Living the good life !

[Norfolkdipper]

So who would like to live the 'good life'???

I am at present trying to sort out buying a 50acre farm in South Norfolk. It also comes with a 200yr old, 6 bed farmhouse & fishing rights to an 860ft dyke.

(Will need a summer work-party to get it sorted, will post request nearer the time. Free food & drink on the day, plus a year's free fishing for all who help)

Fishing, farming & to be my own boss, who could want more????

Apparently I qualify for several rural development grants & long term business low interest or 'angel' loans. So if all comes off, I will have a huge party there next summer (2015), as it will take at least a year to get the place up to scratch & running. OK so only 50 acres, but enough for a selection of products &the chance of a farm-shop. It also has a nice east facing slope, I feel a winery coming. Will do a selection of 'top fruit' (trees) & soft fruit as well as chickens, ducks, geese & nice slow grown turkeys for egg & meat sales. Also pigs are planned as good meat sales, along with goats for meat & milk, cream, cheese. I hope to negotiate with other local farmers/producers to sell their produce in the shop, to increase what will be in the shop.
The farm site is at :-
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43847402.html

But the real work will be getting the house liveable again. I found a site showing pics from inside at :-
http://adamx1976.wordpress.com/2013/08/24/explore-1-rock-n-roll-farm-norfolk-august-2013/

As you will see it is a mess, but at 200yrs old & still standing it must be well built. See what you think & please reply.

[JV44]

Good luck on your new venture and I hope you can make it a success ,Whatever your budget for refurbing the house be prepared to find hidden horrors as most refurbs turn up a few things that are worse than we would have hoped Steve

[wotnobivvy]

Looks like a job for DIYSOS !! Good luck in your endeavours

[kirisute]

I'll help! I'll do it for free fishing and shooting on the land! (bound to be some bunnies!!)

I'll bring my brother and some shooting buddies along and I promise you some serious man power with them!

[Norfolkdipper]

Thanks Kirisute. Just putting out feelers for now. The dyke :- On my bank is the farm, half the far bank is a SSSI & must be treated carefully. It (SSSI) is accessed via a 'link bridge' ( set between 2 waters, the dyke & the fishing pond), as you look at it the 'pond' is is fairly small, with room for expansion. So mechanical help will also be needed, as I am thinking of widening it by 30ft, if it is to be a 'pond' then so it shall be. MY private section of the dyke will be widened as well, at the moment it is less than a rod length & that's a 10ft rod. I have often got to places wishes there was a shelter of some sort, so I am considering put a large metal shed down there, with kettle, loo, fridge & microwave for anglers to use.

To protect the site, fishing will be £10/ day, but booked in advance to control numbers. I have seen what happens when fisheries simply 'open the gates', it's soon a mess. My guess at the moment there could be up to 80 pegs.

[Norfolkdipper]

Here's the view from Google earth of the dyke. Taken a while ago, now over grown:- ( at the top is the access to Rockland )broad.)

 

 

 

[Norfolkdipper]

Picture didn't take sorry.

[chesters1]

Thanks Kirisute. Just putting out feelers for now. The dyke :- On my bank is the farm, half the far bank is a SSSI & must be treated carefully. It (SSSI) is accessed via a 'link bridge' ( set between 2 waters, the dyke & the fishing pond), as you look at it the 'pond' is is fairly small, with room for expansion. So mechanical help will also be needed, as I am thinking of widening it by 30ft, if it is to be a 'pond' then so it shall be. MY private section of the dyke will be widened as well, at the moment it is less than a rod length & that's a 10ft rod. I have often got to places wishes there was a shelter of some sort, so I am considering put a large metal shed down there, with kettle, loo, fridge & microwave for anglers to use.

To protect the site, fishing will be £10/ day, but booked in advance to control numbers. I have seen what happens when fisheries simply 'open the gates', it's soon a mess. My guess at the moment there could be up to 80 pegs.

Dont forget to get all your permissions before you start ,a farmer up the road spent a fortune digging a lake ,a fortune removing the soil off site and a fortune bringing it back and filling it all back in when he was refused permission to do it

This is very good for spotting where sssi's are exactly ,the council wont bloody tell you as i have found out myself

http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK=1003046'

Edited January 24, 2014 by chesters1

[Norfolkdipper]

I intend to do just that. At least, at 200yrs old, the house is not listed. Once builder starts really want to sort the water out next.

[wotnobivvy]

Will the finished water give you access to the Broads ??