[True2010]

If you're reading, thanks for the time. I'm 30yrs old and I've recently decided that I should look into the process of being associated with smallholders and the production of all that may include. First I'm from the US and currently attending college in Hawaii. My intended goal is to have a career in organic self-sustaining agriculture, hopefully in the area of small holding. I'm a firm believer that the practice of small holding is what will allow future generations to survive in the world that is being created as it is in it's current state. I have some background in the way of grandparents gardening and bits I've been exposed to in my father managing his land. I've owned and reared chickens as a child and did a bit of my own planting as a young adult. For the most apart, though not of my choice, I'm a city boy with roots in the country and as I'm getting older I feel the desire to get back to it and embrace the lifestyle more than I had in the past.
Other than a quick introduction I had a question as well. I have hopes to transfer to the UK in a study abroad capacity and I know of at least one university in scotland that focuses on organic self sustainablity and wanted to know if any one knew of any leads in that regard? There is a program at my current campus for organics but it's under their tropical agriculture department and that will do me little good other than an introductary exposure. I would wish more than anything to attend and learn at some facility inthe UK that will allow me to work and live there. Any suggestions are most welcome. Thanks for your time.

[FiB]

Hi True and welcome!  I thought I had somewhere to reccommend ( www.CAT.co.uk )but found that they mainly focus on the engineering side of sustainability (renewables, built environment etc) for their long courses.  The sort of ones we smallholders might find more useful are run as short courses.  It's a great organisation anyway!  Other than that I can only think of Permaculture courses - and they also tend to not be university run (and are expensive!).  As you will gather when you delve into this site - many of us are learning as we go along with the excellent advice of more experienced others here!  And also with inspiration form various books and magazines and organisations.  For example I enjoy the ethos and take inspiration from the Transition Towns movement (you have this in the US also if you havnt allready come accross it - www.transitionus.org .   It can be an expensive thing to own your own smallholding in the UK (I suspect that many on this site have had to wait untill their 40s or 50s (or later) like me untill they could afford to do it - but there are some inspiring collectives and models of leasing/ co-operative ownership too - they may be  a great option in terms of learning - check out http://www.lammas.org.uk/ecovillage/courses.htm.  Good luck in your quest, enjoy!  Fiona

[jaykay]

Hi  Check out the Askham Bryan prospectus, you might find something suitable there

[MAK]

This is the site that you need:

http://www.wwoof.fr/Preview/wregion.php?w_region=23

My daughter graduates this year and will spend 6 months with me in France helping with the harvest and gathering autumn stuff. She then plans to work with others on wwoof.
I may offer to be a host to visitors as it is good for them and me to spread the word and get some help. I provide free food and a bed and they live with us and muck in.

have a look at the above site as they have hosts in many countries.

Cheers Martin

[chrismahon]

Hello and welcome True2010. I agree that smallholdings are very expensive in the UK. Problem is all the traditional little holdings have been bought and the houses extended by city folk looking for their 'place in the country'. So the price then becomes too high, both to buy initially and then run with massive fuel bills and Council Tax. We have only got half an acre here.

We are moving down the road a way from MAK in France in September. Still modest property with sufficient land at sensible prices available if you are prepared to put the hard work in. More so now as the Brits are leaving in droves, 3 out to 1 in says our removal man.

[Lesley Silvester]

   Hi and welcome from a back garden smallholder.  You could try gardenorganic.org.uk.  The do arrange training at their headquarters just outside Coventry.

[TheBurkers]

I'm very  new here and we've just bought a smallholding. You might want to contact CAT (ULR above) as they might be able to point you in the right direction. There are certainly quite e lot of short courses on lots of different areas in this area that you almost have to live in the locality to know about - we have a place here, I think it's called "Coppice College" but I'm not sure, tha focuses on woodland management, for example. Aberythwyth Uni has some agricultural courses, I think you can choose options that are geared towards the more environmentla type areas.

[Lesley Silvester]

I'm very  new here and we've just bought a smallholding. You might want to contact CAT (ULR above) as they might be able to point you in the right direction. There are certainly quite e lot of short courses on lots of different areas in this area that you almost have to live in the locality to know about - we have a place here, I think it's called "Coppice College" but I'm not sure, tha focuses on woodland management, for example. Aberythwyth Uni has some agricultural courses, I think you can choose options that are geared towards the more environmentla type areas.

There you go.  Only been on here five minutes and you're already giving advice and that's what this site is all about - helping each other - so you will fit in.  Also useful if you want a bit of a rant.

[TheBurkers]

Hehe, MGM. I can't help myself!

[Spinpup]

Hi

I know of two agricultural colleges near to me, both really loved by their students. Don't know if they take overseas students (you need a special licence) but worth looking at.

http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/
http://www.reaseheath.ac.uk/wordpress/?page_id=653

Good luck!

Michelle

[Ina]

Hi

Can't think of any university in Scotland that does anything in this way, but the Scottish Agricultural College offers a postgrad course (optional MSc) in organic farming, as distant learning course.

http://www.sac.ac.uk/learning/courses/postgraduatetaught/mscorgfarm

The MSc would then be accredited by Aberdeen University - maybe that's where you got the idea of a university course from? (At least that's how it was when I did the course, but back then it was in its infancy, and still full time. Aberdeen uni have gone out of farming altogether, so maybe they've changed the system of accreditation, too.)