was in town I dropped in to get my SFP done online. Was asked if I was going into new scheme, no thanks! Just happened that my accountant came in later, between the planner and much more importantly my accountant I got talked into signing up.

Plan is in. All based on commonage. I am happy enough with the grazing regime, and there are no other restrictions on what I do.

I still have a bit of doubt left over the money situation. Have to suck it and see as to how that pans out I guess.

Urgh, that hat was horrible, should've eaten humble pie instead!

€621 for the plan :eek:

That fee is very rough. Was the closing date not last Monday? I didn't find out yet what my fee will be, except he promised over his shoulder as he left that it wouldn't break me.

I thought the AEOS scheme was very well thought out, and very flexible, too good to miss really.

Are you planting the apple trees?

LostCovey

johngalway

Methinks a planners promise is as good as a politicians! Over the Winter, in relation to REPS, I've heard a few complaints about planners, Teagasc and Independent alike, hard to know who to go with so picked the devil I knew.

Gave my plan a quick read over in the office (this being last Friday - like to keep them in suspense), really all I'll be doing is keeping my stock numbers @ current levels. The grazing plan is what I do already, so no hassle there.

I'm not planting anything at the moment, possibly a future option outside of any plan. Busy at the moment planning my war against thistles, gorse, rushes and small patches of yellow flag iris and bracken. Mondays plan is to collect the materials to make my own weed licker.

Ewes and lambs are heading for the hill tomorrow thank God.

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

Methinks a planners promise is as good as a politicians! Over the Winter, in relation to REPS, I've heard a few complaints about planners, Teagasc and Independent alike, hard to know who to go with so picked the devil I knew.

Gave my plan a quick read over in the office (this being last Friday - like to keep them in suspense), really all I'll be doing is keeping my stock numbers @ current levels. The grazing plan is what I do already, so no hassle there.

I'm not planting anything at the moment, possibly a future option outside of any plan. Busy at the moment planning my war against thistles, gorse, rushes and small patches of yellow flag iris and bracken. Mondays plan is to collect the materials to make my own weed licker.

Ewes and lambs are heading for the hill tomorrow thank God.

The devil will be in the detail, I fear. From first impressions I see it as a way to get paid to do things I would love to do anyway - I hope I haven't misunderstood it.

LostCovey

johngalway

Problem is I don't think a lot of people involved at an official level know the full details of it yet even. I get the sense it was put together in a bit of a rush.

What options did you pick?

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

Problem is I don't think a lot of people involved at an official level know the full details of it yet even. I get the sense it was put together in a bit of a rush.

What options did you pick?

I went a bit mad. A lot of wild bird cover, hedgerow planting, apple trees, species-rich pasture, tree planting (whips).

He wanted me to coppice a very very old hedgerow, but I thought it would be vandalism, so we left it.

johngalway

You've a bit of work ahead of ya so! There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of dry stone walls on my place so hedges wouldn't suit, nor would there be room for them really!

I wouldn't mind having a bee hive in the future, but that's when I'd have to get planting and consider the best options to plant for that, just for my own interest not to do with plans.

LostCovey

johngalway wrote: »

You've a bit of work ahead of ya so! There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of dry stone walls on my place so hedges wouldn't suit, nor would there be room for them really!

I wouldn't mind having a bee hive in the future, but that's when I'd have to get planting and consider the best options to plant for that, just for my own interest not to do with plans.

Well I took the view that I could pay someone to do all this (won't) and still not be out of pocket, so I "went for it"

The word is that this scheme will be heavily undersubscribed, don't know if that's true. As you say it does seem to have popped out of the blue and with little info on the details, but quite attractive for the less, er, economically viable holdings. Like mine.

Goodnight

LostCovey

johngalway

At the information meeting in the Clarion, they had I would guesstimate 400 seats set out. If there were 50 people there it was a lot. Showed the level of interest to me, but subscription could be another thing, time will tell!