[oaklandspigs]

Hello,

Just thought I ought to introduce myself.

I am Robin from Oaklandspigs, a small farm run by myself and my wife Clare.

I have occasionally visited this site to view, but thought maybe I should come on more regularly and more formally.

Oaklandspigs started as an accident, so maybe accidental smallholder should be a perfect forum.

Clare & I flew a bird of prey, a Harris Hawk on other peoples land, working spaniels to flush for her.  Whilst this worked well, we thought we ought to find some land of our own, and after much searching found a 10 acre smallholding that looked good.  The owners were looking to upsize and find a small farm.  However they were not best bright, and didn’t seem to be making any effort into finding somewhere.  Our offer on their house and land was accepted, and we even got planning permission to extend their house. We had cash buyers for our old house, who were renting & happy to wait, as it was perfect for their children’s school. 

So in desperation we went round the estate agents asking for small farms, hoping to send them details to get them out.  One Thursday Oaklands Farm dropped through the letter box, 60 acres and 20K more than the property we were trying to buy.

A quick viewing with a tame builder friend (who went round muttering £5k, £10k, £15k as he went round) showed that it was a sound property, just needed loads of work, including complete re-plumb and rewire.

One full price offer later, we were the proud owners of a small farm.

We bought 8 sheep and put them in a field.  We looked at each other – “think we need more sheep!” she said.  “And maybe some pigs” I said.

15 years down the line, we have a flock of 60 Poll Dorset, Suffolk and crossbred sheep.  As for pigs, we have 25 breeding sows (mainly saddleback, and GOS), three boars, and various other things such as chickens that no smallholding/farm can be without.

Having done pigs for quite a few years, we found ourselves spending lots of time helping newcomers to the pleasures of pigs, so thought perhaps we should run courses to structure our “words of wisdom”.  A winter of evenings saw “Perfect pigs” our 120 page fully illustrated book on pig keeping, and in 2007 we launched our courses.  We now run these every year from March to September, and they receive lots of great feedback.

So that’s us – Oaklandspigs, the Accidental smallholder/farm

Looking forward to lots of interesting posts

[sandy]

Wow, I admire your guts that made you just go for it!!! Welcome from Clackmannan, central Scotland...P>S would not mind a Bird of Prey!!!

[doganjo]

Well done for having the courage to take an opportunity when it came along.  I think I have missed a few in my time! I'm interested that you ran spaniels with your birds.  Many of my pups have been sold to work with birds and one of this current litter will do so too.  The question I am asked every time is 'do the parents both point'.  I take it you didn't need your dogs to point for the birds to reach height before stoop?

[Hilarysmum]

Hi welcome Oaklands.  Looking forward to hearing more.

[HappyHippy]

Hello from me in Lanarkshire 
Look forward to hearing more from you

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome from North Devon.
 
 

[oaklandspigs]

I'm interested that you ran spaniels with your birds.  Many of my pups have been sold to work with birds and one of this current litter will do so too.  The question I am asked every time is 'do the parents both point'.  I take it you didn't need your dogs to point for the birds to reach height before stoop?

Dogs are used in different ways.

For falcons, typically pointers are used.  These range across moors, finding birds which they then “point” – ie go into a stationary position, this “holds” the bird with one being inches from the other.  A falconer then launches a falcon, who will climb to height.  At the right time the falconer will call for the dog to flush the bird, and the falcon will stoop and hopefully take the prey.  Falcons are longwings who work in open country.

We flew a Harris hawk, that is a shortwing.  These are designed to work in denser cover (in their native South America they work desert between cactus).  In the UK we use them as a woodland bird.  We hunt spaniels through a wood, who will spring typically rabbits (and in Scotland hares are the principal prey).  The bird follows us from tree to tree as we (man and dog) work through the wood, and when prey is sprung, they fly and nail it on the ground.  We go in and swap large bunny for small reward, we get bunny stew, and dogs and birds get to do what they are bred for.

[doganjo]

Thanks for that.  I know how my HPRs are used, but I didn't know how the spaniels contributed.  Many thanks - it's Brittanys I have incidentally.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome!

[daniellestocks]

Hello from north yorkshire, sounds great!

[BadgerFace]

Hello & Welcome Oaklandspigs, from another Sussex smallholder