[Farmer]

Hi,
I get quite a few people showing an interest in becoming a smallholder, inevitably they ask me for any tips or advice on how to get started - I do my best to give sound advice and guidance, but the other day a chap asked me what I'd found most useful or couldn't do without...this got me thinking and I came up with the following (not in any particular order or importance), but I'd be interested in what other people have found to be a 'must have'...

1. Help & Advice from others with more experience or expert knowledge in any task I take on!

2. Good quality weather proofs and footwear.

3. Access to the internet (Thanks TAS)

4. My trusty old horse box (mode of transport, storage unit, hospital, isolation pen, field shelter, etc, etc;)

5. A good quality stock trailer (mine is a versatile multi purpose unit that is used for a multitude of things)

6. Good neighbours (local farmers have been very helpful and accepting)

7. My quad bike (used every day and far more versatile than my tractor)

8. Bailing twine (Farmers friend)

9. A sharp knife and a good set of hand tools (9 & 9a maybe?)

10. My wife - who has encouraged, indulged, helped and sustained me through the good and the bad times!

Above all - I think all smallholders need a good sense of humour and a large helping of humility - we're all servants of mother nature and she can certainly let you know who's boss don't you think?

Regards
Farmer

[buddy]

Hi I would add chocolate, alcohol and lots of patience accompanied with problem solving skills and good housekeeping and time management .

[ballingall]

I'd add to those,

1. A good, helpful friendly agricultural feed merchant. We great great service from Davidson's in Shotts, but we make a point of using our local feed merchants too.

2. A good vet (no matter how experienced you are, and my mother's a qualified vet, you will always need a vet sometimes).

3. Our van- longer than our trailer, essential for carting all kinds of stuff about, including goats.

I'm sure there's more than that, I'll keep thinking.

Beth

[Farmer]

Hi,
Thought this topic might get some responses, thanks...

I forgot to mention one other really useful 'must have' that I have found an invaluable resource over the years MY EBAY ACCOUNT - I've purchased loads of stuff and have even sold a few items; its the first place I turn to when I need something...at a guess I'd say that 90% of my 'second hand/used' items have been bought through Ebay...highly recommended to every smallholder!

Farmer
P.S. Not the wife in case your wondering!

[Castle Farm]

You didn't list a working Sheepdog.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

Enought land !!!!

[doganjo]

Enought land !!!!

Aha, but farmers NEVER have enough land - they are very acquisitive people!

[Rosemary]

Grey plastic bucket - all my animals, apart from the cat, follow the grey plastic bucket.

[MiriMaran]

An acceptance that you spend all your money buying food to put in one end of the animal only to spend all your time clearing up what comes out of the other end!!

[woollyval]

Grey plastic bucket - all my animals, apart from the cat, follow the grey plastic bucket.

I agree number one item is a bucket!.....well lots of them actually!
number 2 food that rattles in said buckets
number 3 good quality sheep hurdles to pen up said beast that responds to rattly feed
number 4 stock trailer for moving them in

5 good sturdy boots and waterproofs
6 sense of humour

[Rhyan & Melissa]

The ability to function on 4 hours sleep

Sharp knife & box of plasters

Wellies

Tool bag and battery drill

Shotgun & Air Rifle  (we spend more time pest controlling at the minute)

Extra long arms for rounding up chickens

Foam kneeling pads for all the time spent on our knees in the field and at the bank

Alcohol in various forms

Cat to supply muddy footprints all over the clean duvet

String

Computer and internet access

valium...........

[catomell]

I would also add (along with the alcohol - which is essential after a very long day shovelling manure), that you need to have a good healthy set of lungs and a loud voice in order to call up your cattle/sheep/goats/ducks/chickens/pigs etc...
Have found that the voice normally carries better than a rattling bucket - however, once the cows/sheep/pigs etc have noticed that I am calling them, the bucket then comes into it's own, as they can spot it from a mile away!!
Also, invaluable for us as Dexter breeders has been our cattle crush - TB testing would be considerably more difficult without it!!!
And, my dogs always keep me cheerful!

[sellickbhoy]

Enought land !!!!

you beat me too it.