[bluejules]

Hello everyone, by way of an introduction - me and the other half have kept horses and chickens at home for five years but we've just started (last month) leasing a nine-acre smallholding from our neighbour. We've got a small flock of beautiful Balwen sheep and a couple of Saanen goats, plus geese, and we're planning to get some Gloucester Old Spot weaners in the spring! OH has recently done a beekeeping course and a couple of hives may also be on the agenda in June.
I'm working full time as an education consultant but OH is pretty much full time on the smallholding.

It's going really well but I'm finding it hard to get advice from actual smallholders as the other forum I go on is really just about equine stuff and I'm getting a lot of conflicting advice! So I'm hoping that the wonderful folks on here will be able to help us along the way.

[SallyintNorth]

Welcome to the friendliest helpfullesst smallholder forum around! 

Which is not to say we won't sometimes give conflicting advice, too    but hopefully you can usually work out what's what 

[Fowgill Farm]

Welcome from ye auld enemy Yorkshire
GOS weaners in spring Yay
mandy

[Rosemary]

hello and welcome from  Carnoustie 

[bluejules]

Thanks everyone! What a fantastically friendly bunch and it's not even midday yet!

Although judging from the replies to my posting about planning permission I don't think we'll be smallholders for much longer....

[Bert]

Hi from the Isle of Mull

[HelenVF]

Welcome from Lamcashire .

Helen

[jaykay]

Hi from  Cumbria 
And fingers crossed about the smallholding.

[Lesley Silvester]

  Hi and welcome from not so sunny Shropshire.  I keep Sanaans.   

[The Mobile Butcher]

Hi
From Whitby - North Yorkshire 

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi there and welcome    from wet wet wet Worcestershire 

[Mammyshaz]

Hello and welcome from a hailstoning Durham