The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Mammyshaz on February 14, 2012, 05:54:16 pm

Title: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Mammyshaz on February 14, 2012, 05:54:16 pm
Hi, I'm not a smallholder just dream one day I will be. Found this site last w/e when getting my weekly smallholding reading fix online. Never joined a forum before but think this site is great. :thumbsup:
I live between Sunderland and Durham with my 2 dogs 4 hybrid hens & chinchilla. Not forgetting 2 kids & O/H
  Sharon x
 :wave:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: doganjo on February 14, 2012, 06:03:36 pm
Welcome to the forum, Mammyshaz - you're as much a smallholder as many of us on here, including me.  I have 4 dogs, a cat, 11 hens, four ducks and a drake.  I puddle about with fruit and veg without a lot of success as yet, but hoping my son will get the polytunnel set up when next he is over so I can maybe improve things a bit.
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: chrismahon on February 14, 2012, 06:21:30 pm
Hi Mammyshaz and welcome to the forum. We're not really smallholders as we've only got chickens, a large veggie plot and loads of different fruit trees. The sheep have gone to make room for more chickens on our tiny plot and reduce our workload and the damage to everything. We do sell our eggs and some fruit. but it doesn't anywhere near cover our costs, so we are still I suppose at the hobby stage. I think when you actually make some profit, however small, you have 'arrived'. Guess this forum is a great place to start.
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Victorian Farmer on February 14, 2012, 06:28:06 pm
Welcome from aviemore highlands
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Bangbang on February 14, 2012, 06:53:35 pm
Hi!  :wave:

Big welcome from sunny (sometimes) Aberdeensire

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Dan on February 14, 2012, 07:02:14 pm
Hello Sharon, and welcome to the forum.  :wave:

You don't have to be a smallholder to be here, all are welcome.  :)
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: The Woodsiders on February 14, 2012, 07:02:52 pm
Hi and a welcome from West Sussex, keep up the dreams :wave: :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Rosemary on February 14, 2012, 07:04:45 pm
Hello and welcome from Carnoustie  :wave:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Sylvia on February 14, 2012, 07:30:37 pm
And from Devon. Keep wishing, it'll come true one day :) :wave:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: MAK on February 14, 2012, 07:31:29 pm
Hi - key word is accidental !
Most of us had no experience but were propelled by desire or dreams to take on more. One day we woke up and realised we had a smallholding or at least things in common with others who do some of the same things all be it on a bigger scale.
Welcome from a snowy Limousin, France.
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 14, 2012, 11:25:29 pm
 :wave:  Hi Mammy shaz and welcome from Shropshire.  I hav emore of a micro-holding, ie a large back garden.  I grow veg and fruit and have goats.  Three at the moment but hsortly to be reduced to two.  The one going is called Curry.  Need I say more?   ;D
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Mammyshaz on February 15, 2012, 08:28:05 am
 Thanks for the warm welcome everyone, the friendliness of the people on this forum is great.

I only have a backyard so rent 2 gardens (allotments really but most are used as lawned gardens) across from the house so very handy. Was wall-to-wall lawn, but slowly ...very slowly... 20 years actually... been digging out & growing more fruit & veg. But urge for own place grows bigger with each dig.

After depressing over lack of property with land in the area & house not selling for 2 years, last year I contacted council for permission to keep hens, got a YES!  other livestock not allowed unfortunately  :'(
But one day...

Enjoy reading everyone's Q&A,  hopefully can input a bit but prob end up asking more than helping ::)
it's amazing what I have already learned ( all in preparation for the wish come true, heehee)

Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Smalltime on February 15, 2012, 09:23:08 am
Hi,

We are new here and looking forward to moving very soon and getting our first chickens in April - well you have to start somewhere! We have 2 big pet rabbits, a cat and five koi to move out of our rented hovel, where pets are strictly banned ofcourse. Now we are moving from suburbia to the countryside. Wonder how the landlord is gonna take to the pond I dug into his yard at the back of this place - ah well, looks a damn site better than when we moved in anyway...

 :)
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 16, 2012, 05:32:01 pm
Hello mummyshaz and smalltime!

welcome both to TAS.

we are in Worcestershire where we keep chickens, goats (one due to kid mothers day!) sheep (and more bottle lambs on their way after the weekend) and we grow plums - lots of them that become wine :0)

I make goats milk soap and we try to raise our own veggies where we can.

hope you enjoy TAS - its a lovely place with lovely people  :)
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Brijjy on February 16, 2012, 06:12:40 pm
Hello  :wave: Welcome to the site.
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 16, 2012, 07:48:31 pm
Hi Mammyshaz
Just down the A1 south of you (darlington about 1/2hr away) Good to have another northerner on board, by northerner i mean of England before all you Scots jump on me ;D
Mandy :pig:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Mammyshaz on February 16, 2012, 09:37:38 pm
Hello Mandy,
Often in your neck of the woods. OH often working around there so go for a drive and look for property ( not found any yet   :'(

he works as high as the Borders to as far down as  yorkshire so often take a trip out in case property lurking empty for renovation.

I'll watch out and wave  :wave:
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 16, 2012, 11:22:10 pm
 :wave:  HI and welcome from sunny Shropshire.
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 18, 2012, 01:48:37 am
Hi Sharon from away west of you - north Cumbria, a short drive from the Scottish border. :wave:  We're a commercial but traditional low-input beef & sheep farm, with rare breed native ponies, pigs & sheep on the side.  I also keep a Jersey house cow in amongst the sucklers. 

Ten years ago I was living in a house with some land, wishing I could somehow jump out of the rat race and become a real smallholder... :D
Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Mammyshaz on February 18, 2012, 08:31:20 am
Hi Sally  :wave:
That's a lovely area, 
Will certainly keep u in mind when we find somewhere.
It's great hearing others have been in same situation regarding dreams, it makes me even more obsessive in finding somewhere tho   :D

Title: Re: Wishful smallholder
Post by: Spinpup on February 19, 2012, 07:55:31 pm
Hi Mammyshaz!

I'm not a smallholder either, just doing as much as I can with a domestic garden. I've just taken on some hybrid ex-battery hens, they're lovely. Getting picked on by the older girls but starting to stand up for themselves now.

Michelle