[DalesFarmer]

Hi there. Just a note to introduce myself as I’m new to smallholding. Moved into our smallholding in North Yorkshire in May. It’s sos beautiful up year but oh boy it needs lots of work, but starting with around 25 hens (Due to collect 2nd week October as 18-20 week old birds) and sheep next year as we’ve let a couple of fields out to other farmers in the interim.

[Possum]

Hello and welcome to TAS


You are certainly in a beautiful part of the world. Do you have any previous experience of keeping animals or are you starting completely from scratch?

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from  Carnoustie  . We're in our twentieth year - the To Do list hasn't got appreciabley shorter 

[YorkshireLass]

Ey up!
   currently waving from Wales but a Yorkshire native.
What are your big long term aspirations?

[DalesFarmer]

Hi to all who responded to my email. Long term aspirations include purchasing some Ryeland sheep next year but first we need planning permission to erect a barn unless we go for a more temporary method as planning aren’t keen that we have one. We’ll see on that score... I want to build (I mean I want my lovely husband to build a compost area and some raised beds for all my veg and additional herbs for my hens. My to do list just gets longer and longer. Today I was out in the pouring rain and feeling just very happy - wearing waterproofs covered in mud but got a lot of digging done. I don’t have any experience at all keeping hens/sheep etc, however my husband comes from a farming family so that’s a bit of a help. Otherwise, yes, all from scratch. Thanks so much for all your welcome messages.

[YorkshireLass]

Not sure you'd need a barn for Ryelands - though for shelter, for e.g. lambing I know many people use big polytunnels...


I know those feelings - both the to-do list and the happy mud-wading!

[Backinwellies]

 I second YL  ..... barn not needed for sheep .....  they are happy ourside all  year with some shelter .... lamb late and they are fine outdoors. .... or use a polytunnel designed for sheep.

If you are enjoying getting very wet and muddy you are in the right place .... enjoy..

[Womble]

You will need somewhere to store hay though (not that it needs to be anything complicated).

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

  and welcome from  Shropshire. Sounds like you're just the right sort of people.