Hi,
My partner and I have both been interested in smallholding since before we met. Her family have kept livestock to some degree (ranging from a few fowl and pigs to a full 50 acre farm) for many generations in rural Poland and I was raised in Devon where some degree of small holding was common. I kept a few fowl when I was at University and grew most of my own veg on an allotment sized garden.
Some years ago two of my cousins moved to France with their families and one is a horticulturalist and the other grows veg and shares his land with the smallholder next door in return for some meat. My brother now has a holiday home in the same hamlet - and charmed with the opportunities, my partner and I have now just purchased a fair sized house with just under 6 acres of land - which we will use as a holiday home (although I will work from there for 3-4 months of the year in due course, and maybe more). We will eventually retire there, but until then will split our time between London and France.
Most of the land is to the south of the house, up a gently sloping field, in which I intend to try my hand at my real passion - wine making. Whilst near the Loire Valley it is outside the DOC so I have no restrictions on what I can grow or how I produce - as it will be for personal consumption. Local Vintners will have some fun with the eccentric Brit and has experimental wines!
But what excites us most is the possibility for turning some of the land over to growing our own veg and meat. To the north of the house, is a small field which slopes down to the road/lane up to the village. There is a barn which I intend to use to put livestock in when cold, as well as store etc. I will also keep livestock here, and in a run at the top of the southern field which is in shadow from a long live of tall fir trees. By the lane is about an acre of "scrub" which I think I will put pigs on.
Our first job will be to clear about three acres of overgrown scrub which will in time become the vineyard - so we will be deploying pigs and goats accordingly.
I think the idea is that we will "borrow" livestock from neighbours who will use the land and take care of their livestock on our land until we retire there full time. We cannot manage the care of the livestock if we are only there for weekends.
I think I will also need to think about where to put the veg garden - there is a half acre plot at the bottom of the north facing field which doesn't seem to be in too much shade, but I will do some research before planting there.
It will all be very exciting. Any tips, hints and advice very much welcome.