The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: LittleMrsC on October 22, 2012, 02:17:49 pm
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We are a couple who are battling our way through a 5 acre plot to make way for pigs, chickens and a couple of polytunnels for all our fruit and veg. The land has lay fallow for 30 years and was previously very productive market gardens.
We have a lot of ivy ground cover and the trees are ash, blackthorn and various willow. Can we keep pigs on it?
We need advice on a good rotovating breed. Any tips, advice and pointers gratefully received.
Looking forward to learning lots from this site and hopefully make contact with people doing the same.
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sounds fantastic
there will be others along with more knowledge of pigs, but sounds an ideal situation to let the 4 legged rotovators do the hard work for you!!!
welcome from central scotland!!!
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Thanks Bloomer :wave:
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Welcome from north Cumbria :wave:
I used to live near the North Devon Coast - near Lynton - whereabouts are you?
Your venture sounds great, and you'll have loads of support both on here and in person locally through DASH.
On the face of it, pigs sound like a good plan. Ivy could poison them if there was nothing else to eat but I think they will avoid things that are bad for them as long as they have plenty of choice. Tamworths are certainly good rotovators, possibly too good once they've done the job you want... :D Most breeds will rootle as long as they're not overfed and become lazy, I think. My OSBs have been great fun and good rootlers, not bad on the escaping front (accidental rather than systematic breaking out :D), Saddlebacks a delight - very easy-going pigs - but I do think the OSB is the tastiest I've had so far.
What can you buy locally? That'd be a good place to start!
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Great Sally thanks,
We are just on the outskirts of Combe Martin. We are just registering for DASH and will go to our first local meeting in November. We have been offered locally OSB, Berkshires, GOS and Saddlebacks.
Many thanks for advice, I bet Cumbria is looking lovely this time of year.
All the best :wave:
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Small world, innit. I lived in Trentishoe - Combe Martin was my nearest shops.
Cumbria is frankly soggy blotting paper at the moment, we've had the wettest summer since records began :gloomy:
Utterly beautiful when the sun does grace us with its presence, though :sunshine: as it did yesterday.
I've given more info on your post in the Pigs section. When you get your DASH membership book, if you want, PM me and I'll point you at some folks I know will give you good advice. ;)
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Thanks so much Sally,
You have been really helpful.
C :pig:
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Ooh LittleMrsC we come to where you live every Aug/sept for a mini break to recover from plum harvest! Its a beautiful part of the world and the kids love it (I think the dinosaur park and Big Sheep contribute to that too!)
welcome to TAS from a gloomy Worcestershire :wave: Your project sounds similar to ours in that our land had been left to goodness knows what for a very long time! We live in what used to be a market gardeners property now with lots of fruit and exciting twists and turns in the land. Its great fun - enjoy!!
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Hi Plumseverywhere,
I think just about everyone in the UK has been or travelled through Combe Martin!......and everyone speaks fondly of it, it's a beautiful part of the world.
We are uncovering old farming machinery and implements or all descriptions as we chainsaw and brushcut our way through the tangled mess.......once the fire is lit it has an edge of Sleepy Hollow about it as the smoke finds its way through the trees.......but we will restore the sunlight and have it up and running by springtime.
Thanks for your comments, this site is oh so welcoming. :sunshine:
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Ooooh Sleepy Hollow (mmmmmm Johnny Depp ;D )
Do you have a metal detector? we have a fairly cheap one (about £30) and have uncovered some amazing and very old farming artefacts. My rusty old scythe head takes pride of place on the mantel piece!
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:wave: Hi and welcome from equally gloomy Shropshire. Don't know about pigs as I'm not allowed to keep any, but goats are great for munching as well and usually like the stuff that other animals won't touch.
Just be careful you don't have ragwort, whatever you decide to put on the land. It's lethal.
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:wave: Hello from a wet and murky Powys
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Hello and welcome from central Scotland. :wave:
Tamworths are supposed to be the best rotovators, but in reality most of the big rare breeds are good at it.
Good luck!
Beth
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Welcome from a very foggy, dank & dismal :gloomy: North Yorkshire.
Have replied to you in pig forum too.
Oink Oink
Mandy :pig:
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Hi :wave: and welcome from the dry but cloudy Scottish Borders, good luck with the pigs.
Regards
Sue