Author Topic: North east events  (Read 5713 times)

Simpsyla

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Sunderland
North east events
« on: January 08, 2014, 10:33:52 am »
Hi,

Just posted on the Introductions board but thought it was worth asking on here too.  My wife and I live in Sunderland and are interested in having a small holding one day.  However, we have very little experience and therefore I was wondering if there was anywhere in the north east that ran courses or such like which may help us?  We'd also be really interested in visiting a small holding if the opportunity arose...  Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris. 

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: North east events
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2014, 12:06:14 pm »
Hiya Makim ;D
Sort of smoggy south of you (15miles sth of M'bro)......try googling Yearle Tamworths.....they do courses and also try North Yorkshire Smallholders.... a lady called Rachel Benson runs courses too under the Old Sledingford name also check out some of the shows during the summer for NYSS stands.
We usually give a list of shows we'll be at with our pigs in the events section of this forum, just waiting for a few dates to firm up before we decide on our final list.
all the best
Mandy :pig:

Simpsyla

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Sunderland
Re: North east events
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2014, 10:25:08 pm »
Thanks Mandy - that's much appreciated - had a quick scroll through the websites you suggested and all look very interesting!  We are going to visit Bill Quay farm in Gateshead tomorrow - looking forward to that too  :)

Shall keep an eye out for your posting of events you're attending too!
« Last Edit: January 10, 2014, 11:06:47 pm by Simpsyla »

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: North east events
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2014, 11:12:36 am »
I'm involved in establishing a North Pennines smallholders group and accompanying website which may help you get in touch with helpful people. I would suggest that you also post on the forum on that website to see what kind of response you get...


Personally I am also new at this smallholding lark having only moved from suburban domestic bliss in Whitley Bay to 15 acres in the North Pennines last year - take a look at my Small Plot Big Ideas blog to find out more about what we've managed to do so far.


I can highly recommend the day course on pig keeping with Sarah at Yearle Tamworths as I did that myself a couple of years ago plus we also got our first Tamworth weaners from there too!


Despite my limited experience so far, I would be quite happy to help in any way if at all possible as I know how hard it can be to get any smallholding training in this part of the country.


good luck!

Simpsyla

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Sunderland
Re: North east events
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2014, 09:07:58 pm »
Thanks Richard, have taken a look at the blog already and will look at the website soon.  We would love to come and see what you are doing at some point if possible please?

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: North east events
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2014, 11:14:42 am »
There's not really much happening on the growing or livestock side at the moment but expecting to get another couple of weaners again in March I think. I'll drop you a line once there is something worth seeing!  ;D

Simpsyla

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Sunderland
Re: North east events
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2014, 05:31:51 pm »
That's great - thanks in advance :-). Will keep myself up to date with the websites until then!

Foster Innes

  • Joined May 2013
Re: North east events
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2014, 08:06:30 pm »
Hi Chris,

We live in Northumberland and are also making steps to follow the smallholding life.

I can also recommend Yearle Tamworths, we done a course there last year and Sarah is great. We had our first Tamworth weaners from her and the experience was brilliant - they taste good too!

How was your visit to Bill Quay? I heard last year that funding was running out and it may close which would be a shame. I got the bug for the Tamworths when I was there doing a bee keeping course a couple of years ago. Sadly I just heard the other day that one of their hives has died this winter. I'm hoping mine survive ok.

As for a smallholding course we travelled up to The Accidental Smallholder to do a days course and Rosemary & Dan are brilliant! I would highly recommend it and I'm hopeful we will go up again some day.

Foster


Simpsyla

  • Joined Jan 2014
  • Sunderland
Re: North east events
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2014, 08:03:26 pm »
Hi Foster,

Thanks for the information, whereabouts are you based?

Bill Quay was ok thanks - got some lovely sausages.  However, given the time of year there wasn't much there or going on...  They had a sign up saying the rumours about them closing were just gossip :-). Didn't see or read about the bees to be honest.

Will definitely be looking into the courses.

Thanks again,

Chris.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2014, 08:35:32 pm by Simpsyla »

 

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