[adamsat]

We're seriously thinking of getting ourselves a lifestyle block and trying some small scale farming.
Anyone else tried this?
If so we'd be very interested in your experiences.

[clarabell]

Hi,

We aren't NZ lifestylers yet, but thats our longer term aim (short term - get there!!!) after making do with what little bit of garden we have at the moment . Have a look at this site though, its great:

www.lifestyleblock.co.nz

also this is a UK based site but with international members

www.acountrylife.com

They're both full of useful info, even for dreamers like me!

Jamie (clarabells OH)

[Moorf]

You're not alone, we've recently looked at a lavendar farm and a cucumber farm both for sale locally :P

[Moorf]

Actually, if you've got enough money to throw at it, here's the website of the Lavender Farm that's for sale - it's near Akaroa....

http://www.lavender-nz.com/

I think the agent was First National - asking price = c. $750k. It's "under offer" but are accepting others as 2 mth conditional period on the current offer.

[Timbo]

I do hope the cucumbers are the veggie variety Moorf :laugh

[Moorf]

:laugh Your comment was fully expected ;)

[Mildred]

So Moorf, why exactly do you prefer the cucumber farm to the lavender one???

[T-R3xx]

Lost in Translation:

- What is a 'Lifestyler'? Is that like a 'hobby-farm'?

- What other cuke is there besides the veggie type? (I think I might know that one already...)

Please pardon my ignorance.

Thanks!

[Mildred]

:clap

[Timbo]

Pearce. You may just regret asking about the cucumber thing my friend. It is a very long story.
As far as I can figure, yes, a Lifestyler would be about the same sort of set up as a hobby farm.

The alternative to the veggie variety is the Sea cucumber btw. But you probably guessed that already.

[Simon & Emily]

Like Jamie and Clarabell (and many others), we are also iterested in a lifestyle block. So, we'd also be very interested to hear others experiences.

Emily

[ruthyroo]

From what I have gleaned there is a big variety in the whole small farm / lifestyle block thing. My impression is that it is pretty hard to make a living off the 'classic' kiwi lifestyle block, and most people also work. Which is bloody hard work - animals don't understand that you've had a bad day at work and you'd really rather not trudge out into the rain to feed them. I know a couple of people with lifestyle blocks, and they work really hard and it takes up a lot of time. So one for the committed I guess! Small / speciality farms are somewhat different, and TBH they appeal more to me than lifestyle blocks - a bit more commercially savvy and have the potential to provide an actual income. Also, NZ is like most agricultural economies now - big farms rule, and the wee guys are pushed out yearly. Lifestyle blocks are increasing in popularity, partly driven by the good life, back to the country fashion that is prevalent here as anywhere.

[eric_amanda]

We have a lifestyle block. 2.7 hectares (about 7 acres). Half of which is covenented native conservation which is great for a bit of tramping (when you get time). The remainder, we currently have three very old sheep grazing (inherited when we bought the property). Our long term plan for this is to plant Avocado's this spring, which should in 5-10yrs begin to reap a return

Currently though the land does not pay for itself. It has been hard work so far, sorting fencing, cutting a few trees and preparing the land for the Avo's, but hopefully in years to come it will begin to pay for itself!

Amanda

[chips]

Like Amanda (hope you are well Amanda), we have an even smaller lifestyle block. It's 3 acres. The land has not been cared for ,but we are working our way through it. OH teaches ,and there are alot of other teachers who have lifestyleblocks/ smallfarms between 10- 100 acres.
From what we have gleemed ,it's a huge ask to make a block pay for it's self. We have learnt alot ,already ,from others, even down to the fact the 6 sheep we have are not ours purley as we need to learn to look after them, and if something goes wrong ,and they become ill, their owner is an ex vet, so no fee's. other thing to think about is sheep sheering. :eek It's fun and well worth a go, especailly if you have little one's , who are currently in training to go down and shut up the chooks at night ,so we don't have to ( :nice1 if it's raining)
Please take a peek at our blog , in the WWW bit below.

Take care all. Chips.

[Singel]

recent newspaper article about lifestyler : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=466&ObjectID=10337560
:cheers

[Moorf]

:mrgreen: To understand Timbo's cucumber reference you'd need to do a search for "sea cucumbers" on this site (or maybe it's on the old broken site (?!) to understand why my name and cucumbers go hand in hand here ;) )

We "preferred" the cucumber farm as a) it had good books b) turned over $120k a year and c) had a good dbase of customers. It also came with a lovely house - bonus! Sold for $485k in the end. :wah we were a day too late.

Alongside a lavender farm the cukes did look alot less glamourous - but at the end of the day it's the business we were interested in and a lavender farm, whilst probably good for stress, is less so when you find out the books show $20k turnover in last year - and the "books" were written on the back of an old envelope! :?

Be warned, Kiwi "accounts" can be atrocious and don't always accurately reflect total business - so much "cash" work goes through them :uhoh One B&B was showing, on books, a turnover of $56000 a year when it was actually more like $120k / yr.

Small holdings here would be good for smaller gourmet crops such as chilli's, wasabi, ginger etc.

At the mo it's just "one option" for us... along with the bookshop, kennels, b&b, motel, cafe, errrr .. you get the gist !!

[leosus]

I am very interested in being a LSBer of sorts. I have been onto the lifestyle block website so many times over the last 2 years, and the people on the forum anre like here- very useful, and nice!

For myself (since it will only be me) , I want a small scale organic veg farm just enough to feed me, and possibly a little left over for neighbors, or farmer's market. I do want a bunch of land, and I am thinking of getting involved (as I am here) with the SPCA for hosting a mini a dog rescue.

I am thinking about building, but that depends on what kind of deal I can find with land and a house. Either way, I will definately be living in the country.
Susan















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