The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Troubled Waters on June 12, 2009, 03:02:21 pm
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I have been browsing the site for a while and thought it time to take the plunge. A couple of years ago we spent 6mths in New Zealand and stayed with some families on lifestyle blocks over there. Having always had a food and outdoors love seeing people who were raising their own meat and veggies really lit a fire in us. After moving back home what we thought was reality re-asserted itself. But having turned twenty-nine a few weeks ago and still looking for a perm job after two years I had a bit of a turning 30 crisis. Not that I am turning 30 in a year but rather I am turning 30 in a year and nowhere near where I want to be in life and now is the time to make changes.
I want a few acres, I want to be as self sufficient in food as I can be, I’d even like to produce some of our own energy if poss. I’d like a granny annex for a guest house and maybe sell a little produce. This will be so much more satisfying than working for a faceless organisation and so much better for my health too. My husband and have discussed and we are now actively researching all aspects of smallholding and self sufficiency.
We know it will be hard work and we know it won’t happen over night, and anyway to jump in full blown will only lead to failure. This is our life plan, our dream and our aim. I have read with interest and you all seem so friendly and knowledgeable. I look forward to sharing with you.
Anyway, this was more of a ramble than planned. That’s us and who we are. Thanks for reading. Helen :-[
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Welcome Helen, all dreams have to start off somewhere, fingers crossed you realise your ambition. I worked for a big company for years and did very well but decided I didn't want to do it any more. I bought a very small hotel and a totally new way of life. I now have hens, ducks, dogs, rabbits, goats, ponies, geese and a parrot - and am very happy. Go for your dream.
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Welcome from us here in Normandy also Helen. Dreams do come true if you want them badly enough. As long as you keep in mind that sometimes the dream can be a bit of nightmare at times, you wont be dissapointed. Believe me when I say that one or two good times, like the special moment when your first chick hatches, or your first lamb or piglet is born, will more than make up for any down side you may encounter along the way.
We wish you lots of luck in finding your dream smallholding, and really look forward to following your journey with us on TAS.
Kate :pig:
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My late husband was a design engineer with oil companies, then was made redundant just after we'd bought our croft - my reaction, he said, was the exact opposite of what his previous wife would have said - I said "Great, now you can do what you want to do on the croft" Having been an Accountant with huge oil companies all my life, then the NHS latterly, I finally took the plunge ayear after he died, and retired bang on 60. Best thing I ever did.
Get your land, make sure you have one back up income and go for it. And good luck! You'll make loads of friends on here too! Put your pin on the map and look around you!
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what lovely dreams. go for it and make them come true.
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Hi welcome, what area of NZ?
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Hi and welcome to TAS. Where are you living just now?
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Hi and thank you so much for your lovely welcome. To answer some of the questions; we are currently living in a village just outside Banbury (made the mistake of buying at the top of the market and feel a little trapped for the time being), our 6 mths in NZ were spent traveling most of the country on the WWOOF scheme (some were fab, some not so good!)
We are fortunate enough to have a large garden and in our second year of growing veggies. We have some raised beds and are in the process of putting the greenhouse up. We have fab neighbours who help with advice, let the dogs out and water anything that's wilting (in return for home baked goodies or produce from the garden). We want chickens but get home after dark in the winter so not really practical just at the mo.
So for the time being it is us and the two mutts. Well hopefully without sounding too trite you are all very inspirational. I can't wait to get going.
Helen ;D
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We want chickens but get home after dark in the winter so not really practical just at the mo.
You can rig up an automatic door closing system for them. They will put themselves to bed at dusk. Only problem I have is a PIR above my chicken and duck run and if I go out there after dark they all pop out to see me so I have to wait till it goes off then quickly shut the popholes before they come out again. An automatic one would be better for me too.
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Welcome to the forum, good luck with your dream am sure you can do it. Just take each step as a stone to the next one :)
I to would love to have enough land to grow a enought food for my family but the frist step we have is to get the business off the group :)
Linz
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Hello,good evening and welcome!!!! having some land and being self sufficeint is more rewarding than most jobs, you work hard, never have enough time and always something to spend what money you have but good for the mind body and soul, but maybe not the pocket!!!! :)
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Well we are certainly looking forward to a physical and mental challenge that we don't get from the day job, and the rewards that go with it.
We know a lot more than average joe about all matters of self provision (my besty mate asked me what smallholding was when i tried to explain our dreams!) but being on here makes us feel totally uninformed. I look forward to the day when I can give back some of what we are learning! ;D
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No written word can cover the deepest downs when things go wrong or the highs when they go right. Get a shed load of Radox and keep the kettle always on the boil, you wont go far wrong...
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I would love a house with land but unfortuantely am not in a financial position to get one at the moment. What I've done instead is to find a group of people who want to do the same thing, namely grow fruit and veg and raise animals for meat and eggs. Between us we are leasing 7 acres from a local farmer and setting up a community farm (Loxley Valley Community Farm); keep an eye out for us in The Home Farmer magazine. Where there's a will there's a way ;D ;D
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Wow Sanman, what a great idea and good on you for getting on and doing it!!! sounds great. Please keep us posted!
:pig: ;D
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Absolutely! Yeah... Go for it! Dreams are for dreamin'. And as for aims and ambitions, I always think it's best to have your feet on the ground and your head in the clouds. That way you have a sound foundation, and you can fulfil your dreams.
All the best, and I, too, hope everything works out for your dream becoming a reality!
John