New to all of this..

3 posts

Member for

9 years 7 months
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 05/21/2015 - 00:56

New to all of this..

Hi all, love this website. To start: I have a few million questions. I purchased my land 2 years ago; 20 ac + 12 ac riverfront grazing licence.The  previous owners bred a small number of cattle for money, currently I am  aggisting about 45 sheep for a neighbour (no profit, just keep the grass down), but looking at moving forward to making my own money from the place. The former house burnt down in the black sat fires, before i bought it. I work full time shift work in melb, and can, at the moment only get there every second week. I am looking for reasonable ideas to make the place work. I have removed most of the blackberries, improved the fencing, and have put in for permits to rebuild the house and sheds. There is a naturaly occuring bee hive, and I Have put in 8 apple trees, and two avacadoes as a test planting.  i have long river frontage (Year round water), and large state forest and attractions near by. I am after information, on the carring capasity of the land ( for various ventures), and how to slowely transition from my fulltime city job, to a country lifestyle.  Most in my area have cattle, a few have sheep, plenty of olive crops or organic apples, and some B&B opperations.

Initualy i need to satisfy the ATO, but I actualy want to try to make a profit (however small) from the place. As it is relatively small (32 ac total), I need to think outside the box. Anyone with any thoughts, please feel free to post or coment. Mick.

Forums
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/22/2012 - 11:13
I would think of nut trees that are suitable for this area grown on swales on contour. Most of the year they don' t need much except for a few sheep to mow the lawn. Its harvest time that would need most attention and your leave should handle that.
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi,

yes nut trees would be a good idea. Regarding olive trees, the market as far as I know is oversupplied, but you might be able to do your own bottling and so on as a boutique market. You could also try putting a few weaners on the block too. To maximise land usage, you could fence the block off into 5 acre paddocks so that you can use rotational cell grazing.

 

I suggest putting some mesh around the apple trees if you haven't done so already, because the rabbits and hares will ring bark them if you don't . The other thing is if you put weaners or cattle on the block, make sure that the mesh barriers are about 4' out from the canopy of the trees, because cattle have a long neck and they like nibbling foliage on fruit trees- as I found out to my cost.

 

Cheers,

Barb

 

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