Smallholding
Encyclopedia
A smallholding is a farm
of small size.
In third world
countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of historical land ownership practices. In more affluent societies smallholdings may be valued primarily for the rural lifestyle that they provide. Often, the owners do not earn their livelihood from the farm.
usage, a smallholding is a piece of land and its adjacent living quarters for the smallholder and stabling
for farm animals, on a smaller scale than that of a farm
but larger than an allotment
, usually under 50 acre (0.202343 km²). It is often established for the breeding of farm animal
s on an organic
basis on free-range pastures. Alternatively, the smallholder may concentrate on the growing
of vegetable
s by various traditional methods or in a more modern way using plastic covers, Polytunnel
ing or cloche
s for quick growth.
Generally, a smallholding offers its owner a means of achieving self-sufficiency
as to his and his family's own needs which he may be able to supplement by selling surplus produce at a farmers market and/or temporary booth
s or more permanent shop facilities are often part of a smallholding.
In a separate development, so-called pick-your-own-fruit soft fruit
(or vegetable
) farms (farm being a convenient term rather than a reflection on its size) have appeared over the years in the vicinity of towns, which in type of management do belong to the category of smallholdings rather than farms. Pick your own Strawberries were pioneered in the UK by Ted Moult
in 1961.
They usually consist of a large field which has been subdivided into strips of areas for fruit tree
s, shrub
s or various types of vegetable
s, all the kinds of produce which come to ripen in their different season
s.
In this type of establishment, once the initial layout and investment (in plants, trees, shrubs, etc.) has been completed, only the replanting of annual
vegetables, the maintenance of perennials
, the minimum weeding of the area needs to be undertaken, while the consumers themselves do their own harvest
ing.
Additionally, of course, facilities have to be set up so that the customer may pay for the amount of produce they have been able to 'pick'.
in Australia
n usage is a variety of smallholding that may be as small as 2 hectare
s up to a self-sustaining farm size, that allows the "city farmer" to have a house and a small number of animals or small crop fields or grape vines. In Western Australia, these are often termed Special Rural Properties for planning purposes.
a lifestyle block is a smallholding valued primarily for its rural lifestyle. Also, Planning restrictions on subdivision of farming land often lead to the phenomenon of lifestyle blocks of minimal permissible size springing up near urban areas.
countries, a smallholding is a small plot of land with low rental value, used to grow crops.
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
of small size.
In third world
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
countries, smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent and farming practices become more efficient, smallholdings may persist as a legacy of historical land ownership practices. In more affluent societies smallholdings may be valued primarily for the rural lifestyle that they provide. Often, the owners do not earn their livelihood from the farm.
Smallholdings in Britain
In British EnglishBritish English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
usage, a smallholding is a piece of land and its adjacent living quarters for the smallholder and stabling
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
for farm animals, on a smaller scale than that of a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
but larger than an allotment
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
, usually under 50 acre (0.202343 km²). It is often established for the breeding of farm animal
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s on an organic
Organic movement
The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic farming, which is a more sustainable mode of agriculture...
basis on free-range pastures. Alternatively, the smallholder may concentrate on the growing
Market gardening
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
of vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s by various traditional methods or in a more modern way using plastic covers, Polytunnel
Polytunnel
A polytunnel is a tunnel made of polyethylene used to grow plants that require a higher temperature and/or humidity than that which is available in the environment....
ing or cloche
Row cover
In horticulture, row cover is any material used as a protective covering to shield plants, usually vegetables, primarily from the undesirable effects of cold and wind, and also from insect damage....
s for quick growth.
Generally, a smallholding offers its owner a means of achieving self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...
as to his and his family's own needs which he may be able to supplement by selling surplus produce at a farmers market and/or temporary booth
Booth
-In architecture:* Isolation booth, device used to prevent a person or people from seeing or hearing certain events* Photo booth, vending machine or kiosk which contains an automated camera and film processor...
s or more permanent shop facilities are often part of a smallholding.
In a separate development, so-called pick-your-own-fruit soft fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
(or vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
) farms (farm being a convenient term rather than a reflection on its size) have appeared over the years in the vicinity of towns, which in type of management do belong to the category of smallholdings rather than farms. Pick your own Strawberries were pioneered in the UK by Ted Moult
Ted Moult
Edward Walker "Ted" Moult was a British farmer at Scaddows Farm near Ticknall, Derbyshire, who became a radio and television personality.- Early life :...
in 1961.
They usually consist of a large field which has been subdivided into strips of areas for fruit tree
Fruit tree
A fruit tree is a tree which bears fruit that is consumed or used by people — all trees that are flowering plants produce fruit, which are the ripened ovaries of flowers containing one or more seeds. In horticultural usage, the term 'fruit tree' is limited to those that provide fruit for...
s, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s or various types of vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s, all the kinds of produce which come to ripen in their different season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
s.
In this type of establishment, once the initial layout and investment (in plants, trees, shrubs, etc.) has been completed, only the replanting of annual
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
vegetables, the maintenance of perennials
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
, the minimum weeding of the area needs to be undertaken, while the consumers themselves do their own harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...
ing.
Additionally, of course, facilities have to be set up so that the customer may pay for the amount of produce they have been able to 'pick'.
Hobby farms in Australia
A Hobby farmHobby farm
A hobby farm is a smallholding or small farm that is maintained without expectation of being a primary source of income. Some are merely to provide some recreational land, and perhaps a few horses for the family's children...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n usage is a variety of smallholding that may be as small as 2 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s up to a self-sustaining farm size, that allows the "city farmer" to have a house and a small number of animals or small crop fields or grape vines. In Western Australia, these are often termed Special Rural Properties for planning purposes.
Lifestyle blocks in New Zealand
In New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
a lifestyle block is a smallholding valued primarily for its rural lifestyle. Also, Planning restrictions on subdivision of farming land often lead to the phenomenon of lifestyle blocks of minimal permissible size springing up near urban areas.
Third World usage
In many Third WorldThird World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
countries, a smallholding is a small plot of land with low rental value, used to grow crops.