[MikeyB]

Hi All,

This is my first post here, I've dropped in every now and then on the build up to me and my family getting a smallholding, well tomorrow I'm due to put in an offer on a place we have fallen in love with. However!!! I'm having last minute nerves, silly I know as I've been going on about doing this for at least the last 4 years! I know that it will give a better life my four year old daughter, allow us as a family to have a fresh start and live a healthier more fruitful life. But! I'm now thinking that I don't know enough about Septic tanks, bore-hole water supplies, land management, planning regulations and moving from a city to a rural quite isolated farmstead etc... etc.... All valid points I suppose but now the 'little' things are rushing to the fore and starting to cloud my judgement. Has anyone here had similar experiences? I'm sure everything will work out okay I'm just having a last minute wobble!!

[Buttermilk]

Welcome and you will learn such things as you go along.  Many people have made the transition and if the life is not for you then there is always the option to sell up and move back into a town at a later date.

Make your offer and enjoy the new life with all its ups and downs.  No life is ever free from the downs but they make the ups sweeter.

[Womble]

Yes, plenty of similar experiences. Yes, in hindsight we had no clue what we were doing with half of this stuff (mostly still don't). Yes, it's cost us a fortune in ways we never anticipated. Yes, elements of it still end up being tough or just downright nasty.

I have to go now, as I need to milk the ewes (we just took their lambs away and some of them are still making milk so need the pressure releasing in their udders!), then I need to check face-abscess ewe and limpy cockerel. However afterwards I'm going to pick strawberries and blueberries straight off the bush to put in my cereal.

In summary? Yes it's tough sometimes. No, I wouldn't change it for the world. I also refer you to my signature below: everything in life is difficult until it isn't any more.

BTW, get yourself a copy of Viable Self Sufficiency by Tim & Dot Tyne. I have a few books of this genre, and this is by far the best and the most realistic.

[Bionic]

MikeyB, you sound like many of us.

We moved from the city into rural Wales. The first morning we woke up there was no water. The tank was dry. The land line wasn't yet connected and our mobiles didn't work. OH drove several miles to get a phone signal before we could even start sorting ourselves out.

4.5 years later we have learnt so much, We have a few sheep, some chickens, ducks, and have had a couple of weaners at the appropriate times.

Boy, its a steep learning curve and we are still learning but I now know what a tup is, what a prolapse looks like (sheep and chickens), how to measure a pig with a piece of string.........and the list goes on.

Its a challenge but hopefully one you can rise to.

Good luck on your journey

[Scotsdumpy]

Don't stress over things that might happen! You can soon build a brick wall that stops you doing anything at all!! If and when a situation arises that needs immediate attention you will find a way to cope - you are far more resourceful than you think and there's always someone on here to advise and help. Weve all been there, done that and we all have the tee shirt to prove it..

enjoy your new life as a smallholder its a life many aspire to - good luck

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Hi All,

This is my first post here, I've dropped in every now and then on the build up to me and my family getting a smallholding, well tomorrow I'm due to put in an offer on a place we have fallen in love with. However!!! I'm having last minute nerves, silly I know as I've been going on about doing this for at least the last 4 years! I know that it will give a better life my four year old daughter, allow us as a family to have a fresh start and live a healthier more fruitful life. But! I'm now thinking that I don't know enough about Septic tanks, bore-hole water supplies, land management, planning regulations and moving from a city to a rural quite isolated farmstead etc... etc.... All valid points I suppose but now the 'little' things are rushing to the fore and starting to cloud my judgement. Has anyone here had similar experiences? I'm sure everything will work out okay I'm just having a last minute wobble!!

Don't worry we have all been there and believe me when my parents started farming they were as nervous. Patience is key with everything, start off small with a few animals and gradually build up. Chickens are a great starting point, very interesting creatures. You will learn so much about them by studying them as they go about their daily business. I find sheep very fascinating creatures too. Goats would be good to start with for milk for the house? There are a few people on here which keep goats. If you like what some people do is buy in pet lambs and rear them up to ewes, or buy in weaned lambs and then rear them up, or even stores and keep them on until slaughter, all a very big learning curve and you learn so much in so little time too. We're all here if you need any advice/support about anything. Feel free to ask however many things you would like to know and we will answer best as we can. All the best with your new adventure, sounds exciting!

[doganjo]

Make friends with any local farmers, admit to your shortcomings and ask them for advice - they will be delighted to give it to you 

[devonlady]

This time next year you'll be taking everything in your stride and newbies will be asking your advice. As said, local farmers and small holders will willingly help out a neighbour but make sure you are scrupulously honest, pay on the nail for any goods and services and are willing to give help in return.
Take a deep breath, take things slowly and enjoy your new life!

[pharnorth]

Septic tanks are great!  A lot of water authorities are charging twice. I.e they meter your water supply and charge you the same to take away waste as they do to supply. That is they assume you drink very little and flush the rest away. If you have livestock a septic tank means your bill is much less as they can't charge that way.

Just one of the many joys of having a smallholding. Yes few people in your situation have signed on the line without a few butterflies in the stomach but maybe that just adds to the sense of achievement when it all starts to come together. Even on a bad day (and there are some). I walk up and down my yard thinking 'I love it here'.

[Marches Farmer]

Things will go wrong, but they won't all go wrong at once.  A bit of humility goes a long way and if you admit you've a lot to learn folks will likely warm to you and advise and help.  |

[Lesley Silvester]

Things could go wrong (ie septic tank) but they don't all usually go wrong at once so you can learn each time. I gave up town life to move miles away with ex and three children to live on a Scottish island. Although we did eventually move back to a town (and split up) but I never regretted doing it and if I had my life over again I would make that move in a heartbeat (but leave OH much sooner  ). Go for it. If you don't you will always wonder if you could have made a go of it. You should only regret the things you didn't do when you had the chance.


And remember, when you want to know something, someone on here will know the answer and the only silly question is the one you don't ask.

[Backinwellies]

..... so did the offer go in 

[MikeyB]

Hi everyone, sorry for the delay, I forgot my password with everything that's going on! thank you so much for the VERY helpful advice and kind words. Yes an offer has been offered, but due to a rather convoluted procedure I don't know if its been accepted yet (I'll explain when I can!) fingers crossed and I feel really positive about it now, just want to get going with it! :-)

[Backinwellies]

 

[Ghdp]