[Saturman]

Hello from Woody in the Scottish Borders!!! (not far off the M74)
  This is our second winter here and are still digging our way through decades of neglect. We have enough room for poultry (only nine hens at the moment),a few pigs and hopefully bees this year, I am even going to get around to putting the glass in Mrs Woody's 10 x 12 grenhouse ( bought it 18 months ago but Ive been busy honest !)  We had a small veg plot last summer which I carved out of the place with a back hoe. It felt a bit like time team, dug up a Land Rover pulley, fan, oil cooler,fuel tank, wiper and front badge, as well as a roll of lino and some mattress springs amongst other things.
 We intend to get a few pigs to breed (I like the look of Oxford and Sandy's) I am looking for a few pointers with registration of the place for that purpose, we have a wee barn and a pig sty built on the end of it. It hasnt been used since the 1940's but just needs the roof put back on it. I am also looking to buy a few bee hives, new ones are expensive but old ones risk disease, now thats a hard choice.  Although we havn't got a lot of space I am sure we will get some grass letting locally. One step at a time seems to be a sensible approach. I can't wait for the better weather so we can get outside again !   

[HappyHippy]

Hello from me in South Lanarkshire (Lesmahagow, just off M74 )
Welcome to TAS 
I can't recommend pigs enough  great rotivators and you get to eat them at the end I wouldn't advise breeding until you've raised some for slaughter a few times and really know your stuff - there is much to learn and no better way to do it than with some 'practice pigs' 
You'll need a CPH number from SEERAD before you can buy your pigs and once they arrive you'll need to contact Animal Health in Galashiels for a herd number.
HTH,
Karen

[Pony-n-trap]

Welcome from Aberdeenshire!

[Saturman]

Wow that was quick! Thanks Happyhippy, you are right, weaners first maybe, get used to the beasties and then see whats what. I'd better stop planning and start doing!   

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi and welcome from Sue in Worcestershire - your place sounds a bit like mine when I started.  The hedges were all about 30ft wide, and in one part of the garden I dug up a wheelbarrow - but I can't complain 'cause I reckon it was my dad that dumped it there

Pigs are fun - I have had quite a few over the years, but mostly only two at a time - weaners, then reared them up for the freezer (and ham and bacon and sausages and faggots etc etc).  Berkshires are nice pigs to keep, and I like the quality of the Middlewhite and the White Welsh meat.

Enjoy  - AND GET THAT GREENHOUSE SORTED - that was for your wifes benefit

All the best
Sue

[Hilarysmum]

Hi welcome.  When we m oved here the ground was infested with a local bramble which is so tough that a species of deer have developed which breeds and lives in the stuff.  It took 3 piglets 9 months to clear about 3 acres.  Be warned though that pigs are very addictive.   

[cluckingnuts]

Hello from a chilly but dry Wales. Glad to see you have plenty to keep you busy.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome from the frozen but sunny Carnoustie  - the land of skating hens!!

Sounds like you've got a great project on your hands! We've also just moved - last May. The house is not finished but there'a  lot to do outside to bring it to the standard we want. Sometimes I get a bit panicky about how much needs to be done but if I go and do SOMETHING, however small, it helps.

We'll look forward to sharing your journey with you.

[morri2]

Hello! Welcome from north Wales.   Sounds like you've got your work cut out up there.  It will all be worth it, especially the greenhouse - polytunnel is a good idea too, or is that too much right now! Perhaps next year??

[dyedinthewool]

Hi and welcome 

Your place sounds just like ours

I often wondered when watching Time Team how the archioligy was nearly always 6' deep now I know...  So far found half a cow (bones no skull) loads of china (theres always some Blue Willow pattern) old green bottles, rusty traps (10 to date) 3 metal buckets, loads of barrel rings,  some sort of cart wheel bearing and what must have been the outside loo - stopped digging that part and about 10 ton of stone/brick rubble.
  We have traced the house back to 1851 so far but it's much older - in those days 'rubbish' was just burried.  Unforunately haven't found anything valuable

At least now when I'm out there digging/hedging/fencing/repairing the sheds, it will be nice to know the rest of you are out there doing it as well...

[faith0504]

hi and welcome from moray 

[Saturman]

Thanks for the kind words, you are right aout the greenhouse !!!

[Daisys Mum]

Hi and welcome from the east side of the borders, can definately recomend the osb's they are lovely friendly docile pigs. There are breeders in

Kelso and Galashiels. 

[Fergie]

Hello Woody & welcome from Lanarkshire, just a little further up the M74.

We've never kept pigs, since a few sheep & chickens are enough to keep us busy.  Any useful Land Rover bits excavated yet?

John

[robert waddell]

hello from central Scotland
keep up the archeology have been on a few  digs (one lasted 8 months)will post a photo of my best find hundreds of piggy (ceramic)jars and bottles