The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: holz306 on January 14, 2012, 09:08:56 pm

Title: Plans for 2012
Post by: holz306 on January 14, 2012, 09:08:56 pm
so whats everyones plans for the year ahead....new stock? new house? new plants etc?

I want to expand my egg selling, currently around 25 laying hens, selling eggs at the gate but i could double that and have no problems selling them.  also would like to sell jams/chutneys/curds at the gate but not sure of the rules - i made fab christmas hampers of jams chutneys, chocolate and sloe gin this year. oh, and i want my tomatoes to ripen thi year!

I'd also like to get a couple of pigs for the first time, and would love a couple of goats too.  And...i want to give up my job and run B&B full time......not sure how achievable it all is!
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: bloomer on January 14, 2012, 09:13:27 pm
well i get my new house next week,

its not a small holding and i have had to give up my chooks for the time being, but it puts me in a place i want to be and i can start learning more about animals etc from smallholders ready for when i am in a position to get somewhere with land...

the next stage in our big adventure starts Wednesday....
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: VSS on January 14, 2012, 09:16:03 pm
OH and I have a book to write ;)
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: holz306 on January 14, 2012, 09:19:13 pm
a book? wow.  And a new house....thats not bad so early in the year!
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Rosemary on January 14, 2012, 09:23:07 pm
I'd like to organise a successful show that lots of smallholders enjoy and that inspires more people into madness. Sorry, into this great way of life  ;D

I'd also like two healthy calves, 18 healthy lambs and to get a halter on Henry without getting killed.

And I'd like to be brave enough to ride my pony
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: holz306 on January 14, 2012, 10:51:15 pm
well if we were closer i could help you build your confidence to get on your pony! and with your show, i've organised horse shows before, not exactly the same but i guess the priciples are the same.
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: deepinthewoods on January 15, 2012, 12:07:21 pm
well my polytent blew up last night, im picking up the bits today, so im going to save up for a greenhouse!
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Bionic on January 15, 2012, 12:21:49 pm
Well I hope to move to my first smallholding.  Chooks and pigs are then on the agenda.
Sally
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Lesley Silvester on January 16, 2012, 12:37:41 am
I hope to have a much more prolific veggie garden this year.

I hope to get the two novels I am writing finished.

I hope to pass the course I am taking and become a dyslexia teacher.

I hope to build up my home tutoring business so that I can comne of the dole.  At the moment, all I earn, less £15 is deducted from my pittance Jobseekers so I'm doing round 10 hours' work for £15.

I hope to become slim and beautiful and twenty years younger.
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Cinderhills on January 17, 2012, 06:44:25 pm
MGM - let us know when your novels are available.

I hope to have a healthy baby in July.
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Sylvia on January 17, 2012, 06:53:43 pm
And I hope to spend the spring/summer with absolutely no stress, i.e. no neighbours :) :)
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: HappyHippy on January 17, 2012, 07:25:57 pm
I hope to finish my orchard/kitchen garden.
Get the shed properly sorted for next winter (we've done a fair bit, but still more to do)
Get another 5 or 10 acres fenced for pigs.
Complete my BPA judge apprenticeship.
Help Rosemary on the road to madness, sorry Smallholder's show  ;)
And try to keep hold of the remaining little bit of my sanity til 2013  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: ellisr on January 17, 2012, 07:43:39 pm
Well I had simple hopes of getting my extended veg patch up and running
A nice lambing
Make the garden look nice

BUT .......

Everything has gone mad with my little business and now have exhibitions, shows and courses to do for a large part of the year and OH has lost his job but this isn't bad as I need him to make more looms and run the web queries.
AND I have to get some knitting squeezed in somewhere
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Bangbang on January 17, 2012, 07:45:35 pm
My wife says I've got to be less grumpy. I said I'd try....NOT!!..being grumpy's fun!
I dont know... maybe I need help...!
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: mab on January 17, 2012, 07:55:34 pm
Hope to get my own smallholding, start growing veg, build a wind genny, a hydro-genny, solar heater, solar PV, install a woodburner & insulate the house, and get some sort of livestock enterprise going and re-start my (electrician) business in Wales.

Now that I've 'written' that down it sounds awfully ambitious.  :(

m
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: chrismahon on January 17, 2012, 08:29:14 pm
We'll be leaving England for a place in France where we will live like peasants and spend all our time making 'Heath Robinson' type stuff to solve problems we can no longer buy our way out of and chatting to people about nothing really.

But first I have to build 4 breeding units for the chickens and sell the house.

No more traffic noise! and no more proper sausages and bacon! Cheap wine! Can't afford cigarettes! It's a compromise.
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Small Farmer on January 17, 2012, 10:26:44 pm
Having the operation that means I can come off the medication that allows me to keep going but feeling crap.  A years of it is enough and the ops a few weeks away. 
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Bangbang on January 17, 2012, 10:37:47 pm
Having the operation that means I can come off the medication that allows me to keep going but feeling crap.  A years of it is enough and the ops a few weeks away.

Sending our best wishes to you, and a smile for the good days to come :) :)

Bangbang and Brucklay
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: TheCaptain on January 17, 2012, 10:39:27 pm
I'm hoping the NHs will finally get into gear and remove the (benign) tumour out of my spine!
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Small Farmer on January 17, 2012, 11:19:35 pm
I'm hoping the NHs will finally get into gear and remove the (benign) tumour out of my spine!

Good luck with that one.  Fingers crossed
Title: Re: Plans for 2012
Post by: Lesley Silvester on January 17, 2012, 11:44:26 pm
MGM - let us know when your novels are available.

I hope to have a healthy baby in July.

One book is already out.  See my website www.lesley-silvester.co.uk (http://www.lesley-silvester.co.uk) I do a special for TAS members of signed and post free, or you can get it on amazon. Hope all goes well with pregnancy and baby.

Small Farmer and The Captain, hope your health problems are soon sorted and operations go well.