The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: taniag on December 04, 2014, 08:01:01 pm
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Just found this site while searching for a North Dorset Smallholding Group - did find a thread here - but would love to know if it ever took off?
I have a smallholding approx 7 acres and moved down here 2 years ago from London - having worked with Diamonds I now deal with poop and mud - hummm ???
I have started off slowly (very slowly!), first got 3 ducks and 3 chickens while in London - which all moved down with me and have been adding over the last two years (while dad has frantically built more sheds) - I now have a lot more chickens, a couple of cockerels, more ducks inc: rare breed shetlands, lots of naughty Guinea Fowl, rare breed geese (west of england and pilgrims), 6 Shetland sheep - and 3 Quail.
Have had fun and disappointment incubating eggs and learnt lots over the past two years - especially about chickens (as has the local vet!) - being a veggie - my animals are pets though I am working on finding a way for them all to start making some money - I currently sell eggs and that pays for their food - so any thoughts would be great!
My fields were rented out but next year am hoping to try hay making - would like a couple of weaners (have ark), and hopefully two of my sheep are now pregnant and there will be the patter of more shetland sheep and am very interested in having a couple of Llamas - though price will play a big part in that dream!
Looking forward to reading more and getting lots of info!
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Morning Taniag, and welcome to TAS. :wave:
Your journey to smallholding sounds very similar to mine (although sadly I have never worked with diamonds). I found this site invaluable and have learnt such a lot from it. I found reading Rosemary and Dan's diary posts (right from the very begining) particularly useful.
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Welcome to TAS :wave:
If you don't mind me asking why are you getting pigs? I can't see a way that they could make a contribution if you aren't going to eat them.
Do you sell you fleeces? Maybe you could start processing them yourself - learn to spin if you don't already - which would add value to them.
Do you also sell hatching eggs from your poultry or just eggs for eating?
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Hello and welcome to the forum from Carmarthenshire. Sounds quite a change from diamonds. My change was from banking so life is very different now :)
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hello!
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Hello and welcome - glad you enjoy thesite.
I agree with cloddopper (for once :-* ) - it's hard to make money from pigs if you DO eat them. Impossible if you don't.
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I agree with cloddopper (for once :-* ) - it's hard to make money from pigs if you DO eat them. Impossible if you don't.
I think you have me confused with someone more contrary Rosemary :innocent:
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:wave: and welcome from Shropshire.
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Hello and welcome from Caithness. :wave: I am a veggie and we currently have a couple of weaners. They are currently rotavating a paddock for us but they will be becoming pork and bacon later some of which my husband will eat. Meanwhile OH is having great fun with them. Hard to quantify the value of the entertainment they provide but certainly not profit making. :-J
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Weaners are great, do a good job rotovating, etc. Full-grown pigs are enormous and need a lot of land. So if you can't / don't want to slaughter them, I'd be very cautious about getting pigs - and certainly look for a smaller breed (Kune Kune, I guess.)
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Thanks for all your info!
Re the Pigs - they will be for meat - although not for me!
I have a bed and breakfast so think it will be nice to serve my own sausages and bacon.
They unfortunately wont be pets!
I have recently purchased a drum carder (think that is the right term) - coming next week so will try to slightly process some of it.
I do use some of my guinea fowl feathers (naturally dropped!!) and use them in hand made cards - have also done the same on a couple of cards with sheep wool.
Have sold some feathers and a small bag of wool to crafters - though very very small scale!
Re eggs - I sell both for eating and in season some hatching - hopefully more so next year - with the rare breed ones.
Keep the suggestions coming!