Our Welsh farm
Discussion
Evanivitch said:
21st Century Man said:
Carbon which is released again when the plants die and decay or are burned (if the trees are used for fire wood). It's too short term, it's no good counting the carbon capture now towards the target if you're not going to factor its release back in, in the years or decades to come. Carbon that was captured hundreds of millions of years ago that is being reintroduced now in the form of using fossil fuels is supposed to be the problem. This short term accountancy is delusional.
It's why we need to be using that wood in buildings and products. Which hopefully a more diverse planting scheme allows us to do because we're not just harvesting low quality wood for pulp and composite products. 
I'm glad this has at least brought conversation and some points are very valid.
I can't multi quote on my phone but the water coarse comment is bang on, there are issues but some if not lots are being created by waste water being released due to inadequate utilities. Local it is likely virtually impossible to gain planning due to the phosphate issues. A local closed school ihlus3 s being refused planning for conversion to a singke dwelling due to being on mains drains. The rules however mean as its close to a drain it can't have a private system.....there are several plots with outline planning who can't get full planning due to same issue.
There is plenty of ground both privately and publicly owned suitable for planting but just taking a blanket 20% figure is crazy. We exceed 10% for tree coverage but that excess can't be taken against the neighbours beef farm who is under the 10%.
Not being able to access any subsidy without agreeing to planting is blackmail in my opinion. Some farms Will not be able to comply due to mortgages as planted land is significantly less valuable to grazing.
We are being asked to agree to plan but no cash on the table, they'll let us know on the figures later down the line...how can any business agree to a completely different scheme with no figure's.
Subsides are required to keep food prices as they are, input costs keep going up, fert, feed etc but stock prices remain stagnant. A beef farmer friend had 4 invoices out, 2 for selling stock and 2 for buying fert from 10 years apart. The stock made £50 more per life than ten years ago, his fert was from memory 7 times. (This was a throw away anecdote, I'm seeing him next week so will edit and apologise for any mistake but the gist was huge rises and no notable rises on sales)
There are lots of issues that can be addressed but blanket bans on basic farming isn't the way forward. I do believe this will push farms out, that will reduce productivity and I do believe will cause problems down the line.
I appreciate that's my/other farmers opinion and I don't expect to wholeheartedly convince everyone but these guys do know their own bottom line know what comes in where.
In Aberystwyth the main issue wasn't cold hard cash it's the mass swoop of taking land away from grazing and food production. The best comparison was the Highland clearances and this being the Welsh version.
Against this as a back drop land owners in the next valley have now had letters about a 50km long string of 27m high 400kva pylons to connect a new wind farm with the national grid. We are being told to be green and 'improve' whilst large companies are appearing with virtual free reign to put up whatever they like. The letters offer a small bribe/compensation followed by the mention of court action and compulsory purchase should you decline to allow their staff onto your land.
Feelings are running high and it seems both sides aren't for moving so we will see
I can't multi quote on my phone but the water coarse comment is bang on, there are issues but some if not lots are being created by waste water being released due to inadequate utilities. Local it is likely virtually impossible to gain planning due to the phosphate issues. A local closed school ihlus3 s being refused planning for conversion to a singke dwelling due to being on mains drains. The rules however mean as its close to a drain it can't have a private system.....there are several plots with outline planning who can't get full planning due to same issue.
There is plenty of ground both privately and publicly owned suitable for planting but just taking a blanket 20% figure is crazy. We exceed 10% for tree coverage but that excess can't be taken against the neighbours beef farm who is under the 10%.
Not being able to access any subsidy without agreeing to planting is blackmail in my opinion. Some farms Will not be able to comply due to mortgages as planted land is significantly less valuable to grazing.
We are being asked to agree to plan but no cash on the table, they'll let us know on the figures later down the line...how can any business agree to a completely different scheme with no figure's.
Subsides are required to keep food prices as they are, input costs keep going up, fert, feed etc but stock prices remain stagnant. A beef farmer friend had 4 invoices out, 2 for selling stock and 2 for buying fert from 10 years apart. The stock made £50 more per life than ten years ago, his fert was from memory 7 times. (This was a throw away anecdote, I'm seeing him next week so will edit and apologise for any mistake but the gist was huge rises and no notable rises on sales)
There are lots of issues that can be addressed but blanket bans on basic farming isn't the way forward. I do believe this will push farms out, that will reduce productivity and I do believe will cause problems down the line.
I appreciate that's my/other farmers opinion and I don't expect to wholeheartedly convince everyone but these guys do know their own bottom line know what comes in where.
In Aberystwyth the main issue wasn't cold hard cash it's the mass swoop of taking land away from grazing and food production. The best comparison was the Highland clearances and this being the Welsh version.
Against this as a back drop land owners in the next valley have now had letters about a 50km long string of 27m high 400kva pylons to connect a new wind farm with the national grid. We are being told to be green and 'improve' whilst large companies are appearing with virtual free reign to put up whatever they like. The letters offer a small bribe/compensation followed by the mention of court action and compulsory purchase should you decline to allow their staff onto your land.
Feelings are running high and it seems both sides aren't for moving so we will see
sfella said:
Against this as a back drop land owners in the next valley have now had letters about a 50km long string of 27m high 400kva pylons to connect a new wind farm with the national grid. We are being told to be green and 'improve' whilst large companies are appearing with virtual free reign to put up whatever they like. The letters offer a small bribe/compensation followed by the mention of court action and compulsory purchase should you decline to allow their staff onto your land.
Feelings are running high and it seems both sides aren't for moving so we will see
Just wondering, do you know if these letters are from a Cardiff based company name beginning Bru.. ?Feelings are running high and it seems both sides aren't for moving so we will see
Edited by covmutley on Friday 23 February 16:22
sfella said:
The letters offer a small bribe/compensation followed by the mention of court action and compulsory purchase should you decline to allow their staff onto your land.
Where have you seen the bit about compulsory purchase?For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
gareth h said:
monkfish1 said:
Where have you seen the bit about compulsory purchase?
For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
I wouldn’t expect it to be an attractive offer!For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
There was a big campaign here a few years ago to oppose putting pylons through our valley, and the proposal was successfully blocked.
At the same time we can't put public car charging in the local town because the grid connection is inadequate
We've got several groups in the local area who are keen to have some turbines put up on their land (e.g. farmers looking to diversify) and the projects are blocked because the grid infrastructure is inadequate.
Pretty much no one wants pylons near their houses, yet we all need grid infrastructure to be improved and Wales needs to exploit whatever opportunities it has to generate and sell power. Something somewhere has to give.
At the same time we can't put public car charging in the local town because the grid connection is inadequate
We've got several groups in the local area who are keen to have some turbines put up on their land (e.g. farmers looking to diversify) and the projects are blocked because the grid infrastructure is inadequate.
Pretty much no one wants pylons near their houses, yet we all need grid infrastructure to be improved and Wales needs to exploit whatever opportunities it has to generate and sell power. Something somewhere has to give.
ATG said:
There was a big campaign here a few years ago to oppose putting pylons through our valley, and the proposal was successfully blocked.
At the same time we can't put public car charging in the local town because the grid connection is inadequate
We've got several groups in the local area who are keen to have some turbines put up on their land (e.g. farmers looking to diversify) and the projects are blocked because the grid infrastructure is inadequate.
Pretty much no one wants pylons near their houses, yet we all need grid infrastructure to be improved and Wales needs to exploit whatever opportunities it has to generate and sell power. Something somewhere has to give.
I feel the frustration. It has to be a joint offer that has benefits to the community. I know that there's a new 400kV substation going into Carmarthen to enable similar grid connections that are otherwise stalled, but it's decades after the grid was reinforced to support Pembroke gas power station. At the same time we can't put public car charging in the local town because the grid connection is inadequate
We've got several groups in the local area who are keen to have some turbines put up on their land (e.g. farmers looking to diversify) and the projects are blocked because the grid infrastructure is inadequate.
Pretty much no one wants pylons near their houses, yet we all need grid infrastructure to be improved and Wales needs to exploit whatever opportunities it has to generate and sell power. Something somewhere has to give.
monkfish1 said:
Where have you seen the bit about compulsory purchase?
For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
The license companies need to work on/install network gives them powers of compulsory purchase. The company wanting to install the pylons in Carmarthenshire don't currently hold such a license so.its all bluster. For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
There is a string being proposed futher inland down the valley through Llandeilo to Carmarthen and then this one had appeared to go down the Teife valley from above Lampeter to Carmarthen.
Anyway back to cheerier farmy stuff
All our ewes are home ready for lambing to start about the 10th, we're lambing about 30 so hoping for about 40 lambs. We've a home lined up for any mollies(spares/triplets/rejects that need bottle fed) with a friend so all good. We'll sell the lambs over the next 18 months either as meat or breeding stock.
After a few drier days and today being glorious it was muck shifting, this had been on hold due to weather an a mechanical failure. When fully up like in this pic one tractor suffered a hitch failure so the trailer came off. Luckily no injury or damage just a quote for £2500 for a new casting.......turns out last owner broke it and had it welded, dealer didn't see the weld as hidden quite well.
With one tractor out for repairs and our main tractor the Claas tied up with the hedge cutter on we were stuck for a few weeks. This has been a real pain and showed us that at crucial times we could be in a real hole if something dies, haymaking time etc.
So to my partners delight....cough I fell into a local dealer and picked this up, she's a 1992 Massey Ferguson, 80/85 hp of goodness with a loader. The loader comes off easily so will probably get stored for if needed. An extra machine of an ideal size, will be better suited to the baler as a bit older and less aggressive. Older but runs a dream and very comfortable!
We've got a plan for the next few years of where we want to be, where we see the future of farming and are going to do our best to stick to this. For now that means we have most of the kit we need, a flail topper, bigger hay tedder and a roller I think are all we require. Will share more as we go but all is not doom and gloom, we love what we do and will continue to learn and farm as best we can as we go.
A few horses to go this spring so hopefully they do well and make way for this year's foals
All our ewes are home ready for lambing to start about the 10th, we're lambing about 30 so hoping for about 40 lambs. We've a home lined up for any mollies(spares/triplets/rejects that need bottle fed) with a friend so all good. We'll sell the lambs over the next 18 months either as meat or breeding stock.
After a few drier days and today being glorious it was muck shifting, this had been on hold due to weather an a mechanical failure. When fully up like in this pic one tractor suffered a hitch failure so the trailer came off. Luckily no injury or damage just a quote for £2500 for a new casting.......turns out last owner broke it and had it welded, dealer didn't see the weld as hidden quite well.
With one tractor out for repairs and our main tractor the Claas tied up with the hedge cutter on we were stuck for a few weeks. This has been a real pain and showed us that at crucial times we could be in a real hole if something dies, haymaking time etc.
So to my partners delight....cough I fell into a local dealer and picked this up, she's a 1992 Massey Ferguson, 80/85 hp of goodness with a loader. The loader comes off easily so will probably get stored for if needed. An extra machine of an ideal size, will be better suited to the baler as a bit older and less aggressive. Older but runs a dream and very comfortable!
We've got a plan for the next few years of where we want to be, where we see the future of farming and are going to do our best to stick to this. For now that means we have most of the kit we need, a flail topper, bigger hay tedder and a roller I think are all we require. Will share more as we go but all is not doom and gloom, we love what we do and will continue to learn and farm as best we can as we go.
A few horses to go this spring so hopefully they do well and make way for this year's foals
sfella said:
monkfish1 said:
Where have you seen the bit about compulsory purchase?
For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
The license companies need to work on/install network gives them powers of compulsory purchase. The company wanting to install the pylons in Carmarthenshire don't currently hold such a license so.its all bluster. For me that would be preferable to the near non existent bribe. Sounds like i need to be refusing access.
There is a string being proposed futher inland down the valley through Llandeilo to Carmarthen and then this one had appeared to go down the Teife valley from above Lampeter to Carmarthen.
CivicDuties said:
Is there? My Mum lives in the Towy valley between Llandeilo and Carmarthen. She may not be aware of this. Have you got any links to the proposals please? It might well involve her land.
I'd think she'd have seen, there's signs opposing it everywhere last time I went that way but if you Google Towy Valley pylons there is loads of anti sites and mapssfella said:
CivicDuties said:
Is there? My Mum lives in the Towy valley between Llandeilo and Carmarthen. She may not be aware of this. Have you got any links to the proposals please? It might well involve her land.
I'd think she'd have seen, there's signs opposing it everywhere last time I went that way but if you Google Towy Valley pylons there is loads of anti sites and mapssfella said:
Absolutetly no idea if there is any interest in this but....
This year we sold our smallholding in the Midlands and moved 200 miles to West Wales. We didn't know anyone here, wasn't particularly an area we knew but it offered everything we wanted.
We had looked long at hard at Scotland,very far north Scotland but the prospect of indy ref was a concern that I couldn't shake. We knew we wanted rural and near the coast would be a bonus so we started looking everywhere. The place we bought wasn't what we thought we wanted but being here we felt at home and could see a future here, others that were on paper what we wanted didn't offer that.
The move was always planned in so far as we wanted to be more remote and wasn't influenced by anything like covid just the right time. We've watched too many people hold off and die/get too old before doing anything so have jumped and gone. It seems a much nicer environment to raise children and home schooling here is much more mainstream which is what we intend to do.
We have been very much welcomed, have made friends and couldn't ask for anything else from people locally.
The place we've bought needs work but that's all we've ever known so am happy doing that. The first issue was evident on day 1, no hot water. Tank and boiler were/are ancient ,tank replaced and old boiler still chugging away for now.
If there's interest I'll put some more on, here's our pace anyway!
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My wife works in Nort Wales, a 35 mile drive from our home.This year we sold our smallholding in the Midlands and moved 200 miles to West Wales. We didn't know anyone here, wasn't particularly an area we knew but it offered everything we wanted.
We had looked long at hard at Scotland,very far north Scotland but the prospect of indy ref was a concern that I couldn't shake. We knew we wanted rural and near the coast would be a bonus so we started looking everywhere. The place we bought wasn't what we thought we wanted but being here we felt at home and could see a future here, others that were on paper what we wanted didn't offer that.
The move was always planned in so far as we wanted to be more remote and wasn't influenced by anything like covid just the right time. We've watched too many people hold off and die/get too old before doing anything so have jumped and gone. It seems a much nicer environment to raise children and home schooling here is much more mainstream which is what we intend to do.
We have been very much welcomed, have made friends and couldn't ask for anything else from people locally.
The place we've bought needs work but that's all we've ever known so am happy doing that. The first issue was evident on day 1, no hot water. Tank and boiler were/are ancient ,tank replaced and old boiler still chugging away for now.
If there's interest I'll put some more on, here's our pace anyway!
[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/pWzjcT1y[/url][url]|https://thumbsnap.com/ikB4CgrQ[/url][url]|https://thumbsnap.com/KEi5TXbd[/url][url]|https://thumbsnap.com/mUTWrHdP[/url]Edited by sfella on Friday 8th December 17:23
Several, well more than several have some sort of farm small holding.
Money really does go a very long way in buying house and land.
I guess no piped gad, so gas tank or oil tank ?
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