Hay and bedding yard with your own barn

Farmers, livery yards, riding schools, smallholders and local horse owners who want a steady supplier.

You buy or make hay at harvest and sell through the year by bale, pallet or load, adding delivery charges and selling bedding and extras alongside.

• Judging hay quality, moisture and storage
• Managing stock, cash flow and seasonal buying
• Handling machinery such as a telehandler or tractor safely

• Fire risk from stored hay, so check insurance cover, storage rules and layout with your insurer
• Check planning permission or landlord consent for selling from agricultural land or buildings
• Large upfront spend at harvest ties up cash, and a bad weather year can hit supply and prices
• Check health and safety for handling heavy bales and operating machinery, and whether any training or certificates are needed
• Check whether you need to register as a feed business with your local authority

Startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on your barn or yard, machinery and how much stock you buy at harvest. Treat this as an estimate, and remember harvest buying can tie up cash.

Monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your stock levels, customers and the season. A bad weather year can hit supply and prices, so plan your cash flow carefully.

Check fire risk cover, storage rules and layout with your insurer, planning permission or landlord consent for selling from agricultural land, health and safety and any training for heavy bales and machinery, and feed business registration.