posted 2 years ago
Paul, John, so sorry I didn't reply! I didn't get any notification of comments and thought the thread disappeared with no replies!
Yes, a decare is 1000 square metres, considered about the least amount a family can feed itself on. That's a little under 1/4 acre.
I bought two blocks in the same village, one with a more or less liveable house on 2,800 sq m, the other with a beautiful but abandoned little house on 2,100 sq m. The old lady who used to own the main house grew all her own fruit and veg, kept rabbits, chickens, and sheep, spun and wove their wool, and also had a donkey and car for transport. The place has been empty for two years since she died, and though everything portable and useful has been taken there's still some furniture. There's also an old stone ruin at the top of the hill. I would love to know the history - I must ask my neighbour. Possibly it was simply abandoned because it gets too windy up there. The winds blowing across the plains from the Danube can be fierce in winter. The newer house from the 1950s is tucked lower down the hill, with a long outbuilding behind it to help block the wind.
The main challenge with the garden is likely to be water. Town water is available, but may not be 100% reliable, there's no well and rainfall is less than 20" a year (550mm). Getting rainwater collection set up is a priority.
I'm only 64! That's not to old to learn to be a permie, right?