Sharing with others is very important to me, I'm sure there are lots of
people who would like to work in a woodland but cannot (for various
reason) go out and buy/rent/manage one. Some may want to make a career out of it but would like to test the water before making a big commitment, some may just want to use it for a hobby such as birdwatching, some may just want to occasionally visit and/or camp there with their family and some kind and generous people may just want to help me realise my dream. Whatever the reason, I want to make it possible for lots of people to collectively 'own' and have a say in the running of a working woodland.
I use the word 'own' in a legal sense because, if I'm honest, I don't think that anyone can really own land. We are all just caretakers for future generations, it's not something you can actually take with you when you move is it?
So the question is, do you or anyone you know, fancy owning a woodland. If so, keep reading this blog so when the time comes, you too can be a woodland owner too.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Monday, 19 November 2012
Inspired by Fordhall Farm
"Lack of money is no obstacle. Lack of an idea is an obstacle" says Ken Hakuta. In my little world there is an abundance of ideas and a distinct lack of spondoolicks. Sadly I'm finding that things would be a little easier if the situation were reversed but it's something that can be overcome.
So how on earth am I going to pay for this dream? I could sell my house, which would probably get me a small woodland but wouldn't really be big enough to share with others. It would also mean that I would have nowhere to live and I would have to rent, which would then eat into the money from selling my home and who is to say when the right woodland would be available? It may not appear for months or, dare I say it, years and the majority of money would have been spent on having a roof over our heads.
I've looked into many ways of raising money; taking out a loan, crowdfunding, applying for grants, remortgaging my house, etc, but I think the best plan of action will be to base it along the same lines as Fordhall Farm. If you don't know the story of Fordhall Farm you need to look HERE and buy this Book. It shows just what you can do when you are really determined and refuse to give up. I read it again and again because I find it so inspirational and even if you don't want to save your family farm or buy a woodland, you should read it because you will be all the better for it.
So how much money would I need to raise? Well, looking at what is available now, £200,000 would be enough for a 40 - 50 acre woodland. This would be large enough for a variety of co-operatives who didn't want to earn a fortune. £5,500,000 would buy a farm with outbuildings, pasture and a woodland, which means more people could live and work on the land. Maybe I'll aim for £250,000 and if I get more I'll consider it a bonus.
Crowdfunding may be the way to get the money together to do the initial legalities, forming the holding company (or whatever legal structure is decided upon), legal fees, registration fees, bank account, etc. Anything from £500 to £1,000 should be more than enough to get started.
Then all I'll need is 250,000 people who would be willing to give me a just £1 each, but sadly I don't know 250,000 people. This is where (I hope) this blog will come in handy. Hopefully people will hear about it and want to help, either by giving a small donation, buying a share or just offering advice or support.
I will also be selling things I've made or things I no longer want/need and will put this into the fund, although I won't be doing this until I've researched into the legalities of it.
So how on earth am I going to pay for this dream? I could sell my house, which would probably get me a small woodland but wouldn't really be big enough to share with others. It would also mean that I would have nowhere to live and I would have to rent, which would then eat into the money from selling my home and who is to say when the right woodland would be available? It may not appear for months or, dare I say it, years and the majority of money would have been spent on having a roof over our heads.
I've looked into many ways of raising money; taking out a loan, crowdfunding, applying for grants, remortgaging my house, etc, but I think the best plan of action will be to base it along the same lines as Fordhall Farm. If you don't know the story of Fordhall Farm you need to look HERE and buy this Book. It shows just what you can do when you are really determined and refuse to give up. I read it again and again because I find it so inspirational and even if you don't want to save your family farm or buy a woodland, you should read it because you will be all the better for it.
So how much money would I need to raise? Well, looking at what is available now, £200,000 would be enough for a 40 - 50 acre woodland. This would be large enough for a variety of co-operatives who didn't want to earn a fortune. £5,500,000 would buy a farm with outbuildings, pasture and a woodland, which means more people could live and work on the land. Maybe I'll aim for £250,000 and if I get more I'll consider it a bonus.
Crowdfunding may be the way to get the money together to do the initial legalities, forming the holding company (or whatever legal structure is decided upon), legal fees, registration fees, bank account, etc. Anything from £500 to £1,000 should be more than enough to get started.
Then all I'll need is 250,000 people who would be willing to give me a just £1 each, but sadly I don't know 250,000 people. This is where (I hope) this blog will come in handy. Hopefully people will hear about it and want to help, either by giving a small donation, buying a share or just offering advice or support.
I will also be selling things I've made or things I no longer want/need and will put this into the fund, although I won't be doing this until I've researched into the legalities of it.
The Waiting Game
After deciding that the time is right to get the woodland, I've spent many happy hours pouring over Google Earth. There are many places in Britain with lots and lots of trees, so now I have to decide whether to
A) set my sights on a particular area and actively look or
B) just wait until we have the funding in place and hope the right woodland turns up.
I can see the pros and cons of both A and B and, if I decide on B, will I be able to resist the temptation to scour the property markets until then? However if I plump for A, how depressed will I get if the perfect one turns up and I don't have the funds available.
Initially I wanted to stay in my local area, as I'm a sturdy northern lass bred from Lancashire and Yorkshire mining stock and I do actually like the area but if I want to make this a reality then I've got to be prepared to move elsewhere. My bloke lives in South Wales, which means I drive mainly along the Wales/England border when I'm visiting him. I have to say that the more I see of Wales the more it appeals to me, not least because the planning laws are far more sensible than in England.
I'll have to play the waiting game I suppose, waiting until I've got the funding at least. My ideas for that will be covered in my next post (probably) and the legalities of planning laws in a subsequent one.
Feels good getting my ideas down on this blog, rather than having them floating around in my grey matter. Each word I type makes me feel that I'm a little closer to the day I can cast off the trappings of urban life and start to live the dream.
A) set my sights on a particular area and actively look or
B) just wait until we have the funding in place and hope the right woodland turns up.
I can see the pros and cons of both A and B and, if I decide on B, will I be able to resist the temptation to scour the property markets until then? However if I plump for A, how depressed will I get if the perfect one turns up and I don't have the funds available.
Initially I wanted to stay in my local area, as I'm a sturdy northern lass bred from Lancashire and Yorkshire mining stock and I do actually like the area but if I want to make this a reality then I've got to be prepared to move elsewhere. My bloke lives in South Wales, which means I drive mainly along the Wales/England border when I'm visiting him. I have to say that the more I see of Wales the more it appeals to me, not least because the planning laws are far more sensible than in England.
I'll have to play the waiting game I suppose, waiting until I've got the funding at least. My ideas for that will be covered in my next post (probably) and the legalities of planning laws in a subsequent one.
Feels good getting my ideas down on this blog, rather than having them floating around in my grey matter. Each word I type makes me feel that I'm a little closer to the day I can cast off the trappings of urban life and start to live the dream.
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Here we go then....
I'm not really sure what to say in this first post. There are so many thoughts running through my head that I'm not sure I can catch them quick enough to write them down so they make sense. Suppose I'd better just start with telling you all about the dream.
For as long as I can remember trees have been important to me. I've been surrounded by them for most of my life. Although I was brought up on a council estate, it was a nice place to live. There were trees on the field in front of my home, trees on grass verges, trees in the gardens and a lovely local woodland called Borsdane Wood, where I spent a great deal of my time as a kid. I always said to my dad that I would end up living in a woodland and he thought it was a splendid idea.
However as I grew up, the trials and tribulations of real life took over and my dream was forced into the background, although it was always waiting for me in the back of my mind and, when times got hard, I would retreat into my dream woodland and find peace in my soul.
I have now decided that the time is right to make my dream come true. I've spoken at length about this to my partner and my son, who both agree that it would be hard work but great fun to live and work in a woodland.
So, dear readers, here is an outline of My Dream.
It would need to be between 20 and 50 acres of woodland and field, with some hard standing and a stream running through it and maybe a couple of ponds.
It doesn't look like much when it's written down, a whole dream condensed into one sentence, but I have big plans for this woodland.
I've never been a selfish person so I would like to share it. My wonderfully talented partner Welshy will be making full use of the wood but that isn't enough for me. I want it to become a community of different co-operatives, such as charcoal burners, bodgers, permaculture/organic/forest gardeners, compost makers, willow weavers, artists etc. I want it to be a vibrant place, where people want to earn their living and look forward to going to work. We could have a forest school or a Woodcraft Folk group, an art trail - where anyone can make and show off their work, maybe open it up to mountain bikers too. It would be a safe place for animals, there would be no bloodsports on this land. Maybe someone would want to have a few goats, sheep or chickens there, as long as they were well looked after, they would be more than welcome.
Well there you have it. A quick introduction into what is going on in this little Pixie's head. The next few posts will be the depressing ones, finding the funding, which part of the country to settle in, dealing with the legalities of it all. However I take heart that I've done the most difficult part and told the whole wide world of my heart's desire.
For as long as I can remember trees have been important to me. I've been surrounded by them for most of my life. Although I was brought up on a council estate, it was a nice place to live. There were trees on the field in front of my home, trees on grass verges, trees in the gardens and a lovely local woodland called Borsdane Wood, where I spent a great deal of my time as a kid. I always said to my dad that I would end up living in a woodland and he thought it was a splendid idea.
However as I grew up, the trials and tribulations of real life took over and my dream was forced into the background, although it was always waiting for me in the back of my mind and, when times got hard, I would retreat into my dream woodland and find peace in my soul.
I have now decided that the time is right to make my dream come true. I've spoken at length about this to my partner and my son, who both agree that it would be hard work but great fun to live and work in a woodland.
So, dear readers, here is an outline of My Dream.
It would need to be between 20 and 50 acres of woodland and field, with some hard standing and a stream running through it and maybe a couple of ponds.
It doesn't look like much when it's written down, a whole dream condensed into one sentence, but I have big plans for this woodland.
I've never been a selfish person so I would like to share it. My wonderfully talented partner Welshy will be making full use of the wood but that isn't enough for me. I want it to become a community of different co-operatives, such as charcoal burners, bodgers, permaculture/organic/forest gardeners, compost makers, willow weavers, artists etc. I want it to be a vibrant place, where people want to earn their living and look forward to going to work. We could have a forest school or a Woodcraft Folk group, an art trail - where anyone can make and show off their work, maybe open it up to mountain bikers too. It would be a safe place for animals, there would be no bloodsports on this land. Maybe someone would want to have a few goats, sheep or chickens there, as long as they were well looked after, they would be more than welcome.
Well there you have it. A quick introduction into what is going on in this little Pixie's head. The next few posts will be the depressing ones, finding the funding, which part of the country to settle in, dealing with the legalities of it all. However I take heart that I've done the most difficult part and told the whole wide world of my heart's desire.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)