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Author Topic: Smallholders associations or societies  (Read 5713 times)

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Smallholders associations or societies
« on: May 16, 2012, 01:00:30 pm »
I have spent quite some time recently searching the web for information and reference material about smallholding before I get started. At one point I was considering the Devon area and came across the Devon Smallholders website (http://www.devonsmallholders.co.uk/) which was very impressive. They also have a good presence on Facebook as well.

There are many others I've found that cover other areas of the UK but now that I am considering Northumberland as a destination I was amazed to find that apparently there is nothing similar which is active in that area.

I did find the Northumbria Smallholders website (http://www.northumbriasmallholders.co.uk/) and sent them a message a few weeks back but I have heard nothing since. The website looks sadly neglected with very few updates recently so have I missed something here or should I think about starting something myself?  ???

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2012, 01:54:34 pm »
Find a few like minded folk and start one yourself - you'll be amazed at how fast word will spread and it will grow.
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

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2012, 02:23:42 pm »
I moved up to Northumberland from Exmoor and was sad to find no equivalent of DASH up here.  Count on support from me (tho' I'm now just over the border in Cumbria) if you do start something up, SPBI.  :wave:
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2012, 04:00:04 pm »
I'll have to give it a while to see whether there is really no life left in the existing "Northumbria Smallholders" group and if I do start something up then it might be more convincing if I actually owned a smallholding myself of course!  ;D

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2012, 04:23:42 pm »
I've just added a dedicated page on my blog with links to websites for all the smallholding societies/groups that I'm currently aware of but if I've missed any then just let me know and I'll add them!

http://notionlogic.co.uk/blog/smallholding-societies/


Sylvia

  • Joined Aug 2009
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2012, 07:34:25 pm »
We've been members of DASH for a few years and at last year's Christmas dinner I did what I've always advised my daughters not to do. Had a  few glasses of wine and found myself saying yes instead of no and I am now South Devon co-ordinator. It's an uphill struggle to get anyone motivated added to the fact that I couldn't organise the proverbial ::)
I've organised a plant swap and sale for tomorrow evening and a grand total of SIX have said they'll  come :(
The monthly events were alaways ill attended so I put a bit in the update and asked folk to 'phone me with suggestions and to let me know what they would be interested in doing. Answer came there none!
I know people are busy but surely they could spare a couple of hours a month to meet up with like-minded folk, share a bit of grub, have a glass of wine etc.
If it goes on like this I shall give up and everyone will say "What a shame"
People!!!!! ::) ::)

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2012, 08:22:43 pm »
We've been members of DASH for a few years and at last year's Christmas dinner I did what I've always advised my daughters not to do. Had a  few glasses of wine and found myself saying yes instead of no and I am now South Devon co-ordinator. It's an uphill struggle to get anyone motivated added to the fact that I couldn't organise the proverbial ::)
I've organised a plant swap and sale for tomorrow evening and a grand total of SIX have said they'll  come :(
The monthly events were alaways ill attended so I put a bit in the update and asked folk to 'phone me with suggestions and to let me know what they would be interested in doing. Answer came there none!
I know people are busy but surely they could spare a couple of hours a month to meet up with like-minded folk, share a bit of grub, have a glass of wine etc.
If it goes on like this I shall give up and everyone will say "What a shame"
People!!!!! ::) ::)
Been doing the same with CSSA this past year.  Some previous committee members even said 'it'll fold'  I was DAMNED if I was going to let that happen so I just kept beating my head against that wall, and finally we have a wee bit more interest - we had a dozen at our plant/seed swap a couple of weeks ago.  With hindsight should maybe have left it another couple of weeks for seedlings to be up a bit further but it was good - the cakes were good too  ;)  We have a website but Carol who's doing it is pretty busy - full time job as well as the animals, so it is a bit out of date at times, but getting better. I set up a Facebook page and that keeps folk informed as well.  I also have an email, address on yahoo and separate contact lists of current and previous members - so they all get bombarded with emails too.  Don't give up - it gets better.  One of the ideas we came up with was a rep from each Smallholders club to meet somewhere to exchange ideas, but to be honest that could be done on line.  We're not in competition so feel free to browse our sites - https://www.facebook.com/centralscotland.smallholders and http://www.smallholders.info/
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

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2012, 01:41:50 am »
I've just added a dedicated page on my blog with links to websites for all the smallholding societies/groups that I'm currently aware of but if I've missed any then just let me know and I'll add them!

Errr.... The Accidental Smallholder?  ;D   (TAS has filled the gap left by DASH for me!)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2012, 07:49:47 am »
Good point, I can see now that I fell into the trap of building up the page based on groups/societies for different counties or regions.

There is a TAS link in the "Blogroll" section already (doesn't everyone link here?  ;D ) but I'll look into adding specific links to this page for TAS and other helpful "non-regional" groups at the top.

Moleskins

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • England
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2012, 08:45:11 am »
It's been suggested you start your own association but you might just find that if you're running a smallholding you won't have time.
That could also be the reason why the one website you found ( Northumberland ? ) was lacking updates etc.
I've noticed the posts on here go down when we're all lambing ........ apart from when we're stuck .........
Time flies like an arrow but fruit flies like a banana.

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2012, 09:11:38 am »
S{BI & Mammy Shaz & Sally, a lot of northerners belong to North Yorkshire Smallholders, its not just county specific there are even members in as far south as Goole and as North as Berwick. so if you google them it may be of interest, theres a quarterley mag and they do have a presenece at most Yorks show, masham sheep fair etc.
HTH
mandy  :pig:

Mammyshaz

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Durham
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2012, 09:23:07 am »
Thanks for that Mandy,  Would they mind that I only have allotments at present? Maybe just be happy for having more members? Am probably off to Otley show this Saturday (as yet another year passes where the distance to Builth wells is too far for a 4 yr old boy. Perhaps next year eh.) will look for them. Am off to google them now  :thumbsup:

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2012, 09:48:37 am »
Thanks for that Mandy,  Would they mind that I only have allotments at present? Maybe just be happy for having more members? Am probably off to Otley show this Saturday (as yet another year passes where the distance to Builth wells is too far for a 4 yr old boy. Perhaps next year eh.) will look for them. Am off to google them now  :thumbsup:
\Nobody should mind that unless they are smallholder snobs!  Neither our Chair nor I (Treasurer) have mroe than an acre, we have birds, fruit, veg bbut nothing bigger than that.  Doesn't make us any less interested or interesting as smallholders, and we don't have snobbery here in Central Scotland - all are welcome ;D
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

Mammyshaz

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Durham
Re: Smallholders associations or societies
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2012, 10:15:46 am »
Well it looks good  :thumbsup: and my questions were answered on the FAQ page  :thumbsup:.
If they are not at otley  I will deffinately contact them.

 

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