[Leri]

Hi. I'm from North Wales. Wish i'd found this forum earlier! But am sure will have lots of questions in future anyway!
I am not at all from a farming background, except my dad passed his driving test on a tractor, and his cousins have a farm we visited as kids but otherwise I lived in a coastal town all my life.
I was married for 10 years and had two kids. We split up in 2008 and I met a wonderful guy on the internet. He lived 30 miles away on a small farm 
We, the kids and I moved in in July 2009! At that time they kept Texel and badger faced sheep and a couple of horses.
I have always loved  - although had never been near anything other than a piggy bank!
In October 2009 we got our first two sow weaners - large black x gos. I have never been so happy  They have proved such a massive pleasure to keep  We now also own a pedigree GOS boar (available for hire) and a pedigree saddleback sow. The original sows have had a litter each, as has the saddleback. The pork was amazing - there is no going back!
Also in October 2009 - we went up to the Highland Cattle society sale in Oban and came home with two heifers - one yearling and one in calf three year old. We now have four heifers  Our first calf - Myfi was weaned from her mother beginning of this year so we went back up to Oban in the October previously to buy a calf of a similar age to keep her company. We have decided to get married in May this year and are planning on buying ourselves a white two year old we have our eye on for a while for our wedding present to ourselves  . going up to Scotland for her will be our honeymoon and the nwe go to the norfolk Broads with the children after we get back with her.

Ger's parents also live on the farm, so there are plenty of hands on deck now. Heather , Ger's mum has also started keeping chickens since we moved heree. She has 12 bluebells and 2 black rocks - they are lovely hens and the eggs are fantastic! :-)

For Christmas tlast year Ger bought me a ewe lamb and a ewe Ryeland :-) They are soooo cute!! Can't wait to breed from them :-) x

[doganjo]

Wow, what a romantic story - thank you for sharing it, and welcome very much to the forum.  I personally look froward to seeing photographs of you and Ger and the children, and your animals.
Hi from Central Scotland, too old to start again but up North when hubby was alive we had sheep and cattle, as well as the ducks and chickens I still have since moving down here.

[Leri]

Hiya. Thank you for the welcome :-)
I will gladly add pics. how do you do it? Put a link in a post?
I'm always snapping away at the animals and then keep them on my phone and show the patients at the hospital where I work. I suppose the novelty hasn't (and won't) worn off for me so I am very enthusiastic about sharing stories and photos - and the patients always love it - especially a video of new piglets etc 
Leri xx

[faith0504]

hi and welcome from moray 

[Sandy]

Hello from Clackmannan,  only chickens, a pair of ducks and 4 Labradors +7 pups!!!! we run a B&B too so no more animals for now but, sounds like there is no stopping you. My mum was born in N Wales so I have lots of relations there, although my grandads side of the family were from Scotland. Welcome..

[Cinderhills]

Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire.    I have Ryelands too and love them.  Would love piggies but not enough room at the moment.

[Leri]

My daughter is desperate for a choccy lab Sandy!!
We have six dogs here already (I didn't mention them! - or the three cats!) x
cinderhills I may pick your brains soon then :-)
We would love to show Mille & Nadir. Bit gutted that she was sold as being in lamb (hopefully - not scanned so not guaranteed) - but she scanned empty - so we thought maybe she was late - but the na teaser got in with her and she was standign for him :-( She hasn't reared a lamb yet as last years was stillborn. She was born 2008 :-(
Nadir is a gorgeous chunky lamb - a lovely chocolate brown colour. (Should've said they were coloured ryelands) x

[Cinderhills]

I would love coloured ones.   Sorry to hear she wasn't in lamb when you bought her.  If she doesn't have a successful birth next time you would probably have to replace her.

We only have 3 ewes and a ram.  The meat is incredibly tasty and we found by not castrating the ram lamb he grew that much bigger than the one we did castrate the year before.

[Hilarysmum]

Hi welcome from a pig fanatic on the other side of the channel.   Your story was so romantic, its inspiring especially today up to knees in mud.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome from SUNNY Carnoustie 

Your story brought a tear to my eye - sometimes it takes a while to meet the right person for you, but it sure is worth it. Your kids must love their new lives?

We have coloured Ryelands - 3 ewes and 3 gimmers due to lamb March / April, 3 ewe lambs, a wether (to keep our tup company), and Leo, our tup. They ALL have names. There are some photos on www.rosedeanryelands.co.uk. We've got 37 laying hens (well, allegedly  laying) and a cockerel called Hector and twelve Hubbard chicks. We will get some weaner pigs this year IF we get the fencing sorted out.

Last October, we bought two Shetland heifers - Breeze and Blizzard - more info on the main TAS site. They shoudl calve next Spring and we plan to milk them by hand. Finally, we have a Highland pony (Smokey), a Shetland pony (Wee Buggar or Bugsy, depending on his behaviour), two dogs and three cats.

Dan's parents live beside us too - building a cottage out of an old outbuilding here. They have two dogs too.

Look forward to sharing your adventures!

[Tommyboy]

Hi and welcome from another newbie 

[kaz]

Hi and welcome from me in Mid Wales. We also breed Ryelands both white & coloured, but only put 13 ewes last year to 3 different tups, so not expecting 100's of lambs. We are due to start lambing early March onwards. Have 5 dogs, 3 collies and 2 golden retriever pups who spend more time being black than pale golden.
Have a great time on this forum. There is always someone to help if needed or just to listen.

[ballingall]

Hello and welcome from central Scotland.

What a nice story, and I do find it interesting you come to Oban to get your Highland Cattle. I hope you get your white heifer.


Beth

[Blinkers]

Hello and welcome from South West Wales     We're also Ryeland keepers.....and pigs....etc 

[Leri]

Thank you everyone for your welcome :-)
I love it that you find our story romantic - because I really just told you very quickly! It really has been amazing - have so totally found 'the one' for me and I LOVE my new life - the kids do too and they have the best of both worlds as they see their dad regularly and so still get town life.
Am supposed to be in bed so just a very quick reply. But am quite sure I will be picking brains very shortly - on the ryelands and the pigs.
Any others with highlands on here?
Beth - our ground is high and rough - we wanted to be sure our highlanders were proper highlanders - tough and hardy and able to stand the snow and rough ground/hills here. (Not some softies bred & born in lowland Wales or flat Cheshire! - no offence to any of those breeders!)
I will post photos up soon and am excited to have found this site - it seems like a great friendly community where I can ask all the mad questions that often occur to me!