The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: dennd1906 on April 18, 2011, 03:34:27 pm
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Hello everyone,
I've posted a question so I must introduce myself.
I live in Somerset with my family and 5 Southdown sheep, 2 escaping goats, chickens, call-ducks, multi-breed ducks, a dog and a cat. We only have 1 1/2 acres so perhaps we are more of a microholder. We have difficult land on a rocky hill and a plethora of foxes and feral cats after my chickens and ducks so my saying that I love a challenge really came back at me. As for me, I love this life but I worry that I am not doing things right and I cry buckets of guilt when lambs go to the freezer. I wait for the day when I am supposed to harden to it and I carry on in the vain hope that one day I will beat the odds and know exactly what I am doing.
You have all been a great help without you knowing it when I have scanned through the forum looking for answers to problems and I am very pleased to join you.
D x
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Hello and welcome to TAS :)
I've always wanted southdowns!! they are so teddy bear-ish :)
we are in Worcestershire so not so far from you, we also have 2 goats (thank goodness they have finally given up escaping, yay!) a few bottle lambs, 14 chickens and a few cats, rabbits, g/pigs.
I think we all worry that we aren't getting it right, if we didn't then we most definately would be doing it wrong in my opinion - its good that we still care enough. No question is considered daft here, and believe me I ask a few quite mad ones, but everyone is very helpful and supportive.
look forward to chatting more
Lisa
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Welcome from fife :wave: :wave:
we are more of a microholder
Thats a new one ;D
I wonder what that makes me then ??? -- a micro-microholder?
I have the use of the top of our garden where i have hens, ducks and a few veggies.
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Hi from Somerset also.
I have 25 sheep, 2 pigs, lots of chickens and a horse.
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Hi and welcome from Carnoustie :wave:
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Welcome from Brittany.
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Hello and welcome from Sunny Devon :)
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Hi lass I am new here too! I downsized to two acres ten years ago and microholding is a grand state of affairs! Even John Seymour said it was possible for total self sufficiency on an acre and if he said it, its good enough for me! We are lucky, the kids have flown and I only bother with poultry and veg now. We have a pig club, ie share the labour and cost between four families. My beef comes via traded labour and show ring handling for a friend.
I think the secret is dont think size of a holding matters, its how you use what you have got. Plenty of families survive off allotment gardens so anything bigger is a bonus. One problem for a lot of newcomers to small farming is taking on acres and then finding it too much! Enjoy what you have! :D
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Hello from Somerset as well, we have 11sheep/lambs currently bottle feedig 11 for a farmer friend of ours, 13 pigs, chickens, ducks, geese a dog and 6 cats
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Welcome, this is a great forum. lots of intresting happening and nice people.
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hello, also from Somerset (ish). I keep Portland sheep (9 ewes, 1 ram, 8 lambs), 3 Texel lambs that are bottle feeders, 2 GOS sows, 8 piglets ATM, 3 ponies, 20 adult chickens (white/brown hybrids, Rhodies, Favorelles and Barred plymouth rocks), 12 chicks (Rhodies, Favorelles, BPR, dorkings and some crazy crosses). We do turkeys too, but only when the season is upon is ;)
1 wife, 3 kids (5 and under!), two dogs, 4 cats and various pets and exotic animals as my wife does animal handling sessions and parties for kids and schools covering farm, pet and exotic animals. Life is pretty damned hectic!!!
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Hi from Somerset as well ;D Oh were increasing in numbers here :farmer:
Very small plot: 6 Pigs, Aylesbury ducks, Orphington Chickens, Dog & Cat hopeing for some wolly backs soon ;D
Enjoy
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Hello from sunny Aberdeenshire. I have 3 and a half :horse: four :chook: 2 :cat: 1 :dog: and hopefully soon some :pig: and perhaps :&> :sheep:
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Hiya & welcome from West Scotland :wave:
A "micro-holding" eh? Good one ;D It's not the size - it's what you do with it ;)
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Hi there and welcome :wave: from Sue in Worcestershire. I have my Cuckoo Marans (of course ;D ) and this year am branching out into blue egg layers, and hopefully green egg layers. And last week got 5 Wiltshire Horn yearling ewes, which I am very pleased with. Big dog (Great Dane) little cat (farm moggy) some ducks, golden pheasants, veg garden etc etc. Hope you enjoy it here - I certainly have ;D ;D
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we are more of a microholder
Thats a new one ;D
I wonder what that makes me then ??? -- a micro-microholder?
That would be a nanoholder? ;)
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Hello, I know its late but we had a long time in bed today so, Hi again and welcome, only have chickens but I love them and a pair of ducks and 4 Labs, our main income is B&B but thats gone stoney quiet so need to re think, the only problem, I love it in Scotland, the space is amazing, even if you live in one of the major cities, they are joined by lovely open space, in UK not so much space!!!! Hope to here more from you in Lubberly Zumerset....nice part of the world tooooooo :wave:
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warm welcome from central scotland :wave:
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Somerset also - first year in own home having sold the old house the other side of the country :D. Now 10 Portland sheep. Going to get fowl soon; when we have made enough room by cutting back the brambles and getting the netting sorted out. Green house arriving next week hurrah
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Hi D,
We have just joined the forum and are in South Somerset, maybe us Somerset smallholders could set up our own mini community !
My partner and I are poultry breeders, we only started out with 3 Bantams around April last year, we now have around 80 chickens - including chicks and growers and 3 incubators.
We also are due to collect a pair of Oxford Sandy and Black Gilts on Saturday to add to the collection, if only we could find an acre of so of land we could have a few more things that take our fancy.
If anyone ever hears of any and could pass on information that would be fantastic.
We are looking forward to joining in many discussions in the future.
Warmest of Regards
Robert & Sarah.
South West Poultry.