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Small Sheep 'Farm'..

  • 08-09-2014 2:42pm
    #1
    W123-80's
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭


    Hello all,

    I'm sticking this here but if mods feel its more suited to the sheep farming thread please feel free to move it.

    Basically I have recently purchased 3.5 acres of land. Site of approx 1 acre and field across the road of approx 2.5 acres. The field is in bad shape but looking at the fields either side and speaking to local farmers it should clear up nicely.
    I also have another 5/6 acres about 500m away. (Family land) Currently not in use for anything.
    Basically I'm thinking of things to do with the ground and a small sheep enterprise is on the list.
    The problem is I have never had anything to do with a sheep in my entire life aside from eating bits of them or wearing bits of them.
    Assuming I clean up the land, fence it, get the correct paper work in order is a small sheep farm worth it?
    I was considering trying to go organic. I know nothing has been spread on any of the land in at least 5/6 years maybe more. I am also considering some specialist breeds to make it more interesting??

    Anyone have any thoughts, comments on my half arsed plan?


Comments

  • #2
    brianiac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 108 ✭✭brianiac


    not a farmer but would love to be - and have been thinking for a while on your lines. however how many sheep can you keep and is it worth it? will you be doing this to attempt to pay its way or simply to pass some time?
    I think a sizeable garden/orchard for veg with greenhouse, a decent sized pond for a few geese/ducks/something to look at, a few hens (though goose eggs are nicer to eat apparently, and geese/ducks graze far more grass therefore require less feed) -and - since my impression is you are building a house from scratch - a sizeable coppice for firewood would in all likelihood save you more money. and pigs would happily live amongst it once established. but if its sheep you want then best of luck!


  • #3
    W123-80's
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭W123-80's


    brianiac wrote: »
    not a farmer but would love to be - and have been thinking for a while on your lines. however how many sheep can you keep and is it worth it? will you be doing this to attempt to pay its way or simply to pass some time?
    I think a sizeable garden/orchard for veg with greenhouse, a decent sized pond for a few geese/ducks/something to look at, a few hens (though goose eggs are nicer to eat apparently, and geese/ducks graze far more grass therefore require less feed) -and - since my impression is you are building a house from scratch - a sizeable coppice for firewood would in all likelihood save you more money. and pigs would happily live amongst it once established. but if its sheep you want then best of luck!
    Cheers, I'll prob end up doing most of the above alright.! Just canvassing for other ideas really and I've lately been toying with the idea of sheep.
    TBH I'm not even sure if I'd be getting the sheep for something to do or to try to make money.. I think I need to do a bit more thinking about my plan.:pac:


  • #4
    rangler1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    W123-80's wrote: »
    Hello all,

    I'm sticking this here but if mods feel its more suited to the sheep farming thread please feel free to move it.

    Basically I have recently purchased 3.5 acres of land. Site of approx 1 acre and field across the road of approx 2.5 acres. The field is in bad shape but looking at the fields either side and speaking to local farmers it should clear up nicely.
    I also have another 5/6 acres about 500m away. (Family land) Currently not in use for anything.
    Basically I'm thinking of things to do with the ground and a small sheep enterprise is on the list.
    The problem is I have never had anything to do with a sheep in my entire life aside from eating bits of them or wearing bits of them.
    Assuming I clean up the land, fence it, get the correct paper work in order is a small sheep farm worth it?
    I was considering trying to go organic. I know nothing has been spread on any of the land in at least 5/6 years maybe more. I am also considering some specialist breeds to make it more interesting??

    Anyone have any thoughts, comments on my half arsed plan?

    30 ewes and a ram plus a little collie and you're set up, sheep keep land very clean apart from nettles which you'd have to spray (bang goes organic then) Purebred sheep are more fragile than crossbred, so crossbred sheep might be better for learning on,
    There's a lot to keeping sheep but we all learned the hard way, and not much profit, but if you have pride in your land and want to keep it nice, sheep will do it, pigs just dig up the whole place


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