The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Dave Marr on October 06, 2015, 07:16:28 pm

Title: Hello All
Post by: Dave Marr on October 06, 2015, 07:16:28 pm

 :wave:
Hello All. A brief introduction needed I think.
We live in a semidetached in suburban Surrey. We have 3 Weimaraners at present (2 of which are rescue) and we work them on pheasant shoots during season. We have had chickens for a good many years but always hankered for ducks too.
We were flooded Christmas Eve 2013 and unfortunately lost our chickens - not through drowning but through stress of the ordeal & temporary rehoming. We, like the chickens, had to vacate our home for 8 months while it was being fixed but once home again, wanted to get back to some normality with a new flock of chickens and maybe some ducks.
To cut a long story short, we may have gone a bit overboard. We now have 7 chickens, a young cockerel, 7 ducks, 3 ferrets and 2 pygmy goats, as well as our 3 hounds. Have I mentioned the tropical fish?
We have a veg plot & greenhouse, 2 apple trees & a pear tree and all rainwater off house & outbuildings feed to a reservoir/pool for pumping onto garden. I also fly fish (when I get time) and my good friend shoots deer on a regular basis, so freezer generally stocked with trout, pheasant, venison and occasionally woodcock, pigeon & rabbit. To be honest, the family totally tired of trout in any form so do a deal with the local fishmongers on way home.  Salmon steaks, king prawns, scallops or smoked haddock much more appreciated by the family than trout again!
Anyway, that's us. Totally accidental small smallholders and very new to it all. Hoping joining this forum will give us the support & advice we need and just maybe we could help others with what we've learnt so far too.
Cheers
Dave & Jacquie Marr
 
 

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Bionic on October 07, 2015, 08:00:37 am

Hello and welcome to the forum.
The flooding must have been awful but it sounds as if you are well on your way back up now

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: DavidandCollette on October 07, 2015, 08:52:44 am

Sounds like you are getting back to it with a vengeance!
Well done and keep going.
I like all the bartering you do.  A much underestimated skill of smallholders

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: devonlady on October 07, 2015, 08:54:59 am

Hello and welcome from Devon.

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Caroline1 on October 07, 2015, 01:56:25 pm

Welcome, I like the idea of swapping produce and providing your own food. We are on that path as well, but don't have as many resources nearby as you do. My aim is to provide 75% of my own food, we are probably at about 40% at the mo  :excited:

I have always wanted a Weimaraner so you will have to post some pics  :innocent:

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 07, 2015, 11:12:36 pm

 :wave: welcome from Shropshire. I have dairy goats.

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Salamanda on October 08, 2015, 04:06:55 pm

Welcome to you from Llanrhidian.

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: devonlad on October 08, 2015, 06:14:32 pm

Hi and welcome. This is the best place I know for advice and support

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 08, 2015, 10:15:43 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum from mid wales. When my parents started farming, back in the late 90's, they farmed sheep, goats and longhorn cattle, since about 14 years ago we have kept Mediterranean water buffaloes. We stumbled over them in a newspaper ad and haven't looked back since. It sounds very exciting for you all. I am sorry to hear about the flood that must have been difficult. All the best for the future and if you have any questions we will all be very happy to answer them as best as we can
 :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: kelly58 on October 14, 2015, 01:54:30 pm

Hi from Caithness  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Rosemary on October 14, 2015, 07:37:24 pm

Hello from Carnoustie  :wave:

Title: Re: Hello All
Post by: Fleecewife on October 15, 2015, 01:03:43 am

Hello from the south of Scotland.  Your story reminds us that you don't have to live in the country to feed yourself very well without spending hours in the Black Hole of Tesco.

If you have wild salmon left over, or too much, salmon fish cakes can be truly delicious  :hungry: