[SW3]

Hi, I'm Sarah. My fiance and I have a long term plan of moving out of town in 2-3 years and buying a small holding with a few acres in either Somerset or Gloucestershire. We are trying to learn as much as poss now so we aren't too green when it comes to it and dont start out completely unskilled! There are plenty of books and courses out there and we'd like to go on a course this summer to whet the appetite (and probably scare the bejeesus out of us when we realise how little we know!!). I was just wondering if anyone has any course / book recommendations that they would be willing to share with us? Any course we would attend would need to be fairly accessible from Bristol. We are particularly keen on keeping pigs - initially for meat, and hopefully poultry too, as well as my horse, currently at livery. Thanks in advance! S 

[HappyHippy]

Hi Sarah and welcome to the forum from me in South Lanarkshire 
Sounds like exciting times ahead for you - don't worry about how little you know at the moment, it'll all fall into place really quickly (it's mostly common sense) the fact that you're doing all the research now, before getting any animals is a great start. But, be warned, as soon as you get your hands on a piglet you're going to want it - RIGHT NOW !  (but, maybe you're not as impatient as me  )
I'm way out your area so can't recommend any courses unfortunately - but for books I'd recommend 'Starting with Pigs' by Andy Case (it's my bible) and also 'Starting with Smallholding' (think it's by Katie Thear) for good general advice on what to look for when buying a place as well as the basics on a range of animals.
Good luck and keep us posted on how you get on.
Karen x

[SW3]

Thanks for the books tips Karen. We're going to the Royal Welsh smallholders' fair in Builth Wells in mid May so I'm hoping to get some good information sources from there too. Fiance is rather concerned about the potential consequences of exposing me to piglets (as patience has never been one of my greatest virtues(!)) but I'll just have to restrain myself - it'll be good for me!
Sx

[plumseverywhere]

Hi Sarah

I'm on WOrcestershire borders but we are very near Gloucestershire/cotwolds 

we took the step of buying a house with a few acres last june and never regretted it (well I didn't, hubby gets wobbly from time to time but that's cos her has a full time job too!)

the Small holder magazines are quite good but to be honest getting in there and getting mucky on a course is probably a better way ( I wish I had!!)

we keep chooks, goats, rabbits (lionlops for petshops not dinner!) amongst other animals. we also grow our own.

Lisax

[Anke]

Hi there too, from the Scottish Borders.

Re.: Books Starting with a smallholding by David Hills and in my opinion John Seymor's Complete book of Self sufficiency is a good coffeetable/rainy day/bedtime reading, although not quite as practical for specific animals. On pigs, I can recommend Tony York's course on pigkeeping, but I am not sure where in relation to your location he is. Advertises as Pigparadise.com I think. We went in 2004 as a wedding anniversary treat!

Also go Woofing in your holidays.

PS We just watched Rivercottage in the early 2000s, and here we are, smallholding after quite a few years as urban couple in Edinburgh, now with goats, sheep, pigs, bees, poultry and garden/polytunnel operational (Oh, and two children too). Love it!

[little blue]

hello and welcome

[ballingall]

Hello Sarah and welcome!

 

[Rosemary]

The BBC are looking for 10 newbie couples for a programme on smallholding - there's somethng in either coffer lounge or marketplace about it. You could apply and get your training from the BBC and maybe get a smallholding for a year from them, if you win. And we could watch and offer encouragement from the sidelines.

Go on - it would be great to have a TASer on the telly!!

[Daisys Mum]

Hi Sarah and welcome from me too  Until we bought our land a few years ago we always had to keep our horses at livery, the distance ranged from 3 miles to 9 miles, I used to spend so much time in the car we, always did DIY livery so it meant going at least 2 times a day so it is a real pleasure looking out my kitchen window and seeing them right there. The big fellow who is 17.1hh comes and shouts over the hedge if I am late with his tea or he just fancies a carrot or a bit of attention. I only want pigs during the summer/autumn as they make such a mess of the land. Last lot didn't go till the end of January but the field is beginning to recover now.

[SW3]

Hi everyone - and thanks for all your recommendations...

First up - this may be totally obvious, but please humour me here - what on earth is Woofing Anke? !

Second - Tony York is probably not too far away for us in Wiltshire - his courses seem really popular and there are loads of them, but they are quite a bit more expensive than others we have seen... that said, I understand you get a full day 9 till after 6pm with Tony whereas some of the others run more 10 - 3. Probably explains the price diff a bit!

One of the really enticing things for me about small holding is the fact that I could have my neddy at home - and possibly, even get a hack for  OH or a companion pony for my horse. It would save so much livery commute time, there would be no more livery space constraints etc. Just being able to pop out of the house and check on him straight away is an amazing prospect! Daisys Mum - I'm interested that you say you just have your pigs during the summer / autumn. I think that's how we would start off at least and as you say would enable us to rest the land better since I doubt we'll manage to buy a huge acreage.

We had found out a little about the Beeb Smallholder programme and have emailed for an application form. I think we'll have a go - although my OH pointed out that 6 weeks of being filmed constantly would be a total culture shock - especially as I don't even like having my photo taken! Its a funny one, I have absolutely no interest in being on reality TV for its own sake, but the prize (if you won) and as you say, the training.... both sound amazing...

Tricky, but perhaps just fill in the form, have a punt and see what happens... after all, nothing ventured nothing gained... 

[Anke]

Woofing - WWOOF is worldwide oportunities on organic farms, and its a volunteer organisation, where you go and volunteer on a farm/smallholding/commune in exchange for food/accommodation and learning about farming etc in that set-up. You can choose the type of holding etc, but its not for the fainthearted... In the summer it involves lots of weeding, possibly haymaking etc, but also you ca learn a lot about the livestock keeping. If you haven't done any smallholding before it may be a good experience. I did it one (OH insisted) and really enjoyed it, although I found staying in someone else's house on my own (OH and kids stayed home) quite different.... But that's where I decided that I really wanted to have goats, somehting that I had never considered before at all.

www.wwoof.org.uk

WE keep pigs over summer only, raise them as bought-in weaners and sell meat + for own consumption. Couldn't have them over winter - very heavy clay soil. And I have found that although I like pigs I don't love them in the same way I do with the goats and sheep, so I don't breed pigs.

Anke

[ballingall]

Wow I didn't really know much about WWOOF before. Quite interesting! I wonder if I can sign up for assistance!

Beth

[doganjo]

Is it only organic farms they go to?

[ballingall]

You don't have to be certified organic- Just to use organic ways and methods and self certify.

"Hosts must sign a declaration stating that they are farming using ecologically sound methods.  Some are also certified organic or biodynamic by national bodies.  Certification is an expensive process and only really necessary for those growers who wish to sell their produce to the general public with the 'Organic' label.  We do not discriminate between those who are farming organically for sale and those who are farming ecologically for self sufficiency."

Beth

[Annie22]

Hi and welcome from Australia.  I have two horses and yes it is wonderful to wake up and see them there.  I am a major stress head when it comes to my horses and I swear I used to hold my breath until I saw them happy waiting for their dinner, now it's just a matter of opening up our back door and my mare whinnies to me for her breakfast.