Author Topic: New to Aberdeenshire/Scotland/Smallholding! (Read 2446 times)

NewLifeOnTheFarm · « **on:** August 29, 2016, 09:31:57 am »

Big hello from Kennethmont! I recently moved up to Scotland from Cambridge with my husband and baby in tow. We are originally from Yorkshire, moved down to Cambridge for my husbands work, he was a physicist and I was an intensive care nurse. We have always talked about owing land and trying to be as self sufficient, and a couple of years ago we started to plan for our escape from the rat race. We have some family up here so have always loved the area. We found a perfect farm house with 17.5 acres, excellent buildings, and moved in June. We have 3 ponies grazing at present, 27 chickens I hatched in the incubator, and 4 saxony ducks.

Our first big adventure will be sheep and I've been on the sheep board for advice already!

Eventually we will be growing veg too, but we are on a fairly tight budget at moment so that's a plan for a few years time.

Looking forward to sharing our adventures with you all and thank you for the amazing advice on here.

Bionic · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2016, 09:56:07 am »

Hello and welcome to the forum from Carmarthenshire

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2016, 11:31:27 am »

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie

devonlady · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2016, 11:33:26 am »

And from Devon!

Ina · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2016, 05:39:23 pm »

Hello from the other end of Aberdeenshire!

I would have thought that growing veg would be the cheapest of all your plans - especially if you are on a tight budget. That could actually save you money with very little input (except maybe some back breaking digging!).

NewLifeOnTheFarm · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2016, 10:07:53 pm »

It's more of a polytunnel issue, ill be making a start with some outside bits next year, but the plan is to keep some pigs in the area I will use eventually, let them do a bit of the land preparation for me! We have the infrastructure already in place for most livestock, from work by previous owners and bits we have been given. So now we just need more research and animals!

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2016, 10:53:26 pm »

and welcome from sunny Shropshire. Sounds like you've got it all worked out. Having good buildings to start with has to be a big plus. Will one/both of you be working as well as running the smallholding?

Scotsdumpy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2016, 08:13:04 am »

Hi, from Strichen!!
Take care with your polytunnel - don't skimp on build quality and bear in mind the weight of snow and high winds in winter.....

NewLifeOnTheFarm · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2016, 08:53:16 am »

My husband is working, I'm at home with our one year old! Luckily he's a very easy going baby and loves watching us work!

Definitely agree about polytunnel, we had opportunity to have one for free if we removed it ourselves, but on inspection it wouldn't have stood up to a bad winter, we decided to just wait and start from scratch. Which is hard for me as im pretty impatient and want to get going!

Ina · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2016, 09:00:40 am »

Quote from: NewLifeOnTheFarm on August 31, 2016, 08:53:16 am

Which is hard for me as im pretty impatient and want to get going!

Start small - even if it is only a few containers with herbs etc by the back door... That'll at least give you something to look at while waiting for the bigger things to happen!

Scotsdumpy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 31, 2016, 09:06:55 am »

If you can get get a frame for free or cheap then don't rule it out - you can use it as a fruit cage or protected area for brassicas etc. When we plant outside the local wildlife help themselves!