The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Dav275 on November 28, 2015, 03:35:39 pm
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Been browsing this forum for a while, so thought I should join and say hello. We moved to Dumfries & Galloway a few years ago and have been building a new house out in the countryside. House is now complete and we are considering what to do with the remaining land.
We have about 8 acres, but it’s partly hilly, and the flat bits are very wet/boggy. We have ducks and chickens but are not sure what else. Was toying with the idea of getting some rabbits to keep for meat. Mostly around here it’s sheep/beef farming but we’re not looking to get into ‘proper farming’.
The main attraction is living on our own out in the countryside, and being as self sufficient as possible. We are completely off grid - our power system works well, with PV, wind turbine and solar thermal. A log boiler with thermal store heats our water and we have our own borehole and sewage system. The only external service is the broadband connection.
Not sure we even qualify as ‘proper’ smallholders, but we like the lifestyle, and from what I’ve read on here everyone seems friendly so I hope it’s ok to join in. :wave:
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Hi from a chilly Aberdeenshire
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Hello from South Lanarkshire :wave:
Your boggy bits would be perfect for a wide variety of willow, which help to suck up the wet, cut down the wind, provide you with logs and provide the bees with early nectar. If you think it's a good idea, I have all sorts of willows growing here, and you are welcome to as many cuttings as you want, free - you'd need to collect them though. There are short growing ones, big bushy ones, fast growing, round catkins, black catkins, tiny catkins, long leaves and short leaves, early nectar and later nectar.
Should you decide to keep a few rare breed sheep after all, for your table, then they love willow, especially in the winter when fresh grazing is in short supply.
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:wave: from arbroath
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We have ducks and chickens but are not sure what else.
Yes, we get like that at times too ;-)
Welcome!!
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Hi and welcome
Sounds like your land might not be perfect for pigs and cattle but there are some lovely rare breed sheep that would settle right in :)
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Hi from Caithness :wave:
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:wave:from very flat north Lincolnshire
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Hi from a snowy, windy and slightly frozen NE Scotland - the weather's too grotty even for our Shetland cattle to choose to be outside at the moment, they're all safely tucked up inside their shed...
It is great on this forum - lots of friendly people giving useful advice.
Enjoy.
Sue
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:wave: from a wild, windy Shropshire.
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Hello from me in South Lanarkshire too :wave:
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Thanks everyone, for the warm welcome.
Fleecewife - appreciate the offer. We also thought willow might be good. Have planted 50 willow, 50 poplar and 200 douglas fir over the last 3 years. Only about 10 of the willow survived, so don't know whats wrong.
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:wave:
Helloooo, We have just yesterday found a property in Dumfries area... spoken to owner yesterday evening... visiting on the 14th Dec. Now my husband is quickly thinking about raising pigs, we already have our own flock of poultry of Geese, Ducks and Chickens as well as a pack of dogs..... Can't stop thinking abou the fun we'll have walking in the woods. Haven't even sold our house yet! Nothing like thinking of jumping quickly :fc:
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..and hi from Lauder, other side of the borders. We keep rare breed sheep, pygmy goats and .... well it's all on the list below my name I think....love the sound of all that planting, a great start.