[Ed.B]

Hi everyone - I’ve just joined as am really interested in learning more about smallholdings, with a view to hopefully finding some land to look after at some point. So definitely at the start of this journey, but with a bit of background as I run a Rural Skills training programme in Gloucestershire, with lots of drystone walling, hedge laying, coppicing and charcoal burning, plus a few other bits and pieces. Any advice on finding a few acres of land, realistically to rent, would be very welcome (been doing a lot of internet searching, which is how I found the forum) and thanks in advance!

[Rosemary]

Sounds like you've made a good start! Welcome to TAS 

[alang]

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to hearing more about experience especially the coppicing and charcoal aspects

[Lesley Silvester]

  Welcome to TAS. Sounds like you've made a good start by doing the training programme. At least by teaching it you know what's what. Good luck with your hunt for land. Whereabouts are you looking?

[Ed.B]

Thanks for your replies everyone! 

With the coppicing and charcoal burning - its coppicing in autumn / winter, for stakes and hetherings to use when hedge-laying, but larger wood is stacked to dry for summer charcoal burning (5-6 burns per season, which involves cutting / splitting logs, stacking kiln, charcoal burning itself, sorting and bagging the result - this is the really messy bit.)

Sorry if this is well known and obvious - certainly don't want to harp on about things to folk who know it all backwards, especially as a newcomer..

Also thanks for the good luck in searching - I'm working out a move closer to my job in Glos, but am flexible so am thinking about west of the county. Really it's just about finding some land to start with - getting that experience, so definitely aren't fussy.

And good luck with your own smallholding plans - would be great to hear a bit more about these if that's ok.