Buying a lifestyle block Q's

**Ocean1** · 5th August 2009, 22:52

I had about 12 acres for a while. It does take a lot of time but I enjoyed most of the work.

I solved the stock maintenance issue by giving the sheep to the real farmer a stones throw up the road. He basically used my place as an extension of his in exchange for a carcase or two and an occasional loan of his digger or tractor.

I miss the place, if I was still there it'd be planted much like Jantar describes by now...

**Timber020** · 5th August 2009, 22:53

Farming has alot to do with economies of scale. It doesnt take that much more time to tend to 500 cows on 500 acres than it takes to tend to 5 cows on 5 acres. The difference is that 500 cows will give you a living, where 5 cows will eat up your life.

**scracha** · 5th August 2009, 23:29

Wot everyone else said. It'll either cost you lots of time or lots of money...or both. Make plenty of friends so you can borrow each equipment and make use of each others skills as it just doesn't make sense for "lifestylers" to all own tractors and know everything. Friends and family are also essential as you'll also need to take holidays. While many folk will happily watch your cat/dog, it's a different kettle of fish with goats/sheep/pigs/cows/horses/whatever.

The SO sometimes does some of the office work she's supposed to do full time for me in between spending about 40 hours a week fannying about in the fields between gardening, fencing, mowing and animals. That said, she loves it to bits. Think long and hard about the decision. Is it you who wants the "lifestyle" or the SO and kids? If it's the latter then set clear boundaries. I have no great interest in "the land", I'd be happier with a little cottage out in the sticks with a decent garage for my toys and a much smaller mortgage. To that effect, I made it clear from the start that the SO would be doing all the work herself. This disgusts a lot of the farmer types around here but they've 100's of acres and we've got 8 so somebody has to earn money.

That said, it's like motorcycles. If you've got the money and are content to employ other people to do the $hit maintenance jobs you don't want to do yourself then you can enjoy whatever good aspects of it you personally enjoy.

If you're both out working then consider having one of the other yokel farmers run their coo's/sheep/whatever on your land.

Country life is good and I don't think I could live in a large town or city again.

**MaxB** · 5th August 2009, 23:43

Before you buy get a LINZ report and check if the land has any restrictions on it and paper roads etc. Check the utilities don't have rights of access over your land. Stuff like that. Also get in with the neighbours to see if someone is planning a gold mine/explosives factory next door.

**scracha** · 5th August 2009, 23:58

Originally Posted by MaxB

. Also get in with the neighbours to see if someone is planning a gold mine/explosives factory next door.

Or dog pound (sigh)

**Vgygrwr** · 6th August 2009, 00:17

We have a 9 acre block in North Canterbury which had been planted as an apple orchard for consent. I spent some time reading power meters in the wider area and saw a huge variety of activities and the most common comments were its hard work, there is no money in it but we love it. One of the more unique was a large she full of tanks growing shellfish.
There were lots of very expensive houses on very big sections with sheds housing expensive toys all providing income to some of us poorer souls.
In our immediate neighborhood I guy truly making his living on his land rearing calves. Another neighbor manages the stock for one of the remaining farmers and they lease many of the block as rotational grazing.
We are subject to northwesters, southerlies and a cold prevailing easterly so you have to establish shelter and you need water. Guess we have a bit more than a thousand fruit and nut trees and in the one season in the past 6 in which we did not have late frosts, early frosts, drought or hail we made income that possibly reached as high as 20 well I reckon could have even been 30 cents per hour .
I you are going to, then do it while you are young, fit and have the lifetime ahead to enjoy what you develop. Only do it if you have some affinity for the land, country life and appreciate the rare privilege we have in NZ
If you lack that make sure you buy a property that is easy to sell because you won't last six months
All those words, must be a crook batch of cider better get another bottle

**Laava** · 6th August 2009, 07:52

Get a bush block! Cut a motorbikr track through it and enough grass for 1 sheep and some chickens.

:

**spacemonkey** · 6th August 2009, 08:31

Originally Posted by Ocean1

I had about 12 acres for a while. It does take a lot of time but I enjoyed most of the work.

I solved the stock maintenance issue by giving the sheep to the real farmer a stones throw up the road. He basically used my place as an extension of his in exchange for a carcase or two and an occasional loan of his digger or tractor.

I miss the place, if I was still there it'd be planted much like Jantar describes by now...

Thanks for the comments guys.

I was thinking along the lines of letting the grazing to one of the local farmers as I have no intention of running stock myself.
Power lines (NOT high tension) do cross the corner of the place, water seems to be no problem it has a stock dam and there is a largish (20ft across) stream on boundery also there appears to be a spring back near the road at the base of a hill..... more worried about drainage to be honnest. flood marks on the stream bed show a high that was 10ft below the top of the banks.

I was thinking of planting out the steep sections in native bush and 2ha of the flats in Truffle inoculated oaks or hazel nuts as a fairly passive future income stream, and just relocating an old cottage on the place to use as a weekender (which given its location near a yuppie tourist town could be rented out as a weekend/holiday house).

Just trying to work out development costs at the moment, the numbers are looking ok apart from the cost of drainage/irrigation which I have not gotten a handle on as yet??

Will definately be getting a LIM/LINZ report done though.

**Finn** · 6th August 2009, 08:49

All I've got is a 1/4 acre lifestyle block in the city with one useless cow. Don't think I can be of much help.

**vifferman** · 6th August 2009, 08:52

Originally Posted by spacemonkey

Thanks for the comments guys.

I was thinking along the lines of letting the grazing to one of the local farmers as I have no intention of running stock myself.

Yeah, that's a good idea. My sister lives on a 9-acre block, has done for about 20 years. They don't worry about stock, maintenance, etc., as the neighbours (proper farmers) take care of all that: they have an arrangement where they use it as a 'run off' to graze stock on, cut hay, whatever. The only thing is that the section around the house is bigger'n normal, so instead of pushing a mower around it, they have a ride-on mower.

Another thing is your rates may be high in some areas, as they're based on land area and value.

**duckonin** · 6th August 2009, 08:56

Hitcher and Vgygrwr have it sussed, Farmed all my life as a Musterer or farm Manager.... Bought our own small block years back for the Needys and birds (Ducks, Chooks ) have never lived in town nor would we want to..

Get your block into shape fast then kick back, let it work for you not you work for it, then you would truly enjoy...

You do need to have as Vgygrwr has said a very strong affinity with the land, read his or her posts and Hitchers for the rest, actually most in puts have been not bad....

**davereid** · 6th August 2009, 09:01

We tried all sorts here. Pigs, cattle, sheep, all a bloody expensive disaster. Finally I did what I never do, and consulted an expert.

We turned one border into an orchard, with apples, pears, fejoas etc etc. It has a 6ft wire fence, and we free range our chickens in the orchard. Its bigenough that we can get a ride on mower down the rows, so its easy to look after.

Another wet paddock corner we planted in trees, can't remember what they were some canadian wattle or summat. It dried the paddock out, provides a windbreak and shelter for animals and feeds the woodburner all winter.

We run sheep now, but a specially selected breed of black faced suffolk. They don't need a dog, you can call them and they will come up to you. Twice a year we get a shearing contractor in for drenching, shearing, etc etc, and its costs about $7 an animal.

If winter is a bit lean, an animal or two goes in the fridge, and we supplement a bit with multifeed nuts. Expensive, but so easy.

Sometimes we will buy a steer and fatten him up over spring for the freezer, so we don't buy much meat.

Be prepared to have to do a bit of planning.

**sinfull** · 6th August 2009, 09:14

Originally Posted by davereid

We run sheep now, but a specially selected breed of black faced suffolk. They don't need a dog, you can call them and they will come up to you. .

Hereeeeee Baaaaabara !

Done the 4 acre thing and may as well have been 100 cause the work was the same as, but no regrets apart from near giving it away to the ex when we split, well not even then really haha !

Just dooo eeeet !

**TLMAN** · 6th August 2009, 09:48

Originally Posted by Finn

All I've got is a 1/4 acre lifestyle block in the city with one useless cow. Don't think I can be of much help.

Man, ill bet if she read this yo ass would be toast...

**ready4whatever** · 6th August 2009, 10:42

Originally Posted by spacemonkey

I'm toying with buying a 19acre block.

Are there any KB'ers out there that have done this?
What are the things to look out for, and does anyone know about who to get in to take a professional look at it to evaluate the land's potential problems??

Any advice you've got would be good.

my advice is to hire a land surveyor to check it out...please... we are very short on work