Looking for Farm / Land Ideas

lanod2407

I've circa 16 acres of land - poor to average in quality, and I'm looking for a business to make use of it that would generate some level of income. Maybe not enough to pay all the bills, but sufficient to make a difference at the end of the year.

I'm looking for ideas - the wackier and stranger the better - rule nothing out. I've been kicking around with a few thoughts such as egg production, alpaca breeding, adventure centre, and a few more. Each has its own pros and cons, and I want to get a wide and varied list of potential businesses that may spark something that becomes a reality.

So, having said that - I'm looking for one and all to list as many potential ideas as possible, along with what you'd see as the plus and minus factors for each idea.

I'm open to doing anything as long as I can develop a passion for it. Right now I'm favouring a business that provides a regular income, would potentially have many customers because I've worked businesses where one large contract can sort you out for a year ..... and then you can spend 6 months hunting down the next one! Ideally it would be something that I can provide at a very high standard of quality, and where I could provide something extra that would stand out as special.

OK? - Right - bring it on!

ravima

any wet spot? You could try digging a pond and stocking it with fish.

JupiterKid

16 acres is not a lot of land to be playing around with TBH. If you're going for a market that requires steady numbers - are you located near a city and or a motorway/primary road for ease of access?

Some ideas:

• Mini golf/pitch and putt
• Petting zoo for kids
• Fruit Orchard
• Paintball adventure centre
• Obstacle course activity centre
• Japanese style gardens
• Vegetable and herbs grown in polytunnels/glasshouses
• Campground
• Hippie Commune?:pac:

dunsandin

You could get it re-zoned, get planning and build a block of apartments on it...........no, hang on, that ones been overdone. How about planting a large hedge to keep out prying eyes and then plant a crop of.... no, that ones illegal. How about growing grain..no, sorry, no money in that. How about keeping cattle..nah, waste of time. You could...no, well,............. you could always... damn, I can't think of a thing. If you get any good suggestions, apart from breeding vietnamese pot bellied pigs, pass them onto me, I've racked my brains, and come up a blank.:)

glanman

if near a large town/city rent it out in plots for hobby gardeners...

Build an assault course for local sports teams, schools, team building etc... could also add in other activities to make it a centre...

Figerty

Right heres an idea for you.

You can set up a base for RV's they are always looking for a place to park with basic services. Same with caravaners who are looking for places to park... not the Travelling people just the ordinary holiday folk who like to tow a caravan.

dunsandin

glanman wrote: »

if near a large town/city rent it out in plots for hobby gardeners...

Build an assault course for local sports teams, schools, team building etc... could also add in other activities to make it a centre...

And the best thing about doing this is you won't be burdened by huge insurance premiums in case anybody hurts themselves...., and none of your beloved neighbours are likly to object to you setting up a camp-site either. You could set up a clay pigeon range, everybody likes them(well, everybody who's 10 miles away), or a go-kart track(ditto), maybe you could set it up as a pick your own Docks and thistles enterprise- there are very few downsides to this, but sadly also not that much up-side either. Maybe you could rent it to some soul who has a bright idea about what enterprise they could start on it- that idea seems to work well for a lot of shop owning landlords, and best thing is, when one sucker ahem, entrepreneur fails, there is likly to be another along soon who feels they can do better. :)Oh the choices, exciting, innit!!!

danbohan

lanod2407 wrote: »

I've circa 16 acres of land - poor to average in quality, and I'm looking for a business to make use of it that would generate some level of income. Maybe not enough to pay all the bills, but sufficient to make a difference at the end of the year.

I'm looking for ideas - the wackier and stranger the better - rule nothing out. I've been kicking around with a few thoughts such as egg production, alpaca breeding, adventure centre, and a few more. Each has its own pros and cons, and I want to get a wide and varied list of potential businesses that may spark something that becomes a reality.

So, having said that - I'm looking for one and all to list as many potential ideas as possible, along with what you'd see as the plus and minus factors for each idea.

I'm open to doing anything as long as I can develop a passion for it. Right now I'm favouring a business that provides a regular income, would potentially have many customers because I've worked businesses where one large contract can sort you out for a year ..... and then you can spend 6 months hunting down the next one! Ideally it would be something that I can provide at a very high standard of quality, and where I could provide something extra that would stand out as special.

OK? - Right - bring it on!

sell it for average of e8000/10000 per acre , then buy in France for average e1000 per acre and then you have 128 acres, crazy but true!

snowman707

a friend of mine has approx. 12 acres ,and makes a handsome living,

he specialises in growing rare herbs and organic vegetables employs up to 4 part time workers in peak demand times

he also gives lectures and advise (for a fee of course) to individuals who are planning to grow their own.

Sam Kade

danbohan wrote: »

sell it for average of e8000/10000 per acre , then buy in France for average e1000 per acre and then you have 128 acres, crazy but true!

Here is the reason Farms in France are so cheap.

http://www.indigoguide.com/france/french-farms-for-sale.htm

mink_man

lads close this thread, you've got a winner...grow miscanthus...its a biofuel...google it! theres people in ireland doing it and theres grants for people to do it to!

glanman

dunsandin wrote: »

And the best thing about doing this is you won't be burdened by huge insurance premiums in case anybody hurts themselves...., and none of your beloved neighbours are likly to object to you setting up a camp-site either. You could set up a clay pigeon range, everybody likes them(well, everybody who's 10 miles away), or a go-kart track(ditto), maybe you could set it up as a pick your own Docks and thistles enterprise- there are very few downsides to this, but sadly also not that much up-side either. Maybe you could rent it to some soul who has a bright idea about what enterprise they could start on it- that idea seems to work well for a lot of shop owning landlords, and best thing is, when one sucker ahem, entrepreneur fails, there is likly to be another along soon who feels they can do better. :)Oh the choices, exciting, innit!!!

your a very helpful little man aint you, give yourself a pat on the back....

dunsandin

Because I've bleedin tried everything I can think of to make my own patch pay, and apart from building on a bit of it, the upshot has always been a not-for-profit enterprise, and not by design.

barbersfort

try forestry, good grants and returns!

danbohan

Sam Kade wrote: »

Here is the reason Farms in France are so cheap.

http://www.indigoguide.com/france/french-farms-for-sale.htm

don't see a valid reason there , know 2 guys farming over there they have had nothing but kindness from their neighbors , the reason our land is 10x times France is our obsession with land ownership without any thought to its commercial value , bit like our house ownership and look where that got us

blue5000

compost yard, need to be isolated though:p

agcons

snowman707 wrote: »

a friend of mine has approx. 12 acres ,and makes a handsome living,

he specialises in growing rare herbs and organic vegetables employs up to 4 part time workers in peak demand times

he also gives lectures and advise (for a fee of course) to individuals who are planning to grow their own.

This idea works, have a couple of clients doing it. Lots of work in it but they are making a decent living doing organic veg, weekly box schemes and the likes, no problem with the neighbours, planning dept and the likes. But as I said it does involve actual work

Dozer1

How about a mud running course...the munster mud run was on last weekend, looked mad http://www.mudrun.ie/index.php