The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: DalesFarmer on September 28, 2020, 01:41:49 pm

Title: New to Smallholding
Post by: DalesFarmer on September 28, 2020, 01:41:49 pm

Hi there. Just a note to introduce myself as I’m new to smallholding. Moved into our smallholding in North Yorkshire in May. It’s sos beautiful up year but oh boy it needs lots of work, but starting with around 25 hens (Due to collect 2nd week October as 18-20 week old birds) and sheep next year as we’ve let a couple of fields out to other farmers in the interim.

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: Possum on September 30, 2020, 12:47:59 pm

Hello and welcome to TAS :wave:


You are certainly in a beautiful part of the world. Do you have any previous experience of keeping animals or are you starting completely from scratch?

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: Rosemary on September 30, 2020, 02:27:17 pm

Hello and welcome from  :raining: Carnoustie  :wave: . We're in our twentieth year - the To Do list hasn't got appreciabley shorter  ::)

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: YorkshireLass on September 30, 2020, 06:45:27 pm

Ey up!
 :wave:  currently waving from Wales but a Yorkshire native.
What are your big long term aspirations?

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: DalesFarmer on September 30, 2020, 07:08:23 pm

Hi to all who responded to my email. Long term aspirations include purchasing some Ryeland sheep next year but first we need planning permission to erect a barn unless we go for a more temporary method as planning aren’t keen that we have one. We’ll see on that score... I want to build (I mean I want my lovely husband to build a compost area and some raised beds for all my veg and additional herbs for my hens. My to do list just gets longer and longer. Today I was out in the pouring rain and feeling just very happy - wearing waterproofs covered in mud but got a lot of digging done. I don’t have any experience at all keeping hens/sheep etc, however my husband comes from a farming family so that’s a bit of a help. Otherwise, yes, all from scratch. Thanks so much for all your welcome messages.

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: YorkshireLass on September 30, 2020, 07:16:04 pm

Not sure you'd need a barn for Ryelands - though for shelter, for e.g. lambing I know many people use big polytunnels...


I know those feelings - both the to-do list and the happy mud-wading!

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: Backinwellies on October 01, 2020, 07:27:06 am

 I second YL  ..... barn not needed for sheep .....  they are happy ourside all  year with some shelter .... lamb late and they are fine outdoors. .... or use a polytunnel designed for sheep.

If you are enjoying getting very wet and muddy you are in the right place .... enjoy.. :wave:

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: Womble on October 01, 2020, 08:10:01 am

You will need somewhere to store hay though (not that it needs to be anything complicated).

Title: Re: New to Smallholding
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 07, 2020, 06:03:50 pm

 :wave: and welcome from  :sunshine: Shropshire. Sounds like you're just the right sort of people.