Ok, this is just the first instalment. I'm a slow typist and also an inexperienced writer so it takes me quite a long time and lots of changes along the way. Here's some background.
I live in the South-East of England Which is one of the most affuent parts of the UK with property prices to match. In fact it feels like everything around here is affected by city money coming out of London with thousands of commuters, and fat-cats with big bonuses. I've never been able to afford much in the way of property in this part of the country as I'm self-employed and always on a low income. So low in fact that most people would not be able to survive on the miniscule amount I earn. The reasons for that are a little difficult to describe so I won't attempt to explain here. I have thought of (and tried) moving to a cheaper part of the country but I always seem to end up back here. I was born here and all my roots and most of my remaining family are in Sussex.
The only property I could afford would be the cheapest terraced house (propably ex-council on a seedy estate) in one of the more down-market towns or a cheap studio flat. I can't even afford to rent as rents in this part of the world are totally ridiculous. I really don't want to live in a town, I've basically lived all my life in the country and would be like a fish out of water surrounded by concrete and tarmac, and noisy people.
So the alternative? - I'd long believed that I could do this, in fact I'd started on a similar course a couple of times before, but something always seemed to put the kybosh on it - usually an unsatisfacory relationship with the wrong woman.
Almost 3 years ago I bought a very weedy 7 acre field with a view to turning it into a market garden/nursery/smallholding. I've had experience of growing as a business before - mainly veg growing, although I have tried a few plants in containers and cut flowers too.
I'm going to try and upload a photo of it at an early stage in 2009. I'd mowed about half an acre of the top part of the field, fenced it against rabbits and deer and started cultivating.
Right, that's it for now. Will try to add to this soon. Please make a comment if you are interested to know more. Thanks, Marc
That's a very nice piece of land, Marc. I think it's exciting what you have done, following your heart. I'm interested in how you live; cooking, heating, etc.
Your account is absolutely fascinating. Yes, please tell us more, and I wish you all the very best with your venture.
I do not want to hijack your thread, but just to say that we also live as simply as we can, but we do use electrical goods. My youngest son and his spendaholic partner cannot understand that we have no desire (apart from lack of funds), to "go shopping" for unecessary items, and when we first retired, we said that we would not alter anything in the home unless we could not live with it. This has meant that we have only had new kitchen cupboard doors, a new living room fireplace, and two new carpets. Everything else was either brought with us, or is homemade.
Absolutely keep you story coming and if there are pics so much the better
It will be alright in the end , if its not alright, it isn't the end . Quote from the proprietor of the The best exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful
Yes please Redoak, I would love to hear more of your life, that looks like a nice piece of land. Know what you mean about prices round Sussex. Looking forward to your next post very much
It looks and sounds like a lot of hard work, but I am very envious . (Do you realise that you've opened the way now for everyone to ask you a LOT of questions ... I've a suspicion that no-one has asked before now, for fear of appearing nosey ... now you've indicated a willingness to share, the floodgates will open )
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau.
Thank you for sharing your early part of story with us Marc, I wish you all the luck in the world with it. I look forward to your future posts on this thread. Also
Thanks, Redoak. I'm so happy that you have begun to tell your story. I'm also very pleased with the interest that others have in hearing it. All of us are curious about your actual living experience -- your home and how you sustain it. Also, do you live there by yourself or is someone sharing it with you. I took it from what you've written so far that you do have family near by. Must also comment on how extremely neat your cultivated section is. Nice work to say the least. Keep your story coming, please. And good luck to you.
Ok, next installment. Many of you are asking about my living arrangements. I don't know how much any or all of you know about planning permission for agricultural accomodation, but I'm a bit wary of giving too much information here as at the moment I don't have any permission, so I'm trying to be discreet. For 2 years I was living in a home converted camper, which was also doubled as my transport, and when on site was parked behind trees at the bottom of the holding. I plan in future to apply for permission for a temporary dwelling while I am building up the holding. The old standard system for this was to apply for a mobile home, as temporary accomodation for 3 years.
Recently it seems that the councils may be more inclined to accept a log-cabin style home, still with the above conditions, possibly in preference to a mobile home. I need to take some advice on this, which I intend to do as soon as I feel that the business here is running a bit more smoothly.
I still have the camper which I sometimes take out and park a friend's place, but have slightly improved my comfort levels by building a small timber chalet. I's fairly rustic and temporary but in actual fact quite comfortable. So I have a choice of homes, albeit neither of them quite what most people would like to live in. I am actually enjoying the life although it's a lot of hard work. I'm mainly on my own and do get a bit lonely here at times. Still, it's part of a planned process and I hope to keep improving and building toward better things.
Here's a couple more photos of the garden from later the same year and the following season.
As has already been said, it is a beautifully tended plot Marc, and your second installment is fascinating. Did you see Grand Designs with the woodsman Ben Law? He built a fabulous house, then extended it for a later episode. I do wish you all the best and hope that you are able to have a permanent dwelling.
Love your sunflowers, and your cabbages are magnificent.
.. we now know you live without leccie in a 7 acre field .. but what do you call home?
. (Do you realise that you've opened the way now for everyone to ask you a LOT of questions ... I've a suspicion that no-one has asked before now, for fear of appearing nosey ... now you've indicated a willingness to share, the floodgates will open 
)
Also 
