The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Aussie Farmer on July 01, 2024, 01:11:20 am
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Hi All,
My wife and I are moving to Scotland around this time next year to start the next chapter in life and begin our journey into becoming a Smallholder.
This site is exactly what I have been looking for. The information and knowledge I have found so far is brilliant. I would welcome any advise, help and encouragement.
We so look forward to starting our new venture and will keep you informed on our journey. Needless to say I will have lots of questions.
Thanks,
Todd
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Welcome soon-to-be-Scottish Smallholders!
Tell us a bit about the place you're taking on? The types of things you're hoping to do? We love advising but you need to give us a little bit to go on! lol
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Hello and welcome from :sunshine: but very windy Carnoustie, 10 miles north-ish of Dundee. Looking forward to hearing aout your adventures and offering all assistance short of actual help :innocent: from the sidelines.
Which part of Australia are you moving from?
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Hi All,
My wife and I are moving to Scotland around this time next year to start the next chapter in life and begin our journey into becoming a Smallholder.
This site is exactly what I have been looking for. The information and knowledge I have found so far is brilliant. I would welcome any advise, help and encouragement.
We so look forward to starting our new venture and will keep you informed on our journey. Needless to say I will have lots of questions.
Thanks,
Todd
Welcome on, from Essex
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Hi All,
We are currently living In Brisbane Queensland on the east coast of Oz. We are looking at the Dumfries Galloway region of Scotland but surrounding areas will also do. I guess it really depends on what we can find in our price range.
The plan is to raise Tamworth and Mangalica pigs plus a few sheep and chickens as well. Once we get into the swing of things we will introduce Dexter and maybe Highland cows.
Do any of you sell your livestock for meat and how do you go about it? Just a start of my many questions lol.
Thanks
Todd
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Hello and welcome Todd,
I'm in South Lanarkshire which is a bit NE of D&G. D&G is famous for being very wet, but great cattle country.
Meat: a big problem in the UK is finding an abattoir to do small numbers. I'm not sure what's still in D&G but there is a large slaughterhouse in Wishaw, plus another rather smaller one in Shotts (just south of the M8)
There are various regulations about rearing meat for slaughter, including registering your holding with the relevant government agencies, which would be worth studying before you get here. Scottish regs are different to England. SGRIFID - Scottish Gov Rural blablabla (sorry, memory block)
It seems the most difficult animal to get slaughtered is the pig! There was a large facility in Galashiels but some years ago a wild boar managed to slash a slaughterman's inner thigh sufficiently badly that he couldn't work any more and the abattoir had to close. Since then various other small abattoirs have followed suit. Someone else on here will be able to help with pig facilities - I've only ever sent sheep off.
Home slaughter is no longer an option unless you live in the Outer Isles.
Selling your meat has more regulations. Some sell locally, others by Mail order.
Once you have some specific questions you will get good answers here.
Let us know your progress.