[amcgwn]

Hi everybody,

I've just discovered TAS and spent the past few days reading the entire diary!

I'm 22 and I've just moved home from University. We have 14 acres currently rented to a neighbour and I would love to eventually take charge of it all myself. I've just planted my first vegetable garden and I'm already reading about all of the mistakes that I've made. We'll see how it goes for now but next year will probably be my first educated attempt at it!

I'm planning to take it slowly and see how I deal with the work and in particular the lovely Irish weather, so next year I'll be looking for some laying chickens, followed by a couple of pigs and who knows where I'll go from there!

I just love the idea of rearing my own meat and growing my own veg, and I have always hoped that when I have children I'll raise them in this kind of environment.

No doubt I'll be keeping you all informed, and I'd love to hear some tips on any aspect of smallholding!

Andrea

[sabrina]

Hi and welcome from the North East of Scotland. Smallholding is very hard work but growing your own food and rearing your own meat make it all worth while. They are a great bunch on here and always eager to help. 

[Sylvia]

Hello, from Devon Good luck with your venture.

[Bert]

Hi from the Isle of Mull Let us know how your veggie's do

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

[Mammyshaz]

Hello from Durham 
There's  lots of chat at present about veg growing.
What have you planted to date?
We've just finished preparing the veg beds to plant up. All windowsills are full of seed trays and pots as I still don't have a greenhouse! 

[chrismahon]

Hi Amcgwn and welcome from Staffordshire. Very hard work but very rewarding producing your own food.

We used to holiday in Co. Clare, a place called Feakle. Lovely people and I miss them. But they are all doing well -still forcing the Guiness down in Pepper's Bar. They have a big music festival in August I think. Have you ever been there?

[Lesley Silvester]

   Hi and welcome from wet/sunny/wet/sunny/wet Shropshire.

[amcgwn]

Hi everybody!

Mammyshaz, I've planted Lettuce, Rhubarb, Garlic, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Leek, Onion, Parsnip, Broccoli, Aubergine, Courgette, Rocket, Tomato, Peppers, Radichio, Potatoes, Raspberry, Strawberry and Oregano! Looooong list but I'm betting at least half of it wont do well and if it all grows, I have plenty of family members eyeing it up! Also, I've planted the veg in raised beds, the berries and salad stuff in pots on the patio and the Oregano in a seed tray on the windowsill. Hopefully I'll learn a lot from this year and build on it in coming years. I haven't quite gotten past going out to look at everything every day and wondering if it's all growing.

Hi Chrismahon, I've never been to (or heard of!) Feakle, I'm from Donegal and I lived in Wales for the last few years so I'm a bit out of touch with happenings here at the moment! I'll have to do a bit of investigating now though...

I'm spending today figuring out how to convert our old garden shed into a henhouse, any tips are greatly appreciated! Planning to start out with 4-6 chickens and see how it goes.

A x

[Lesley Silvester]

Hi everybody!

I haven't quite gotten past going out to look at everything every day and wondering if it's all growing.

I still check on everything  every day after many, many years of growing my own veg.  And I talk to them and tell them how well they are doing.  Perfectly normal behaviour in my book.

[Mel]

Hi and welcome from dark,cloudy and wet Northants,we wish you good luck   

[FrostyM]

Hi Andrea,

I am only a newbie myself so don't know if welcome is the right word. I just said I would say hello from Wicklow. Nice to see some young Irish people on here like myself. I too am just starting off, I have had a small takeover of the garden at home with raised beds, chickens and pigs arriving in about 6 weeks. I am not much use for advice but I wish you well 

Slán,
Frosty

[amcgwn]

Excellent! If it's normal for a Mad Goatwoman of Madeley, then it's normal for me!

Frosty, great to hear from you, I'm completely jealous of the chickens and pigs, but hopefully I'll be following in your footsteps in the near future, at least with chickens for now! Keep me updated with how you're getting on, who knows, in a few years we could be sharing smallholding tips!

Slan go foill,
Andrea

[lill]

Hi and a warm welcome from central scotland, very sunny this morning but frosty 

[tizaala]

[/quote]
I still check on everything  every day after many, many years of growing my own veg.  And I talk to them and tell them how well they are doing.  Perfectly normal behaviour in my book.
[/quote]

How can it be 2 normal ?  Prince Charles does it ! you'll be marrying a horse next......stop when the veg start talking back.
 
Welcome from a cold and frosty Powys , We won't be able to tell you how to grow the ' holy spud '.