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Author Topic: hello from the shetland isles.  (Read 10183 times)

natasha

  • Joined Dec 2007
  • whalsay,shetland isles
hello from the shetland isles.
« on: December 27, 2007, 05:10:41 pm »
Hi, i have been following this site for about a 10 months now and find it very interesting.I live on a remote island in the shetland isles having moved from bedforeshire in feb 07.I went a bit mad with the nine to five thing down south and one day decided to move my entire family to live in the north sea[lol]My family consists of me ,my husband,ffour children[14,9,4,1yrs],my mother who has lived with us for a while due to ill health and our family dog.They though i had gone crasy when i made an offer on a house and were all shocked when it was acepted and stunned when we moved here in feb.Everyone had settled in well at work and school.I now work in a fish factory,something that i would NEVER have done in the south and love the no stress environment.I still work every day and money is tighter than ever but life is fab.We have 24 ducks which are for eggs.Next years batch will be for the frezzer,three geese and a gander which hopefully will produce eggs for selling[ebay]and to hatch out for eating at xmas etc.We have abot 20 hens which still haven't layed but they are still young and hopefully they will start as the lighter days come!!!We have an area for a few weaners to fatten for the frezzer but we are still waiting for our holding number to come through!!!!Anyway that about it.hope to speak to you all soon.
natasha.

pigsatlesrues

  • Joined Oct 2008
  • Normandy, France
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2007, 08:15:46 pm »
Nice to read your posting and looking forward to hearing about your piggy antics when you get your weaners. It is always nice to hear what other people favour in their breeds of pig and all your processing tips! We just adour our pigglies and hope you will enjoy yours just as much.

Welcome!
« Last Edit: December 30, 2007, 08:18:22 pm by pigsatlesrues »
Bonjour et avoir un bon jour !

jan

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2008, 03:51:40 pm »
Hi and welcome.  Gosh how is your weather at the moment, windy to say the least I suspect.  Anyway lovely to have you on board Janx

stephen

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Kent
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2008, 08:50:29 am »
hey and welcome!  ;D

natasha

  • Joined Dec 2007
  • whalsay,shetland isles
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2008, 03:02:08 pm »
Hi and yes the weather is windy to say the least!!The 'south' boat hasn't been able to get here for three days now ans the inter island ferry stopped running at 11am this morning.Just as well i have a store cupboard of food 'just incase'!!!I'm ok as i work in whalsay but i do feel sorry for the people who go into Lerwick for work as they can't get home tonight and i think tomorrow[sat] will be the same.poor things are stranded but if i have learnt anything about Shetland folk is that they will make a party out of it and have a great time.I almost wish i was with them!!!!
natasha.

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
    • The Accidental Smallholder
    • Facebook
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2008, 11:40:28 am »
Hi Natasha, and welcome.  :)

Sounds idyllic and a great change for you all. I'd love to live by the sea (will make do with by a river for now) but not sure about in the north sea.  :D

Hope you stick around and tell us all about your venture - especially interested to hear about how selling eggs on ebay goes for you.

Dan

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2008, 11:46:57 am »
What type of pigs will you go for?

natasha

  • Joined Dec 2007
  • whalsay,shetland isles
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2008, 05:08:22 pm »
hi again,i'm not too sure about piggie breeds but you don't really get much choice up here unless you want to get them shipped over from the mainland. it probably wouldn't work out cost effective that way.I need a hardy breed though and i think if they have been bred in shetland then they will be use to all this weather. ::)
natasha.

pigsatlesrues

  • Joined Oct 2008
  • Normandy, France
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2008, 06:26:09 pm »
Just out of interest Natasha, do you get wild boar in the Shetlands? It is a meat that I have never been lucky enough to taste yet. I met a guy the other day who knew a man who knew another man - you know how it goes! Anyway he had a huge joint of wild boar of which I was dead jealous. What are you native breeds?

Kate
Bonjour et avoir un bon jour !

natasha

  • Joined Dec 2007
  • whalsay,shetland isles
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2008, 10:00:54 pm »
HI KATE,NO THERE ARE NO WILD BOAR HERE.THERE WAS A SHETLAND PIG WHICH IS NOW LONG EXTINCT.WHAT BREED WOULD YOU RECCOMEND FOR ME?I WANT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE EASY TO LOOK AFTER AS I HAVE NEVER HAD PIGS BEFORE!ALSO TASTE IS VERY IMPORTANT!!LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
THANKS
NATASHA
natasha.

pigsatlesrues

  • Joined Oct 2008
  • Normandy, France
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2008, 01:13:20 pm »
Natasha

From our website you will see we are fans of the Tamworths and Saddlebacks. Some would tell you that the Tammy is difficult to keep, this has never been our experience. It is always difficult to process them at the end because all of ours have been so friendly and so likeable. They are perhaps the most affectionate pigs we have come accross and are very hardy. The Glouchester Old Spot is another popular breed both for temperament and size. We are getting a GOS in Feb from Hilarysmum actually and she would be able to tell you more about that breed, and infact she highly recommends a Tammy/GOS cross for superb meat.

I have posted on here before that for a newcomer to pig keeping it is so important for you to find out as much as possible about the pigs you are interested in and arrange to go and look at different ones so you can compare each breed. If the parents are happy and well kept you can be sure their offspring will be quality as well. It is a bit like choosing a puppy in actual fact, you will know which ones are going to suit you.

There are lots of useful postings on here so have a look through them and see what you think. In the end you will never taste such wonderful pork as that that you have raised yourself and you will have the greatest fun doing it, infact you will find that they are complete time wasters because they are just so lovely to spend time with.

Kate
« Last Edit: January 06, 2008, 07:56:53 pm by pigsatlesrues »
Bonjour et avoir un bon jour !

Pebbles

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Central Scotland
    • Ardunan Farm
    • Facebook
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2008, 04:33:35 pm »
Hi Natasha

Welcome. You are sure to find great advice on this site, it's been a great help to us.

Looking forward to learning from your experience on hens (they're next on our list) we're still finding our feet with our sheep and pigs.

I can totally relate to you giving up the 9-5, I have just started to cut back my hours. I admire your bravery for just turning your back on it to start a new way of life. Congratulations.

Pebbles

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2008, 07:19:50 pm »
Hi, Pebbles

We thought you'd done a bunk!!!

Welcome to the world of part-time work - Dan recently suggested that now that he works from home that I could return to full-time hours - and give up my school holidays? Not likely. Before I went part-time I was worried that I woudl be bored / not be able to find enough to do / miss the office. How many are true? None!


Pebbles

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Central Scotland
    • Ardunan Farm
    • Facebook
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2008, 10:35:57 pm »
Hi Rosemary,

Done a bunk?  ;D

Too blooming busy feeding sheep; worrying they're going to be cold in the snow  ::); dealing with three with conjunctivitus resulting in me now being unable to show my face at a couple of Glasgow pharmacys that think I should be sectioned for asking them advice on sheep; rescuing another that kept getting stuck UNDER the caravan (!!!!) and two pigs that....actually the pigs are adorable  :D ....and don't get me started on the amount of time my 'other work' was demanding of me during the last month....

Hard work this 'enjoying yourself on the land' lark   ;)

Of course we are actually loving it ALL and I am delighted to be cutting back on the exec life for a better work-work balance.

Looking forward to seeing you all again on the 16th.

Pebbles

Tony J

  • Joined Dec 2007
Re: hello from the shetland isles.
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2008, 03:56:06 pm »
Hi Natasha,

Welcome from another newby, Tamworths, if you can get them, are great outdoor pigs, as long as they have a nice warm dry arc, and a bit of mud outside they're happy, and  are easy to look after, friendly, and best of all the meat is truly out of this world. Don't fall into the trap of over feeding them (I expect we all do it at first, stick to 'a pound of feed per day per month of age split into 2 feeds' this is pig pellets, plus any ammount of garden waste, & they're superb at clearing & rough digging land!! 

All the best and happy smallholding
Tony

 

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