[LittleLouandMissyMoo]

Hello Rosemary and all you lovely people!

Thank you for accepting me as a member!

I love your website but feel a bit of a fraud as I don't have a smallholding! I just live voraciously through you all!

When I was little (a long time ago!) I grew up in the country and my aspiration was to become a farmer's wife! Alas, I moved away from the country (and didn't marry a farmer ) but my heart has always remained there! Still I am now fortunate enough to have beautiful countryside and farmland from the bottom of my garden and all around me as far as the eye can see!

I am lucky to have a biggish garden and grow fruit, some veg, herbs and everything in the garden is planted for wildlife as I don't use chemicals (costly and time-consuming), so I rely on biodiversity to keep it all going! Hopefully I can pick up tips from here to inspire more GYO!

I have a huge interest in animals, nature, gardening and in sustainable produce. A few years ago I studied animal science and management just for the love of it!

Being a ethical butcher's daughter, I have huge admiration for all of the smallholders and farmers out there that battle through all that the weather throws at them, deal with so much agro and criticism and struggle day-in, day-out to help feed our nation and look after our countryside!

So if you permit me to gain knowledge from you all, I will continue to spread the word about all the good work you do and encourage people as to exactly why they should be supporting British producers!

Thank you!

Fran

[Perris]

hello Fran  and welcome to TAS

[Penninehillbilly]

Hi Fran, welcome to TAS, I like the sound of your garden, I try and grow some of our own food as well, and always think of wildlife when thinking of planting, which reminds me, must top the feeder up, horrible weather for the poor things today.

[Fleecewife]

Hello and welcome     You don't have to keep animals to be a smallholder    so you are not a fraud 
We keep some rare breed sheep, laying hens and geese here in the south of Scotland, and grow a whole load of veg, fruit and herbs for us.  We used to sell some, but now feeding ourselves takes all our energy. Our gardens and our land are all run for wildlife as yours is - single flowers, wildflowers where possible, fruiting trees, no chemicals, flowers from as early in the year to as late as possible, we have planted hedgerows and trees including all sorts of willow for the different timings of the pussies/catkins for the emerging queen bumble bees, and leave some of our pastures with longer grass for the wild birds, especially yellow hammers.  We also of course feed the garden birds and enjoy watching them.  We have 26 nest boxes, and 6 more to put up this year - most are used!
Welcome to the club 

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome