Hi Sam & Stuart a good free range chicken up here can cost £6.00, if you want to clear the whole of the field and you have very very good fences then a couple of pigs will do it in time for next year. and then you can eat the pigs . then fence it into equal sections and you can rotate your veges , pigs ,chickens etc around the acre .. Dont forget though if you use pigs you will still need to rotorvate the ground afterwards.
So basically, pigs clear and fertilise the land,.Then organise your plot into equal manageable sections, and eat the pigs, then plant up most of the plot bearing in mind your crop rotation, greenhouse,etc, buy a couple more pigs ( 2 is always best as they do get lonely) put them in one section so they keep the weeds down and feed them on any kitchen and garden waste (not meat) and organic pellets. Grow your veg and collect your eggs, then pick your veg eat the pigs eat the veg,eat some chickens and sell the surplus , Rotate everything around into the next section and start all over again.
Easy,!!! untill it rains and the weeds take over and the slugs eat all your cabbage and lettuce, then you get potato blight, the pigs become poorly and you have to call out the vet,the butterflies lay eggs on your sprouts and the catterpillers eat all the leaves, someone comes along and smashes the glass in the green house so your cucumbers ,tomatoes peppers get a chill and die. DONT worry though thats what happens, and if it does you can start all over again the next season.
SORRY just pointing out the worst side, there is nothing like growing and producing your own food it makes all the down sides bearable and you will enjoy the challanges Dont forget if you do get pigs then you will need a holding number from DEFRA this is free all you need is to phone DEFRA and they will send you everything you need. Also if you have more than 50 chickens then you have to register as a poulty keeper with DEFRA.
DONT be put off with what I wrote about the bad times , but keep it in the back of your mind, as I am having all the bad bits this year.
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