The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: arwelcoed on February 22, 2012, 10:13:33 pm

Title: Who's who and where?
Post by: arwelcoed on February 22, 2012, 10:13:33 pm
Hello, I'm not trying to be intrusive I promise!  :wave:
I was just trying to get an idea of who if anyone from this forum lives in the west midlands and what you keep on your holdings. We have not long been living here and are only now getting re set up at our new location and thought it would be a good idea to find out where the people in the know are! And where our first port of call should be when we come to getting various breeds of what ever in the near future.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: little blue on February 22, 2012, 10:17:17 pm
some people have a location shown on their profile, on the members map.

I have a feeling the "old site" had a summary of this, so you could look & see who was close to you, but I'll have to navigate off this to find it!

I for one am in the East Midlands. Welcome to TAS :wave:
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: doganjo on February 22, 2012, 11:25:33 pm
Welcome from me, away up North in Central Scotland!  Just ducks, hens, cat, dogs, veg and fruit here.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 22, 2012, 11:41:18 pm
 :wave:  Hi and welcome.  I am in Shropshire as are a few others.  Whereabouts are you?  As you can guess, I keep goats.  Have had hens and ducks in the past, grow fruit and veg.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: mab on February 22, 2012, 11:47:38 pm
Hello, currently in east suffolk but will shortly be moving to west wales - I'll give you a wave as I go past  ;)

 2 shetland sheep, 1 shetland pony, 2 ex battery hens 1 dog; or: :sheep: :sheep: :horse: :chook: :chook: :dog:

mab
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: arwelcoed on February 23, 2012, 07:16:59 am
We are now living on the outskirts of south Birmingham. I'm from Wales but we lived in Shrewsbury before we moved down here so still have family and friends in both Wales and Shrewsbury.
We haven't got much land here but are determined to make the most of every scrap of it! We currently have chickens and ducks and once I have re fenced the field (in the next couple of weeks) our two badger face sheep will be joining use from Wales and we will be on the lookout for weaners. So lots to do before we can turn our attentions to gardening! Very busy but very exiting!!
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 23, 2012, 07:29:07 am
 :wave:  ooooh me me!! I'm West midlands *technically*  but more like south west really as we are Evesham on the Cotswold borders  ;D

we keep chickens, Goats (hence the goat milk soap!) and are fairly new to sheep. We also grow plums and make plum wine (jerkin 17% proof)

LIsa
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: tizaala on February 23, 2012, 08:13:29 am
Hi , we are just over the Welsh border near knighton , keeping Arabian horses, goats , Castlemilk Moorit sheep, chickens , geese , Pigs.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: The Woodsiders on February 23, 2012, 08:24:40 am
Hi, we are in Ardingly West Sussex, we keep Pigs and Chickens and we make Pig Arks
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: Rich/Jan on February 23, 2012, 08:47:36 am
we are in SW France - keep pigs, sheep, geese, turkeys, chickens, 2 dogs, 5 cats + plus odd strays that need feeding!
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: FiB on February 23, 2012, 08:53:41 am
 :wave: Hiya - we have a foot in 2 camps ...bought our house and a few acres in Bala North wales in March last year...but OH still works in Birmingham so we are appart Monday-Friday boo.  Only way we could do it.  We have sheep, chickens and just finished our first lot of saddleback pigs.  So regular courier service if you want anything from us or want to come and visit!!!  I'm rubbish at gardening anything smaller than willow (except potatoes) - so my goal this year is to practice more!!!
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 23, 2012, 09:32:43 am
North Fife  ;D, ducks, hens, cat, fruit and veg  :wave: :&>
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: in the hills on February 23, 2012, 08:17:10 pm
Hi

We are in Powys. We have too many chickens, quail, soay sheep, a dog, cat, house rabbit and budgie.

We used to live in the West Midlands.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: Brijjy on February 23, 2012, 08:58:33 pm
I'm just at the foot of the Kerry ridgeway in Powys with 1 acre, a variety of poultry and a pony. I also keep Wiltshire Horn sheep but they are at my parents who live 2 miles up the hill and on the Ridgeway.  :wave:
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: arwelcoed on February 23, 2012, 09:42:48 pm
Thanks for posting guys! It's great to see what and where your doing it!! :)
Any one in my area (west mids) got any rhode island reds in the pure form at pol? Or anyone local want to convince me that there pure breed of pigs is the best for great meat? And they might have a pair up for sale soon... ;)
Thanks again for getting involved it's very interesting.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 23, 2012, 11:45:22 pm
I'm all the way up in Scotland and keep mainly pigs and children (and the pigs are cleaner & tidier  :o ;))
Any pig you raise yourself, if kept outside and given a good varied diet will give you the best pork you've ever tasted. The key is finding a breed you like, but have fun trying all the others in the process - I like Kune Kunes for a starter breed, but only cos they're smaller. friendlier, cheaper to keep, easier to handle and don't trash your ground the same - the drawback is they're smaller and take a bit longer to grow. But any lop eared breed will be fairly straightforward (they can't see how to escape as easily  ::)) and we all have our particular favourites. The main thing is to do your reseach before you buy, go to a good, well respected breeder (who'll help & guide you too) and be prepared for loads of laughs - pigs are great fun  :thumbsup:
Welcome to TAS  :wave:
Karen
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 24, 2012, 09:45:13 am
Thanks for posting guys! It's great to see what and where your doing it!! :)
Any one in my area (west mids) got any rhode island reds in the pure form at pol? Or anyone local want to convince me that there pure breed of pigs is the best for great meat? And they might have a pair up for sale soon... ;)
Thanks again for getting involved it's very interesting.

There are loads of pig breeders in the West Midlands and over the Three Counties borders so you're not short on choice as a GOS breeder i have to tell you to check out the members section of the GOS website and you'll no doubt find someone near you, pity but i'm up in North Yorkshire or i'd invite you round :)
All the best Mandy  :pig:
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: lilac-unicorn on February 24, 2012, 06:00:38 pm
hi
  welcome to south bham.    i am at wythall/hollywood but animals are about 4 miles away. they are ponies,ducks,geese,guinea fowl,chickens and peafowl  and 2 dogs and 1 cat at home.

     where about are you
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: chairmanphil on February 24, 2012, 06:39:14 pm
hi there, names Phil and i moved back to Oxfordshire 4 years ago when my mum died. since then we have been battling the planting habits of my mother over a 45 year period. cut down 59 trees and have been working on improving the Oxfordshire clay for that length of time too. I was a country boy by birth, this very patch of land no less. moved to london for 20 years and worked in the music buisness for those 20 years. had a top time and laughed and partied for a living but working on the land and selling my courgettes and chillis on the markets last year is right up there on my list of the best things i have done. so this year is poly tunnel and much more farmers markets selling our food and living the good life!
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: in the hills on February 24, 2012, 07:51:19 pm
Hi,

For pure Rhode Island Reds you could try Shaws Pedigree Utility Poultry. They are in Shropshire/Warwickshire ....01926 420962. Not sure how close they are to you. My father bought us some from there. Had them as growers for a reasonable price. My father had some of their white utility wyandottes and has been really pleased with them. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: arwelcoed on February 25, 2012, 08:49:56 am
hi
  welcome to south bham.    i am at wythall/hollywood but animals are about 4 miles away. they are ponies,ducks,geese,guinea fowl,chickens and peafowl  and 2 dogs and 1 cat at home.

     where about are you
We must be close I'm guessing as we are only down the road from wythall!

Thanks for that info "in the hills" I will give him a ring and see what they can sort for us.
It's great to have had so many people write a bit about themselves I can see that this site is a one stop shop for information on anything of the home farming variety :)
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: SteveHants on March 01, 2012, 08:02:31 am
Perhaps, rather obviously I am in Hampshire. Im on the Hants, Dorset, Wilts border and I have a few chickens at home. I am a grazier and have sheep on various bits of other peoples land totalling roughly 100ac. Welcome to the forums!
Title: Re: Who's who and where?
Post by: Millwood on March 02, 2012, 10:20:21 pm
We're in Oxfordshire & have a 3acre market garden & chickens! :chook: Hopefully be getting some piggies :pig: soon depending on outcome of our bid for a shop, also house  :bee: :bee: in the orchard from our beekeeping neighbour, oh and Marmaduke the maurauding mouse munching moggie :cat: Loving the good life! :)