Blimey...thats roughly three alottment plots! Thanks for the photo of it, helps give us all a perspective. And what a nice new neighbour you have too ! Steve...
We have just been doing some planning for the new plot. Really excited about the whole thing. All of a sudden we can now do what we have wanted to do for a long time. I have enough space at home to grow enough veg for the family. We also have enough space to grow the flowers we want for the garden. Having the tunnel means we have somewhere to start seed off under cover, a few weeks before most folk can. I also have the greenhouse and propogators. The general plan, or more rather what we want to do is grow flowers for cutting. Grow perennials and veg plants for sale. It is going to take some time and a hell of a lot of hard work to get this off the ground. Not to mention the cost of things like rabbit fencing. The rabbit fencing is something we had already realised we would need. Another member mentioned this on this thread. Huge difference between fencing off the garden and fencing off a field. We have guesstimated that the fencing, posts and gate is going to cost up to about £500. I have a mate that works at the hire shop and he gets me staff discount on any gear I need to hire. So I am going to hire a digger to trench all round the plot, then bury the bottom of the fencing in the trench. Going to use spiked round posts. Not sure what to do about the gate yet. Have a mate that owns a fencing company and he makes gates. He always does me a really good deal on anything I buy because I work on his bike for him. He can supply everything I need as regards fencing. Not what you know but who you know. Thing is, I don't want it to look a lash up. The plot is only 250 yards from my house, still in the village, so it has to look tidy as well as be functional. I will do some more pictures and update this thread as things progress. Chopper.
Looks a brilliant plot, Chopper . Re rabbit fencing: it is best that you not only bury some of the fence in the trench but bend the bottom outwards by at least 6". Rabbits are quite happy to dig down below a vertically buried fence but always dig from close up to it. If you bend the bottom outwards along the bottom of the trench then they will hit the horizontal wiring on their way down. They then try further along the fence. They are not usually bright enough to work out that if they moved backwards away from from the fence they might be able to get under it You say that the plot is about half an acre, and it definitely looks it from your photo, but the measurements you have given are no more than a quarter of an acre . Maybe it's the angle you've taken the photo but the width looks nearer 80'. Whatever size it is, you're going to have great fun getting it going. My back aches just looking at it.
You don't need to bury the netting at all. We had ours professionally done, and they just bent the netting outwards, anchored it to the grass (some hairpin type things they made out of the straining wire they were using) and once the grass grows through and "mats" the netting it won't go anywhere. That is 5 years ago, and there is only one hole and something ate straight through the wire to make that one! Make sure you get Rabbit wire (rather than Chicken wire). Slightly smaller holes required. Looks like you have post already on the left of photo - dunno if they are reusable or not. We have extended our netting (ourselves) and where we had "rather open" hedge we just cut the hedge hard back at the bottom, held the netting into it with bamboo canes and then encouraged the hedge to grow mack through the netting to hide it. If you have posts to install consider hiring a rammer. There are ones like a large metal pipe with handles each side and the top end sealed that you can bang up and down on a post, which is hard work! the guys that did ours had a tiny track-360 digger thing with a hydraulic ram where the digger bucket normally is. You going to have soft fruit? You might want to put that (and any other long term crops) in your garden in case there is any risk that the lease would not be renewed. Have you got an option to renew? (which I assume would be binding on any future owner of the farm) Great project Chopper, I hope it brings you a lot of happiness and great success :thumb:
That's all I did on mine. It's worked so far. Chopper, I don't know if this is old news, but I found that if you go to the farmer's auction, you'll probably find all your fence materials a lot cheaper even than the usual bulk suppliers. I got a load of tree protectors from the auction. I won the bid at 20 quid for a big bundle. I thought I'd won about 50 large tree protectors, but when I got them away I discovered that each one was actually about 5 all slotted inside each other. The cheapest bulk supplier I found beforehand was selling them at about 80p each for smaller ones. At the same auction I stayed out of the bidding for a massive role of mesh because I thought I couldn't afford it. I was gutted when I heard bidding close at about 30 quid while I'd be looking at something else.
. I take it you're pleased??????????????????????????????????????/ :thumb: Anyway, very well done! Cheers!
Panthers. I have been to visit Choppers new kingdom today. Unlike the Tardis, its bigger on the outside. Its huge No sign of couch grass either. Lets keep em crossed. Soil is looking good & it gets the sun all day. Well done Sargent
More good news!!!! I was working out how much fencing I would need and of course how much it would cost. I was at my new plot when the farmer arrived and says "My bloke will be doiing the fence in the morning" I went down the plot this morning and he has done it. Chuffed to hell. I see the farmer a bit later and he says "Soon as I can get my bloke down there, I will get him to put water on to your plot". Now tell me, does it get any better than this? I get the land I want, where I want and then the landlord comes along and puts a new fence up, using brand new materials and is going to lay on a water supply right on my plot. He also had his bloke fix the gate at the entrance to the field. The new fence. Rotorvator arrives monday morning. Plan of what we are growing and where is done. Can't wait to get stuck in. Chopper.
Top result. The only thing I feel I must point out is that that fencing wont stop any rabbits from coming in and decimating your crops. Might still be worth putting some rabbit mesh along the bottom. If you decide to do that, it might be worth asking the farmer to source you some. He'll be able to get the mesh as cheap as chips, because they all know who is selling what, where and when. If he doesn't get it for you, he'll no doubt be able to tell you when and where the next farmer's mart is on.
We Glimpsed that on our way down to West Bay this evening & we thought, you lucky little biker you. Incidentaly, talking of the wildlife, there is a dead Badger, just outside the village. Thought that was Badger poo on the plot. Really pleased for you and Mrs Chopper, that is a lovely bit of land and a lovely fence
Hi Cluless. Thanks for that mate. Already got the rabbit fencing sorted. Should be here next week. I am going to fix it to the new fence and all round the other side. Might be doing a bit of shooting as well!! Oi loik rabbit pie oi does! Chopper
That seems a good relationship you have with the farmer, when does he drop the manure off? Looks like you have Moles too. Good luck with this extra project! Steve...
Brilliant Chopper, what a top man your farmer friend is. Rabbits are a real problem. A trick I picked up from some small-holders is to have a little 'Rabbit garden' at the entrance (the other side of your rabbit proof fencing), basically you sacrifice a small part of the plot and stick in any left over seedlings or plants for them to nibble and just leave them to it. The idea is they won't bother your main plot.
What a fantastic plot Chopper & a farmer that helpful is just great...!! Wishing you all the luck in the world with this project mate as you deserve it..!!!! :WINK1: You know that if you have a badger problem, that if you & any other males in your household save your pee & then pour it around the perimeter fence it will keep them out.... :WINK1: An Old Wives Tale it maybe but it certainly works...!!!! You have to do it about once a week.... :WINK1: You won't get the badgers though if they are a problem.. Well so was reassured by my Mother & am by many friends.... :WINK1: :D
