Just about to buy a field - what do we do with it?

[shockingsocks]

Just about to exchange on an 8 acre field by our house. Haven't got a clue about maintenance etc. Could anyone recommend any good books or online resources to bring us up to speed.

Have no particular plans to keep it as a field - quite fancy planting trees and creating a wildlife area over time - are there grants for this - how do I find out?
Any tips and advice gratefully received! Thank you

Contact your local wildlife trust, they might be happy to lease it or advise you about maintaining it for wildlife, brambles, nettles are very good for birds/insects etc, but people who want the countryside ‘tidy’ don’t generally care about that.

You need llamas or alpacas OP! Sounds amazing, enjoy your new land

Thank you for the positive responses! I do feel very lucky, and I'm itching to get in there lol. Thank you all

One thing that's really popular around here is a secure dog walking field. Doesn't need to be all the land, but just a good space to run. £10 per hour. Ones round here are always booked up!

The best way to 'get up to speed' is to speak with your neighbours. They'll know soils, what it's been used for in the past, who might want to graze it/make hay or is it arable land? At the risk of sounding patronising, well done for looking for advice - it needs actively managing unless you particularly want scrub land and fly tipping.

Have just re-read your op - is it agricultural or equestrian?

We bought a field next to our house several years ago, a bit smaller than yours (3.5 acres). My advice is:

1. Do not rent it out for equestrian/horse grazing (unless you are knowledgeable about horses yourself). More trouble than it's worth, horses sometimes get out, and over-grazing can cause poaching which is bad for the land. And the tenants are supposed to poo pick, but don't always. And it can look untidy.

1. If you have neighbours with sheep do let them graze there some of the year to keep the grass down. They will provide the electric fencing & then take it down again.

1. Alternatively, let your friendly local farmer take a crop of hay once or twice a year - this is what we do now, it doesn't cost us anything.

1. At a minimum, if you don't do the above, you will need to get it topped in mid/late summer (before the weeds set seed). If you are in a rural area there will be plenty of farmers who will do this for you for about 50 quid.

1. Don't worry too much about ragwort, docks, thistles etc. If you look after it with regular cutting they shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Goats. And donkeys.
Rescue goats and rescue donkeys.

Pure heaven

Can i ask where you found this. As it is something I've always wanted to do. Ideally have a place that I can keep quite wild for nature but have a clearing so we can camp also.
I have seen a few websites advertising land for sale but who is reputable etc. I know most are unavailable to ever have residential housing placed on. And also a no for commercial camping. But does anyone have any advice on how to buy a piece of land
Sorry to hijack thread

does anyone have any advice on how to buy a piece of land

Rural estate agents often have small parcels of land for sale. It may be advertised as pastureland, or for equestrian purposes, or agricultural - if you ask they will tell you what any restrictions are on use.

Anything that has any potential for housing or industrial development will be megabucks.

Then you just go through the same process as you would if you were buying a house - get a decent solicitor to do the conveyancing, who will also look into conditions & restrictions.

Perfect thank you

Sheep and chickens - rescue chickens from battery farms. Love my sheep and totally adore my chickens. I am so jealous of your 8 acres - I have my eye on about 6 acres next to us - farmer won't sell so trying to come to a long lease agreement.

We need an update from @shockingsocks