[laura_nash]

Hi

I've posted on here a few times and had some great advice so thought I'd better introduce myself.  I'm very much an accidental smallholder. About 6 years ago we moved to Ireland so we could afford a rural project property.  The requirements were that it was stone, detached, rural but not totally middle of nowhere, in budget and had enough space for my horse (I was thinking about 2 acres).  The one we found was a small farm with 8 acres.  It was certainly a project and is still not "finished", I keep an occasional blog to record progress at https://towercottage.weebly.com/

We've somehow ended up with quite a few additional animals (the cats in particular were not remotely planned) and having finally accepted that 8 acres and good doer horse equals fat horse have now got a few Dexter cows, mostly to eat the grass, so I think I count as a smallholder now and it was definitely accidental.

Laura

[SallyintNorth]

Great story .  Pics, especially of the no-longer-fat horse, always welcome

[Rosemary]

  and welcome from  Carnoustie.

[laura_nash]

Pics, especially of the no-longer-fat horse, always welcome

Ok, took my phone out with me when I checked the fences this evening.

Here is the not-quite-so-fat horse, with his "mini-me" companion in the foreground.  Also, one of some of the cows (and the lovely weather we are having today).

[SallyintNorth]

Oh my word, that grass!  My Fells would be laminitic in 24 hours on that.  I can see why you needed cows! 

[naturelovingfarmer]

Hi

I've posted on here a few times and had some great advice so thought I'd better introduce myself.  I'm very much an accidental smallholder. About 6 years ago we moved to Ireland so we could afford a rural project property.  The requirements were that it was stone, detached, rural but not totally middle of nowhere, in budget and had enough space for my horse (I was thinking about 2 acres).  The one we found was a small farm with 8 acres.  It was certainly a project and is still not "finished", I keep an occasional blog to record progress at https://towercottage.weebly.com/

We've somehow ended up with quite a few additional animals (the cats in particular were not remotely planned) and having finally accepted that 8 acres and good doer horse equals fat horse have now got a few Dexter cows, mostly to eat the grass, so I think I count as a smallholder now and it was definitely accidental.

Laura

Huh... Stone cottage in the country, unplanned cats... Do you park cars or brooms out front? lol 

[Lesley Silvester]

Hi and welcome from Shropshire. What part of Ireland are you in? I've always wanted to visit south Ireland. I have a cousin in Galway so that's a good excuse to go.