Unwelcome news

[munchh]

Thats a bummer

[Arzosah]

Absolutely, a bummer - sounds like you've gained an awful lot of experience tho. Sad to think of the soil you've nurtured being turned over to housing ... I'd be thinking of my compost and soil as well as my crops, to be honest with you.

Love the idea that you've managed to sell some crops - whereabouts did you sell, just to friends and acquaintances, or rent a stall somewhere? I hope it can spark you to a more stable arrangement, as well as intensifying crops in your own garden.

[junmist]

Bummer

[ForgeCorvus]

How much is an acre of farmland in your AO?

[jansman]

Answering questions in a row
My legal rights-our arrangement was casual, I happened to mention I fancied a bit more ground in the boozer one evening. Greg, my farmer friend , said he had a corner that he could let me use. It's no biggie, just another twist in that thing called Life! I am not gonna get upset about it,as at the moment I have shooting and fishing permission on both his land (and more importantly now he is selling),his Brother's land.
As for selling produce, I shift all the eggs I can get to neighbours. Standing orders every week-they come to me! That little sideline will continue,as I will buy free range in from my employer's supplier and move them on. My customers are happy with this. In my experience people are fussy about eggs. The salad crops I move to the same folks, the pub I drink in and a restaurant we supply at work. I happened to mention to the head chef there that I had my set up, and he takes two boxes of seasonal stuff a week. He can then call it 'locally produced' with a real provenance.
I also sling a sign on the gate when I have surplus, and people just knock on the door. Tomatoes and runner beans made me a packet this year.
As for the cost of the rent , it was £200 a year. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I was happy with it. Set up costs were not much as I picked up the tunnels for a good drink, and the plastic covers I got from an old work colleague who now owns a plastics firm. All the animal pens were made from reclaimed materials that my builder friends drop off for the woodstoves. Some of it is far too good to burn! I couldn't find anyone chuckin' ' out wire mesh though! Can't blag everything I guess.
There has been a little dvelopment though, since last I wrote. My next door neighbour is on her own now. She is struggling to maintain the garden. I asked her gently if perhaps I could look after it for her. She said yes in a heartbeat! All she wants is some eggs every week. I am sure I can be more generous than that.
I am going to go with the deep bed method and put up another greenhouse/tunnel. I reckon I can still turn a few quid, and it will be easy as it is all at the back of the house. Ah well, onwards and upwards.

[dazthechippy]

as one doors closes another opens - good luck mate - I like your way of thinking about the deal of £200 "i was happy with it" - that's a good way to think about it right?

[PreppingPingu]

Goodluck jansman, you always come across as a hard working resourceful sort of fella, so I am sure that you'll turn it to your advantage. A new prepping challenge!

[Arzosah]

Very resourceful indeed! And here are demonstrated the advantages of community - I really need to pay attention to this ...

Congratulations, jansman.

[jansman]

Thanks a lot folks! Jan reckons I make work for meself. I say I need a project! Keeps things interesting.

[nickdutch]

totally amazing how you managed to swing all that stuff and organisation