The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Hilbillie on February 18, 2008, 10:27:14 am

Title: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilbillie on February 18, 2008, 10:27:14 am

Hi all.  Moved with husband Nigel to Brittany to live last August (previously living in Devon). We have a small cottage with a large garden and two fields attached (the "top field" and the "bottom field").  Nigel has built some raised beds and we have started growing our own veggies and we are in the process of upgrading a big old chicken barn in our top field.  The plan is to get some goats to provide milk (and cheese) and some chooks for eggs and the table.  I've been reading loads of books and surfing the net for ages but seeing as we've only ever really had dogs and cats and not done any gardening to speak of, I'm looking forward to as much advice and tips as I can get!
Having a brilliant time so far!

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: MrRee on February 18, 2008, 10:45:13 am

Welcome. Two very nice places in the world you have lived/living. There are some great tips already posted in the forums,and when you've read though all of them,and still have questions,post a question and I'm sure it will be answered. There's some very knowledgeable people on here (I'm not one of them) and all the tips and advice are great.......... Ree

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilbillie on February 18, 2008, 10:53:34 am

Thanks for that MrRee, will do just that.  Have the makings of a stinking cold so I'm staying in wrapped up warm today.  Good excuse for sitting reading forums!

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: stephen on February 18, 2008, 11:34:05 am

hey welcome to the forums!  :)

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: carl on February 18, 2008, 11:48:23 am

welcome, this site is inspirational in its snippets of advice and experiences. once you get your teeth into this fending for yourself stuff its easy to get carried away. its nice to come on this site and learn that we all share similar problems and successes. within no time at all you will be posting things which help others, that you have experienced . a sort of cyber allotment society.  ;D

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Guy on February 18, 2008, 12:06:08 pm

Sit back , learn and enjoy - I have found these forums  both informative and funny . Everyone shares a similar  ethos - really great to know you are not alone when trying to go it alone!!! Welcome
Guy :) 

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 18, 2008, 03:20:35 pm

Hi and welcome, we have been in Brittany for over 5 years now and finally starting to integrate.  We have chickens, ambitions for a veggie patch (Hilary permitting) and around 50 pigs at the last count.  Which part of Brittany are you?

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilbillie on February 18, 2008, 08:35:44 pm

Thanks everyone for your welcomes.  Carl I like the idea of a cyber allotment  ;D.  Hi Mum!  I dont think we can be that far from you actually, we are about half way between Mur de Bretagne and Corlay.
Hilary

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Rosemary on February 18, 2008, 10:23:10 pm

Hi, and welcome to the TAS forums.

Rosemary

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Pebbles on February 18, 2008, 11:12:05 pm

Hi Hilbillie
Great name! Welcome
This site will give you so much confidence. Today you're planning chickens, in a few months you'll be up to your elbows in pigs, goats, geese +++
Just you wait and see  ;)
Pebbles

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 19, 2008, 07:28:36 am

We have friends in Mur de Bretagne, we are the other side of Pontivy - Locmine direction.

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Francis Bacon on February 19, 2008, 09:08:07 am

Hello & Welcome Hilbillie  ;D

Donna

Title: Are there any French left?
Post by: Lizt on February 19, 2008, 02:35:01 pm

Hello Hilbillie!
we are moving to Brittany this summer! We plan to spend pretty much all of this year renovating the house but the plan is to have animals too! I don't know if you are already making cheese but if not I'd recommend a visit to The New England Cheesemaking website - ideal for starting out with domestic scale production. We are close to Illifaut 56/22 can't wait to be there! Good luck and keep posting!
Liz x

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilbillie on February 19, 2008, 04:36:52 pm

An interesting website Lizt, the cheesemaking will be Nigel's area, I expect he will probably end up doing the milking as well, in fact it was his love of goats cheese that started us off on the whole idea of keeping animals.  I just love animals!  On our morning walk with the dogs (Pataud - 2/3 year old basset fauve de bretagne and Joli - young 2/3ish english setter - both rescued here in France) we pass several smallholdings with loads of different animals and it makes me really excited about getting our own.

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 19, 2008, 06:11:08 pm

Hilary if you make cheese for sale please, please, please let me know.  Thanks.

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: Rosey on February 20, 2008, 10:00:47 am

Hi and welcome,

These forums are the friendliest I have ever come across and full of good advice.  Hope you get as much from them as I do.

Regards
Rosey

Title: Re: And yet another one from France!
Post by: carole on February 24, 2008, 08:03:25 pm

Welcome Hilbillie, sorry for the delay but have been back to the UK. I too live in Brittany approx 30 mins from Corlay and have good friends in Corlay who also have a smallholding but no internet.
Good luck in your ventures- keep us posted on developments and I am sure you will meet people here who will support you in all you do- I certainly have.

Cheers
Carole