Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: long time lurker, first time posting  (Read 7168 times)

Antz

  • Joined May 2011
long time lurker, first time posting
« on: May 19, 2011, 08:23:24 pm »
Hi all.
I have used this great site as a source of information for a while and thought it was time to return the favour, sign up and try and give some of my (limited) knowledge to others.
A bit about us, my partner has always kept horses (currently has 4 stabled down the road) my only previous animal experience was the family dogs while I was growing up.
Three years ago we bought a pub on the outskirts of a town, houses one side and unspoilt farmland and fields (for now) on the other. With the pub came 3 overgrown former paddocks and an area of woodland.
We started with a couple of pygmy goats to deal with the sprawling mass of brambles etc and somehow we now have three pygmy goats, a cashmere X pygmy, four Alpacas, a shetland pony, a suffolk X sheep and two shetland ewes.
Originally the lambs were used for the restaurant but the current ones are purely pets. I also grow a few herbs for the kitchen and hope to add a few simple veggies soon.
Keep up the good work.
Many thanks
Antz.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2011, 08:30:03 pm »
Hi Antz, welcome to the forum.  A long time ago my late partner and I almost bought a hotel on Skye.  We didn't think we could do the catering oursleves so asked his brother to come in with us - he was all for it but his girlfriend at the time put the kaibosh on it - 'I'm not moving to that cold wet godforsaken place' said she. I often wonder where we would be now if he had ditched her then instead of 4 years later. ;D ;D Ah well. life goes on - what part of the country are you in, or are you outside the UK?
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2011, 08:30:56 pm »
Hi and welcome from Carnoustie  :wave:

CameronS

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • North East Fife
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2011, 08:35:58 pm »
hel on welcome from fife  :wave:

Antz

  • Joined May 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2011, 12:49:46 am »
Thanks for the welcome.
I'm originally from North Yorkshire but now living in Gloucestershire.

Coley

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2011, 08:34:28 am »

And hello from Northumberland, it is a good little forum isnt it? where did you get the Alpacas from? my wife absolutely adores them and I have been thinking of trying to get a breeding pair.

Coley

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2011, 08:36:25 am »
Hi Antz, welcome to the forum.  A long time ago my late partner and I almost bought a hotel on Skye.  We didn't think we could do the catering oursleves so asked his brother to come in with us - he was all for it but his girlfriend at the time put the kaibosh on it - 'I'm not moving to that cold wet godforsaken place' said she. I often wonder where we would be now if he had ditched her then instead of 4 years later. ;D ;D Ah well. life goes on - what part of the country are you in, or are you outside the UK?
Skye is a lovely place, my favourite part of Scotland, do you know the Edinbane hotel, used to be famous for lock ins and music

lill

  • Joined May 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2011, 08:41:05 am »
Hi Antz and welcome from wet central scotland :wave:

Cinderhills

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • North Yorkshire
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2011, 08:47:19 am »
Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire.  :wave:

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2011, 09:02:50 am »
Welcome from a sunny and dry (too dry) Brittany.  Have you thought of pigs?

Antz

  • Joined May 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2011, 04:56:56 pm »
Hi Cole,
We bought the Alpacas from a breeder outside of bristol, they are all wethers so were cheap, about 2-300 each I think. I think rather than a breeding pair you might be better with just females and take them to stud as and when. Entire males need to be kept separately.

Coley

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2011, 05:52:02 pm »

Studs for Alpacas may be hard to find around here :)

Antz

  • Joined May 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2011, 06:33:55 pm »

Hatty

  • Joined Feb 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #13 on: May 20, 2011, 06:45:09 pm »
Hi and welcome from South Yorks  :wave:
How long did you say it would take me to dig this 5 acres with my spade?

Coley

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: long time lurker, first time posting
« Reply #14 on: May 20, 2011, 06:50:01 pm »

Err, didnt realise that Alpacas are the rolls royces of the cloven hoofed brigade ;D I think Im will ask SWMBOd if she fancies a rabbit :)

 

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