Vision # 4 - Enterprise List

Jo & I have just finished brainstorming our ideas for the land - we appreciate any thoughts or comments that anyone might have!......

1.  Rare breed pigs - in the 1/2 acre or so of scrubby woodland / bramble.  We've loved keeping pigs, and if we can make a little money and also work towards being self-sufficient for pig food (not happy about the idea of feeding grain-based feed which has probably come from a farm many miles away from any animals and coaxed begrudgingly into life with artificials) it would be a massive bonus.
2. Controlled grazing of rare breed sheep, followed by mini egg-mobiles (by which I mean little chicken fold-units).  Adapting the Joel Salatin plan to sheep (www.polyfacefarm.com).
3. Pastured poultry - another Joel Salatin, probably in our case split around 50% free range eggs and 50% table birds including chickens, geese and turkeys.
4. Quarter acre farm - our rotation of pigs, chickens, ducks, vegetables and grass, aiming to rehabilitate our tired permanent pasture.
5. Holiday let - with some work our 'annexe' would become a great holiday let for a couple or small family who wanted to explore beautiful Monmouthshire and beautiful Tymawr farm!
6. The Craftroom - a large outbuilding within which we could run courses on small business skills e.g. Project Management, Finance for Non-Financials, Strategy, Marketing, Lean Thinking (www.lean.org.uk) etc. etc.
7. Firewood - with more than 2 acres of hardwood woodland there is enough scope to be entirely self-sufficient for heating, and have enough left over for some small sales of firewood and wood-chip.
8. Cider Orchard - we have a West-facing field of around 2 acres which would make a wonderful orchard, in my mind I see a building housing the cider making equipment and vats, and a tasting room with a great view of the reservoir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llandegfedd_Reservoir).  I would also love to produce Apple Brandy!
9. Christmas Trees - in the season I see a magical walk through the narrow woodland path, probably illuminated with Christmas lights, then out into the Cider Orchard for a glass of hot mulled cider, and then into the Christmas tree plantation to choose your own tree.  We could then upsell home-grown Mistletoe, Oak-logs for the fire, Cider, Apple Brandy, meat etc. etc.
10. Yurts / Holiday Cabins in the woodland - it would be a wonderful area for a family holiday - surrounded by native British woodland, Rare-breeds to see and feed, a Cider orchard to wander through, and the lovely Monmouthshire countryside to explore.  We're also located on the edge of the Brecon Beacons which are beautiful!

We need to make enough money to pay the mortgage and to keep ourselves and our children in a modern and generous fashion (which I articulate as 'self-abundant') - with all these ideas I'm sure it's possible!