The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: benandjerry on January 18, 2014, 06:48:23 pm

Title: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on January 18, 2014, 06:48:23 pm

Hello and thank god I found this website. :)

I live in the Scottish borders and my sister lives in Nottingham and we both want to be near each other in the Scottish borders and run a joint small holding, amongst other things. Looking forward to posting and getting to know you all. :)

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Brucklay on January 18, 2014, 06:51:37 pm

Welcome from a soggy Aberdeenshire - look forward to hearing all about your adventures  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: bloomer on January 18, 2014, 07:35:25 pm

welcome from a damp Tullibody (central scotland)

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Simpsyla on January 18, 2014, 08:35:40 pm

Welcome from chilly Sunderland - enjoy!

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Lesley Silvester on January 19, 2014, 12:45:08 am

 :wave: and welcome from soggy Shropshire.

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: kelly58 on January 19, 2014, 08:41:03 am

Hi from Caithness  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Bionic on January 19, 2014, 09:05:13 am

Hello and welcome from a  :sunshine: Carmarthenshire. (not often I've been able to say that lately)
I hope you and your sister get your dream place soon.

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Daisys Mum on January 19, 2014, 10:04:32 am

Hello and welcome, I am in the Scottish Borders, quite a few small holdings for sale good luck! :wave: Although to be honest most are set up for equestrian use so that really bumps the price up!

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Rosemary on January 19, 2014, 10:20:58 am

Hello and welcome from soggy Carnoustie  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on January 19, 2014, 03:45:03 pm

Hello Everyone :wave:  Thanks for saying 'hi'.  I'm hoping that my sister will join soon time soon, so that we can open a thread and discuss the way forward with our venture...............It is in the very very early stages.  A wanna be small holder would probably be closer to the truth.  Lots of people's (family) idea's to sort out.  I might want this, husband might want that, sister might want something different, sisters partner something different again.... :-\  and so on.  But we got to start somewhere, right?

I'm really looking forward to being part of the community and hopefully meeting up with the small holders I've already noticed on the here. :) and learning. :)

Would it make sense do you think to open a separate thread where I start to put 'the dream' down.?

DD
 :)

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: bloomer on January 19, 2014, 03:49:40 pm

feel free i guarantee it will get meandered all over the place as options change with time...

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Mammyshaz on January 22, 2014, 03:47:38 pm

Hello and welcome from Durham  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: KellySam on January 23, 2014, 12:46:03 pm

 :wave:  Hello from the Western Isles - although hopefully at some point will be the Scottish borders too!!

I need to find a suitable property to rent first!  Ideally a 'Rent to Buy' so if you hear of anything  ;)   :eyelashes:

Interested to see your dream and ideas develop and Good Luck   :)

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on January 23, 2014, 07:54:47 pm

Hello  :wave:

I'm doing a Swedish massage course in Durham (BIG exams March~ step 1 of coming of/ decreasing the wage slave set up), so have seen a wee bit of that area, very nice.  While I am on my course my other half goes in search of local / organic produce and antique places. :)
Step 2 meeting some local small holders.....  :)

Kelly sam # just being nosey, why do you want to move from North Usit to here, not that here isn't great, but is North Usit not fabulous?
I'm a long way off being a small holder :(  This is my year along with other half for doing what we want to do......... within the parameters of everything else. :D

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: KellySam on January 23, 2014, 09:03:33 pm

Hi Benandjerry,

The islands are beautiful, however, jobs are few and far between and so much depends on who you know.  Sadly, with the majority of 'locals' being cousins of cousins of cousins of.......  (get the picture ? ), a lot tends to be word of mouth and if you're not in the loop, you don't stand a chance!  Also make an enemy of one - you've got the whole family - cousins of cousins of .........................
I had been trying very hard to get a croft so I could do my own things, (Rare Breeds Farm & Pony Trekking, plus a few other ideas), but again I'm up against - cousins of ................   

Now the Crofting Commission are clamping down on vacant or neglected crofts, one or two have become available, but although I've noted interest, the Estate Factor does not agree with the policies of the CC and is very reluctant to do anything about it!  It's so frustrating.  I 'did' have an area of land in a fabulous spot from where I was hoping to operate from although it belonged to someone-else who was going to build a Chalet Park, but the deal fell through.  I had already got myself 4 ponies but have just had to give up the loan on one and will have to rehome my wee Shetland  :'(  as I don't have the grazing & crofters are so reluctant to allow ponies on the land. 

To put the icing on the cake,  some of the locals have taken a major dislike to my son who developed Alopecia after an accident when he was employed as a 17yo in a local garage.  He was covered head to toe in diesel & subsequently lost all his hair.  He was then sacked for being allergic to diesel - so we sued.  Perfect way to make enemies on an island!!!!  He received an out-of-court settlement last November & treated himself to a new car.  Just before Christmas while we were enjoying a wee drink in the Lochmaddy Hotel, some fish Farm workers threw a pool ball at the windscreen cracking it and chucked a massive boulder through a passenger back window, also denting and scratching the paintwork.  Not content with that, they came over to our house at 11pm on Boxing Day slashed all 4 tires plus 2 on another car and put another boulder through the other rear window.  He has also been assaulted twice by groups of grown men and has been threatened with a price on his head!

So sorry for the long post, but you did ask  ;D   :rant:

So anyone thinking of a peaceful quiet life on North Uist - think twice and think very carefully!!!  Fine for a holiday, beautiful place but...................   :innocent:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on January 24, 2014, 07:38:04 pm

Oh gosh that sounds awful :(  Big hugs  :hug:  And you can have one for free when you move to the Scottish Borders.  :)  I cross North Uist of my potential forever place then. The cousins of cousins thing goes on here as well, I'm only half local (long story) but live on a farm where the farmer and his family and his farm workers knows everyone so have been welcomed very warmly, I think our 'job' helps as well.  We foster (respite care) 4 children with severe and complex needs, (its a great job,  :) ).

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: tomandjerry on February 15, 2014, 05:35:57 pm

Hello to you all and thank you for welcoming my sister, The little sister has finally arrived!, Great little site, reading up on loads as we speak... xxx

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on February 15, 2014, 05:56:26 pm

Hello My little sister :)  You made it...... at last...... :excited: :excited:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: Bionic on February 15, 2014, 08:08:37 pm

Welcome little sister  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: KellySam on February 15, 2014, 08:56:22 pm

Hello wee sister   :wave:   :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: lilfeeb on March 06, 2014, 08:19:45 am

Hello to both sisters from Kinross-shire  :D

Title: Re: Hello ~ Newbie with a sister on her way to joining
Post by: benandjerry on March 06, 2014, 06:29:41 pm

Thank you from the BIG sister  ;D