The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: james130693 on June 30, 2009, 04:18:28 pm

Title: keen but mother isn't
Post by: james130693 on June 30, 2009, 04:18:28 pm

hi every body my mum has a lot of land about 30 acres now they are being rented by tenant farmers but i want to have a samllholding i all ready have chickens and bees and they are doing well.
thats me james

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: Hilarysmum on June 30, 2009, 05:35:06 pm

Find a free range pig keeper who produces their own bacon, sausages and pork with crackling.  Introduce mother to the gastronomic delights and hey presto. 

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: cmorrell on June 30, 2009, 06:34:11 pm

Chickens and bees is a pretty good start.. better than me already!

What are the chances of convincing your mother to let you use just a couple of acres initially to show what you can do with it and gradually take over a little more land each year?

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: HappyHippy on June 30, 2009, 07:25:18 pm

Hi James & welcome  ;D
Keep going with your mum - you'll get there eventually.
Incidentaly, an acre is more than enough to raise a couple of weaners to pork weight, talk her into going to 'look at' some weaners - she'll be smitten !
Ask her if you can start with an acre and build up from there.
Good luck & keep us posted !

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: Rosemary on June 30, 2009, 08:14:12 pm

Hi and welcome. Where are you? Maybe some TASers coudl invite you and your Mum round to convince her that you've got the right idea!

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: doganjo on June 30, 2009, 08:16:58 pm

If your user ID is a guide I'd guess you are around 16 - right?  I think folks on here are right - let us know roughly where you are and there may be some TAS members near you, and ask your MUM if you can have an acre to prove you can do it - then go for it, lad!

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: cmorrell on June 30, 2009, 08:28:38 pm

Quote from: doganjo on June 30, 2009, 08:16:58 pm

If your user ID is a guide I'd guess you are around 16 - right?

This is where we find out he was born on the 3rd of September 1306  ;D

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: james130693 on June 30, 2009, 10:32:38 pm

 i am near Melton Mowbray and i am 16 i want pigs and sheep. The sheep from the the tenants who rent the fields escape into our garden so i kindly help them back. (our garden backs onto the fields)
 a bit more about me is that i enjoy fishing and shooting i have my own air rifle which i have recently purchased.
thanks for all the info

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: HappyHippy on July 01, 2009, 08:19:01 am

James,
Maybe you mum's worried that if you start a small holding you wouldn't have a 'proper' education - it's difficult to make enough money to survive purely on income from smallholding, and you'll likely need another source of income ie. a job  ;).
Depending on what your plans are for after school - college or uni etc, it might be worth checking out local agricultural colleges and applying there for something relevant (there are fishing qualifications available too - although maybe not local, my brother went away up to Shetland to the North Atlanic fisheries college!) this way your mum will realise you're serious about it and you'll get a support network on your course and taught the best ( & proper?) way to do things.
Hope this helps  ;D

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: Roxy on July 01, 2009, 12:04:18 pm

I think its great that you are taking an interest in smallholding.  Many young people are turning to other work, and moving to cities to earn more money.

Can I suggest that perhaps you go to college or something, and do a course.  Then you Mum will see you are serious about what you want to do, and of course you will get qualifications  and have more knowledge to keep animals etc.

I have an interest in bees, as my uncle used to keep them here at the farm, but I do not have any yet.

Just one thing, if the land has tenant farmers on, if its long term, I do not think you can ask them to move off the land until they want to?  We let ours on a yearly licence, so thats different and the farmer has not got long term rights to stay.

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: james130693 on July 01, 2009, 07:30:07 pm

thank you for all this very useful info but i am going to be at Southampton uni in a couple of years time for marine engineering so i only have a couple of years to get what i want which i will then take down there with me. the farm land is leased on a 18 month contract basis so it would not be long before i could have i bit our garden anyway is just over 2 acres so we have plenty of space in our garden for a sow and some weaners which i really want, but again this is down to my mum not thinking that i will look after them.
thanks again for all the info james

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: sandy on July 02, 2009, 07:53:21 am

Hello, I used to live in Leicestershire, miss Melton Market, my daughter (a bit older than you) buys and is going to sell some poultry there. I suspect your mum dosn't want to end up looking after pigs for you  :pig: and also is concerned that if you had pigs you would not have time for study or just being 16, time passess quickly and you are certainly well on the way with what you are dong already, keep us posted!!!! It is not that easy being a mum either ;D

Title: Re: keen but mother isn't
Post by: Farmer on July 19, 2009, 02:01:02 am

Hi James...ask your Mum to look at TAS...she can post her concerns and we may be able to reassure her that you can get advice and moral support from the members of this forum...only you can convince her that you are ready and 'up to it'...but you will have all of us to guide and encourage you...good luck

Farmer
 :farmer: