The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Elspeth on August 05, 2016, 10:39:29 am

Title: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: Elspeth on August 05, 2016, 10:39:29 am

Hi everyone Elspeth here from Sandyhills in Dumfries and Galloway,
I have a 58 acre site on the stunningly beautiful Solway Coast. The site consists of woodland and wildflower meadow and is managed mainly for wildlife.We have planning permission for an Eco-campsite, are developing a forest garden and have been experimenting with fruit and veg over the last 3 years. We have 2 ponies one of which works helping me move things around like logs and helps with bracken bashing the other is a riding pony.
We hope to establish the site as a place for wildlife and people and are about to advertise some opportunities for other people to get involved with the site including organic smallholding opportunities, small scale forestry and wood craft opportunities and we are also open to talking to people interested in volunteer opportunities. 
Great to find a site that seems to be inhabited by enthusiastic like minded people and looking forward to being an accidental smallholder.

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: devonlady on August 06, 2016, 09:48:21 am

Hello and welcome, Elspeth, from Devon.

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: SallyintNorth on August 06, 2016, 11:00:50 am

Sounds fascinating!   :wave: from just over the border near Carlisle.  If I wasn't about to move to Cornwall, I'd be coming up to learn more, and see if I could bring one of my ponies for a working holiday to learn about horse-powered bracken bashing!

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: Lesley Silvester on August 07, 2016, 12:11:05 am

 :wave: and welcome from  :sunshine: Shropshire.

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: Rosemary on August 07, 2016, 07:28:23 am

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: Fleecewife on August 07, 2016, 09:12:42 am

Your project sounds absolutely fascinating Elspeth  :thumbsup:  We are a bit east of you in S.Lanarkshire.  We are slowly making our small place as wildlife friendly as possible - when we arrived here 21 years ago it was open pastureland, with no trees, just stob and wire fences.  It's very different now - must update the website.
I shall be following your progress with huge interest  :wave: and hoping for fresh ideas.

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: Elspeth on August 07, 2016, 10:24:07 am

Thanks for all you replies, its great to know there are like minded people out there.
Happy to show anyone our bracken bashing techniques Sallyinthenorth and very interested in learning hedge laying Fleecewife.

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: wytchwolf on September 12, 2016, 11:34:50 am

Hi elspeth, im an english man in the highlands and im very interested in what your plans for the future were :)

Title: Re: Hello from Dumfries and Galloway
Post by: watty watt on September 12, 2016, 07:10:29 pm

Hi Elsie! You've found your way to the best smallholder site. Every time I search TAS comes up at or near the top of the list.
Need to get down to visit - would be at Monique bluegrass festival and the ideal opportunity to pay you a visit, except that it's the same weekend as the Scottish smallholder event at Lanark. Maybe catch up with you in one or the other place.
Took Jasp for a wee break to an eco type campsite near Berwick. Very well set up.  Might be worth taking a research trip if you can ever get time off. They're doing most of the things that we want to here - compost toilets, glamps, etc.
Catch up with you soon, I hope. X
PS molly dog died last week, and we might Inherit one of Kate's cats!