The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: IainW on April 27, 2009, 08:33:06 am

Title: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 27, 2009, 08:33:06 am
Hi All,

Newbie from France.

I've been looking after chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, turkeys & rabbits for 3 years then have been too busy the last couple of years to do it so it all got overgrown and ended but we're back doing it again this year and with a vengeance.

Animal area extended & new houses built

Loads of land for the animals, the ducks and geese are small as we've just bought them on Saturday but they're already grazing.

No problem for me to kill them and my children enjoy watching the killing and then eating afterwards.

See you on the forums.

Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 27, 2009, 06:12:09 pm
Hi nice to hear of children who know and appreciate where their food comes from.  Where in France are you?  HM
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 27, 2009, 06:21:53 pm
Where in France are you?  HM

Hi, We're in central Brittany, very rural. great for animals as we have 2.5 acres of land doing nothing so I have quite a big area for animals and vegs.

Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Rosemary on April 27, 2009, 09:11:35 pm
Hi and welcome.
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 28, 2009, 06:51:12 am
Just down the road from us; we live in Morbihan.
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 28, 2009, 07:34:21 am
Arh OK, I run two businesses and my main one is a holiday company where we have parks not far from the morbihan so we drive through it, it's a lovely region.

I love Brittany, so similar to GB, I need the seasons.

Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 28, 2009, 10:08:03 am
Just down the road from us; we live in Morbihan.

I've just seen where you are, we're just above Ploermel in Gael, funnily enough I was in Ploermel Hospital last week, so we're not far from you at all.

What animals do you have?

Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: carole on April 28, 2009, 11:18:58 am
Hi Iain,

Welcome from another in Brittany, I am near Gourin and Le Faouet in dept 56.

Carole
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: sandy on April 28, 2009, 01:59:35 pm
Welcome from Central Scotland, love to visit Britany, I have a friend with a small holding but until I check her out again on Facebook, I have forgotten where she lives, she moved away years ago and now has animals, fishing and a B&B, anyway, I diverse, nice to share your life with us all.
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 28, 2009, 02:36:30 pm
Welcome from Central Scotland, love to visit Britany, I have a friend with a small holding but until I check her out again on Facebook, I have forgotten where she lives, she moved away years ago and now has animals, fishing and a B&B, anyway, I diverse, nice to share your life with us all.

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for your welcome, as you can see I have a Scottish pelling Iain as my dad was from Perth, before I left GB I was a mountaineer and frequented "the Ben" and the 3 sisters many times. If it all went pear shaped here in Brittany then I would go back to GB but in Scotalnd (hopefully that'll never happen)

Merci
Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 29, 2009, 06:42:58 am
Hi Ian, we have pigs, chickens and ducks.  OH works as a general dogsbody for local council.  I attend Hilary's every whim.  (Hilary is the pig in the picture).   Its hard work for very little pay, but wouldnt change for the world.  I agree Brittany is just lovely. 

Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 29, 2009, 07:59:17 am
Hi Ian, we have pigs, chickens and ducks.  OH works as a general dogsbody for local council.  I attend Hilary's every whim.  (Hilary is the pig in the picture).   Its hard work for very little pay, but wouldnt change for the world.  I agree Brittany is just lovely. 



Morning, Blimey you're up early. I was working til 4am so was off to bed as you were practically getting up!

We're looking into keeping pigs for slughter, would you say it was worth it?

Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 29, 2009, 10:08:00 am
If you want to feed your family with best quality meat then definitely well worth it.  If you want to make money, not likely with all the regulations and especially the cotizations. 

However pigs for quality meat, are very worthwhile.  You will never want to eat supermarket meat again once you have eaten your own sausages, pork with crackling and bacon.  Unbeatable.
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: pigsatlesrues on April 29, 2009, 10:09:56 am
A warm welcome  from Normandy!!

Kate  :pig:
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 29, 2009, 10:16:22 am
If you want to feed your family with best quality meat then definitely well worth it.  If you want to make money, not likely with all the regulations and especially the cotizations. 

However pigs for quality meat, are very worthwhile.  You will never want to eat supermarket meat again once you have eaten your own sausages, pork with crackling and bacon.  Unbeatable.

Who butchers your pigs for you?
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 29, 2009, 03:08:53 pm
We have them killed at the abattoir then use either of 2 very good butchers, both English.  We make our own sausages, cure our own bacon and gammons.
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: chickens on April 29, 2009, 03:14:16 pm
welcome Ian we are in the mayenne area of france

we keep chickens, ducks, chinchillas, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats and children lol

chickens
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 30, 2009, 07:54:20 am
Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome.

I love having a small holding and can talk about it for hours, so lets hope so.

I've been toying with the idea of having pigs for some time now so with the response I've had from a couple of members here we're starting the ball rolling.

Any offers for us from someone who's got pigs so we can see how it's build and so on.

We in central Bretagne, will travel.

Regards
Iain
PS - chickens were out of the house this morning before I got up, for the life of me I can't see how they got out. ;D
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 30, 2009, 09:00:09 am
Hi Ian you would be very welcome to come and see our setup.  We are very small, Hilary is due to produce around 9th May.  We are about 20 minutes from Pontivy.  HM
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: IainW on April 30, 2009, 09:50:30 am
Hi Ian you would be very welcome to come and see our setup.  We are very small, Hilary is due to produce around 9th May.  We are about 20 minutes from Pontivy.  HM

Thats Brilliant HM, thank you.

It would be lovely to meet you.

What day? and what time?

Merci
Iain
Title: Re: Newbie from France
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 30, 2009, 11:57:30 am
Have pmd you.