The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: kingnigel on May 30, 2009, 03:19:34 pm

Title: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on May 30, 2009, 03:19:34 pm

hi all
quick intro
im nigel, very new to this so i will have stacks of questions, my garden is quite large but wasted at the moment, also have a small piece of land planted with willow and poplar (9 acres)  that i need to make more use off.
sorry for this but get ready for the questions as i have just become unemployed so i have far too much spare time
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: doganjo on May 30, 2009, 04:03:34 pm

Hi Nigel, Welcome to the forum.  Sorry to hear about losing your job - a lot of it about just now.  What did you do?  tell us a bit about yourself and your family, and put yourself on the members map.
I've been widowed for 6 years, moved to Central Scotland from Aberdeenshire on request of kids and grandkids and LOVE it here!  Like you I have a large garden, mostly in grass and is wasted, but not quite sure what I want to do with it.  Don't think I can have animals other than the ducks and chickens, 4 dogs and 2 cats as I have near neighbours.  It's roasting here today so have come in to cool off.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on May 30, 2009, 04:19:12 pm

hi doganjo
im 44 married no kids and never wanted any lucky for me nor did the wife,
12 dogs, all on www.zabalaz.co.uk, my website, hope im allowed to put that on if not just remove it.
was a machine setter/operator, also ex miner, im in the gainsborough area, if ive missed anything just ask again
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: doganjo on May 30, 2009, 04:38:06 pm

Wow! some team!  I trained with the GSP club (gundog training) at Culben Forest before I came down here and one week there was a racing meet - iditarod type sleds with wheels.  It looked great fun and the dogs were so excited.  Hope losing your job won't affect the dogs.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on May 30, 2009, 05:12:15 pm

i was probably up at culbin racing
the only effect on the dogs is that i have even more time for them, even if the weather is too hot to train
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: HappyHippy on May 31, 2009, 09:23:03 am

Welcome to the forum - what beautiful dogs  ;D
Look forward to hearing more from you

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on May 31, 2009, 09:44:46 am

Welcome to the group, Might be a little late this year to start any veg off but you could do plenty of planning and digging , but if it's the livestock you want anytime of the year is okay for them :)

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on May 31, 2009, 11:24:12 am

hi thanks for the welcome
happyhippy - yep they are beautiful but i would say that i am biased, thanks anyway
fluffywelshsheep - not sure what we will be doing yet so i have some questions after i get through reading other posts, i would like to keep chickens and a couple of pigs but i have yet to convince my wife, i was hoping the pigs would clear the land for us and fertilize it before filling our plate. we will have to see
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: doganjo on May 31, 2009, 12:59:02 pm

yup, the pigs would clear the land certainly, but watch that wife of yours - she may become too attached to them to eat them  ;) ;D ;D ;D
That's why I only have hens for eggs, and veggies. >:(

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on May 31, 2009, 02:20:37 pm

you have found why she is objecting already but i think with our other 12 babies to look after she could be too busy to get all mummsy with the pigs, i would also have to say i am also a soft touch so we are still only thinking about our next move.
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Rosemary on May 31, 2009, 09:11:04 pm

What beautiful dogs. They look like they are real characters.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 01, 2009, 09:05:40 am

Hi and welcome, pigs in woods is very traditional, tamworths would work well. 

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on June 01, 2009, 10:23:08 am

hi
rosemary, they are and they rule our lives but thats ok we like it that way.

hilarysmum, our land is about 9 miles away with the trees so we would want the pigs here at home.
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 02, 2009, 06:45:15 am

Ah yes!  Long way to go to round up escapees.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: spitfire on June 04, 2009, 07:59:51 pm

Hi Kingnigel, .
don't know if I'm missing something -everyone keeps talking about 'the great escape' but we've had our girls (weaner pigs) for 2 months now and they haven't escaped once- or do they just like it in their corner of the field too much to even contemplate a break out...? have I just jinxed myself????
we're trying not to become too attached to the pigs- they have been named by the children after alot of thought-
before I get moaned at they are called
sausage, burger and apple sauce!

welcome to the forum!

Lynne

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on June 04, 2009, 10:45:21 pm

hi lynne
thanks for the welcome
i have an area fenced of with 6' high chain link at home that i think would do the job, but as yet i dont know how much damage pigs would do to the fencing or if i need a smallholder licence or anything else.
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 05, 2009, 08:08:11 am

Hi even with chain link fencing I would be inclined to add a single strand of electric for reassurance.

You do need a holding number to keep pigs.  Contact DEFRA  (sp?)

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on June 05, 2009, 01:28:18 pm

hi hilarysmum
is a holding number and a smallholder number the same as the brains behind this opperation (my wife) says we have one from when we linked the land we have to the house with defra
thanks again.

sorry if these questions seem silly but i the present climate i dont want to get things wrong
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 05, 2009, 08:30:44 pm

I dont know, it isnt here (France) you need a holding number and a herd number for each type of animal, I imagine it would be the same there.  Rosemary is the person to answer this one.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: Rosemary on June 06, 2009, 03:24:51 pm

Not daft questions at all. Your holding number is CPH - County Parish Holding number and looks like 74/210/0059 If your property has one of these, you are registered as an agricultural holding. If you get pigs, sheep or cattle you will need a herd / flock / herd number, which you get from Animal Health.

Hope this helps.

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on June 06, 2009, 04:59:36 pm

thanks for that rosemary
kn

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: lordlonk on June 10, 2009, 09:51:41 am

Hi nigel - Ian here - you must be so close to me as i am also in gainsborough as well . I dont have any land at present but a passion to learn and to aquire some land at some point either localor away from the area in the near future. Imjust thinking if you are maybe close to a campsite?? my ex and i stayed a  lot at a campsite the other side of hemswell on way to lincoln and we always heard huskys  on neighbouring land ?? maybe thats you ?

Sorry to hear about work - My heart has not been in my work for a long time im self employed and  i have had a pretty horrible 12months which others here on the forum know all aboutand its great to see you on here truly as i look forward to keeping in touch with you.

Everybody on here will guide you through all you need to know.

Thanks for the tractor offer - i will be in touch in a seperate email on that - I cant believe you are so local.


I will be in touch  very shortly -thank you thank  you


ian

Title: Re: kingnigel
Post by: kingnigel on June 10, 2009, 10:32:12 am

hi lordlonk
no not my huskies but i probably know who's they were,
i'm between gainsborough and scunthorpe, feel free to get in touch via email.
kn