[nutterly_uts]

Thought a thread with words of wisdom about starting ANYTHING might be useful and interesting

Mine is "make sure you have everything you can think of that you might need before you start" which works for any task, especially one done on your own!

[Womble]

I'll go with "Have you got another pair of hands to help you when needed?".

This can be taken in a number of ways, for example help if you're ill or in an emergency. However, what I really mean is have you got anybody to help you shift heavy objects, hold things in place while you screw them to other things, that sort of thing.

For example, I spent an age welding two bits of metal together this afternoon because I was on my own and couldn't get them to line up properly without being held. Another pair of hands for 30 seconds would have saved me about 20 minutes.

We have a fantastic neighbour who's always willing to lend a hand, but I do often wonder how on earth we'd cope without him!

My other pearl of wisdom is "It's far easier to keep things ticking over than it is to break new ground". For example, the first batch of broiler chickens we had required buying heat pads, feeders etc, building a brooder, then making a house for them, fencing off a run, etc etc - probably one man-week's worth of effort. The second batch we had required none of that stuff, as it was already there.

With this in mind, we set a limit of no more than one new species per year. This has served us very well so far, and has just about     stopped us from biting off more than we can chew!

[Q]

My first would be .....Just concentrate on one thing at a time.  Dont worry about everything else as long as you are doing the most important thing now.

My second, throw your idiot box (TV) in a skip - you will get much more done..

[ellied]

Don't take on more than you can physically and financially do on your own.  If you are lucky enough to have family or friends to help,, don't depend on them to be there at the point you need help most because there will be disappointments and times they just can't be there, no matter how much they want to or you need them.  Relationships break down, kids grow up and move in other directions, friends have their own lives and families to put first, people get sick, injuries happen, its inevitable at some point.

So start small, learn your skills, get your experience and find what really fills your day out but wouldn't crush you in a long hard winter.  Take any help that comes but don't make assumptions or build expectations.  Because that time will come that promises aren't kept, interests diverge, things happen.  And particularly if you have livestock, there isn't an option to be ill or old or tired enough to let it slip beyond a few hours at a time unless you have the money for staff.  And even if you do, you'll probably want to go out and check! 

Ambitious plans are fine, but don't go head first out of your depth and always leave enough reserve to scramble to safe ground when nobody is about to help you.

[suziequeue]

Always make sure your wheelbarrow is pointing in the direction you want to go BEFORE you start filling it.


Make sure your fences are good!

[shygirl]

My first would be .....Just concentrate on one thing at a time. 

definitey.

don't overstock.
get low maintenance beasts.

don't give up the day job.

[Marches Farmer]

Get your poultry and livestock down to just the very best over the winter - "passengers" take just as much time and money as productive stock.

Take the barrow to the muck not the muck to the barrow.

Make a point of being on friendly terms with your neighbours - they're always there (to help!)

Buy the best waterproofs and PU boots you can afford (PU/Muck Boots, etc., save the time and hassle of putting on thick socks).

Have lots of spare batteries for your torches.

Never forget the soothing and healing properties of a large piece of cake!

[sabrina]

Research the area before buying a place. find out if it floods, problem neighbours.

[Bramblecot]

Enjoy every day as if it were your last. 
And try to find something to smile about in whatever horrible task you have to do - it makes it easier.

[Fleecewife]

Don't take on more than you can physically and financially do on your own.  If you are lucky enough to have family or friends to help,, don't depend on them to be there at the point you need help most because there will be disappointments and times they just can't be there, no matter how much they want to or you need them.  Relationships break down, kids grow up and move in other directions, friends have their own lives and families to put first, people get sick, injuries happen, its inevitable at some point.

So start small, learn your skills, get your experience and find what really fills your day out but wouldn't crush you in a long hard winter.  Take any help that comes but don't make assumptions or build expectations.  Because that time will come that promises aren't kept, interests diverge, things happen.  And particularly if you have livestock, there isn't an option to be ill or old or tired enough to let it slip beyond a few hours at a time unless you have the money for staff.  And even if you do, you'll probably want to go out and check! 

Ambitious plans are fine, but don't go head first out of your depth and always leave enough reserve to scramble to safe ground when nobody is about to help you.

ellied this is just what I wanted to write, but you've expressed it so well. 
For us, we were still exploring how much we could cope with, when F&M hit.  For two years after we couldn't sell any stock (including because of a bad orf attack throughout the flock), except to the abattoir, so we ended up with too many animals.  Then my OH became very sick, followed a while later by me; our children are grown with families of their own, and not interested in helping.  Some friends were wonderful, but as you say, they have their own lives to lead.  Fortunately we were already cutting down by then, but a lot of stock had to go, come what may.  Now, after several years of poor health for both of us, we keep a small flock of sheep and a few hens, we have cut down our veg garden and got some equipment which makes life easier for us.  If one of us is not feeling great that day, then the other can do the work alone, which was not possible before.
I'm so glad we didn't have a wide variety of stock to sort through, especially equines which are long lived and to my mind pets, but which require a lot of work and care. 

My advice to those new to smallholding is: start small and build up bit by bit.  The same applies to other situations in life - don't plunge into the deep end before you can swim.

[nutterly_uts]

Lots of very wise advice here  

[waterbuffalofarmer]

looks like everythings been said, nothing much more to add!

[bazzais]

A job that can only be half finished - is a job thats half way there - dont s**t yourself, as there will be lots of times you'll feel like this.

[john and helen]

Read as much as you can on forums like this…..and interact on forums like this….
the feedback is priceless 

[cloddopper]

Always write your plans & thoughts down  , then put them in the right order.
 
Your brain is rarely able to remember everything  in the right order or be able to explore every single facet needed to to an economical & reliable job.

In other words failing to plan is planning to fail.

 I wasted thousands of pounds & man hours before I took that on board some 40 years ago .