The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: RICCO on May 30, 2010, 06:17:30 pm

Title: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: RICCO on May 30, 2010, 06:17:30 pm

HI ! Im RICCO...I manage  a small croft for my Babe !! Eilidh.. :)
we have 9 acres....on a hillside...with some good grazing and a third of it
in bracken >:(  we dont have any stock of our own.....but we let  our neighbour
use it ...for  ponies and  cattle......I have a "wee red  fergie" which I use for
weed control...and general work.....my other passion is motor cycles / trikes /and
anything mechanical......I run a machinery ring and fix up stuff for other people
 crofting bodging is an art known only  to the  "I need it now " brigade  ;) 
I've just built an environmental POND ..about 30 mts x 20 ....tree lined on two
sides with a Willow "IGLOO" for birdwatching....and hope to introduce some Ducks.. :&>
we have 6  :chook: housed in a section of my green house....with a mesh "tunnel"
leading to a mesh "DOME"  made from two scrap trampoline frames ( crofter bodging)
it is easily moved so as not to sour the ground.....our garden has been terraced with plots 8 ft wide x about 40 ft long  x 4 off..with paths between ......
 I like the site ...hope to been on often.....cheers RICCO :farmer:  :wave:

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: Rosemary on May 30, 2010, 06:54:39 pm

Hi and welcome from sunny Alloa! Skye sounds like fun - are you a local?

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: little blue on May 30, 2010, 07:16:09 pm

hello and welcome

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: RICCO on May 30, 2010, 08:33:32 pm

Thanks  little blue..!!!!

Rosemary ,,,,,"sunny Alloa ! " dont remember that .....I used to ride out  down that way
heading to Girvan and such .....from Kilmarnock......lived in  Newmilns for a looong time
moved to Skye about 17 years ago........local ?....nope !!! but I am an adopted "Scianach"....came in thro the bedroom window ..LOL
it is nice here ........the way it used to be .......neighbour helping neighbour......never lock the doors
 tell you a story.....I used to park my pickup down in the village....took the works vehicle
went to work......came home  and found a "fiver" stuck in the sun visor.....I found out weeks later.....a neighbour had borrowed it to go for bales .....and left the  fiver....
 now thats  the Skye way......
 :wave: cheers RICCO

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: Sandy on May 30, 2010, 09:58:18 pm

Hello  :wave: we are in Clackmannan too but would love to see more of Scotland, a truley wonderful country!!! We are about to make a new pond for our DUcks, ran out of time today as we are a B&B and our guests took a lot of the time!!!! Welcome, sounds like you are having fun!!

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: Hilarysmum on May 31, 2010, 07:03:10 am

Hi and welcome.  Our pond is populated by wild ducks, its a magnet for all sorts of wildlife, even kingfishers.

Title: Re: HI ! from SKYE !!
Post by: RICCO on May 31, 2010, 07:04:36 pm

OH THAT ALLOA !!!!!  the one in Clacks... :) got my Alloway mixed up with my Alloa.. :D
 sorry Rosemary ....never was good at geography....went all round Europe on the bike and got lost coming off the ferry at Dover......   

wildlife is nice and good for the BnBs to look at ....speshuly if they come from the city.....and once  a pond is established ...it can look after itself  ......

Skye is nice ....scenery wise......mountains and lochs......but you can see where there is a lot of land  neglect....whole areas taken over by the Bracken.....where famillies moved away and left the croft......and there is little incentive to take on an old croft......so much to clear  before it can produce.......I dont use chemicals....all weed control is done by hand / machine....and tight grazing ..but i enjoy it...... :wave: