Water is precious and it’s expensive to buy if you don’t have enough in your tanks or dams. Then there's environmental conditions like weather and drought to factor in. Not to mention infrastructure upgrades such as access roads. While living on a hobby farm can be idyllic, there can also be challenges and unforeseen costs.Įven seemingly small things like fencing can set you back thousands of dollars. If you can work out your exact framework beforehand, you can select places that are suitable to look at.” Consider the challenges “Buying land and then changing it to suit your purpose takes time and money. “It’s important to clearly assess the farm’s physical resources as well as your skills and knowledge when deciding if this mix is capable of achieving your goals,” says Charlie. What do you want to grow or raise? How much water will you need? What type of soil will you require?Ĭharlie Roberts is the founder of FarmStyle Australia, an online community of hobby farm owners who share knowledge and resources. Know what you want from the landīefore you even think of committing to a small acreage, you want to be clear about what you want from the land. We’ve talked to some rural experts to get their top tips to prepare for the purchase of a hobby farm. Most of my clients aren’t looking for a financial gain from these properties - they’re just happy to have the space to play around and if they do have some excess produce they might sell it on a roadside stall or at the local markets," he says. "While some want to go way out into the bush, mostly these people are looking for properties close to towns with a real sense of community and with close proximity to amenities like schools and hospitals. Then there are families who want space and to give their kids an experience of living on the land - to live a more natural lifestyle," he explains. Retirees who want privacy, have time on their hands and have a dream of working on acreage. "The two main groups are young families or retirees. Many have dreamed of life on a few acres of land for years. Who's buying hobby farms?Ĭhad Mangelson, a Northern NSW rural real estate agent, says most of the enquiries he receives for lifestyle properties are from people who are looking to get out of the city. One reason for the increase could be that the presence of a beehive is not only a source of honey, it also helps improve the pollination of any crops or flowers being grown in the area. 90% of all beekeepers are thought to be hobbyists, not professionals. Small hives are popping up everywhere, giving their owners a harvest of honey. One surprise ‘animal’ that has increased in hobby farm popularity lately is the bee. Raising miniature breeds and livestock such as alpacas, sheep, goats and cows are popular choices for first time farmers, but simply running a self sufficient garden and having fruit trees and chooks are also common. There's more than 60,000 ‘small lifestyle farms’ across Australia and that number is growing, particularly as people choose to leave the city and embrace work from home roles. Working in the fresh air, growing food to eat, getting back to nature it’s no wonder they’re so popular.
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