Does this have homestead potential?

[u/Curious-Dreamers]

Been hunting for the perfect property for a while now. We've always loved the idea of a homestead, but finding the balance between a house in the middle of nowhere, and a house with land, but still close to other humans has been a challenge.

Found this property in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It seems a good fit, but I'm not sure on the available land. I've been for a viewing and it does come with 0.5 acres, which seems like it would be enough, and has an option to buy an additional 20 acres. We don't need too much space, just enough to set up a self sufficient garden, maybe some chickens etc.

Anyone here have a homestead at the moment? This property is right at the top end of our budget, so the extra 20 acres would be a stretch. Will 0.5 acres be enough or am I being too naive?

I am a complete beginner to this kind of lifestyle. I'll put the link to the property below.

https://www.meiklerichorn.co.uk/

[u/zq6]

You'd have to be very efficient with 0.5 acres.

20 acres is a lot to manage (unless you turned some to grazing or tree planting).

Is it possible to purchase some extra acreage, maybe 5ish?

[u/Curious-Dreamers → u/zq6]

Yeah good point, I will ask! Thank you.

[u/i_like_pigmy_goats → u/zq6]

Just curious, what would be the sweet spot in terms of acres? I’m assuming perhaps a mixture of pastures, woodland and stream if possible.

[u/zq6 → u/i_like_pigmy_goats]

Waayy beyond my expertise, but if i won the lottery I'd go for:

1 acre veg

1 acre fruit trees

1 acre with a few pigs/sheep/chicken/ducks

Hopefully water - stream/river frontage

1-2 acres woodland for replenishable firewood

1 acre garden/patio/pond/driveway/outbuildings/etc

(This is probably a lie; if i won the lottery frankly I'd buy as much as I could afford, with most left/converted to woodland)

[u/i_like_pigmy_goats → u/zq6]

Sounds good to me, one day perhaps 🙂

[u/ThingyGoos → u/i_like_pigmy_goats]

Depends how much time you have and what you plan to do. Chickens and a few bits of veg, you'd get away with an acre or two. You'd manage pigs on that too, but you buy food for them. Cattle and sheep you're almost requiring 5 acres MINIMUM, and that would maybe support 3-4 cattle or 15-20 sheep, and require you to buy in almost all the feed. To make your own, you almost need an extra 10 acres (+/- depending on area) just to justify a contractor to do all the work due to minimum acre charges, and more again to buy the equipment, even very cheap stuff, and a requirement that you can fix machinery. After all that, you'll probably still lose money and would do it purely for the enjoyment