[Orinoco]

Hi

We have just bought a small holding in the East Riding of Yorkshire after moving back this way from West Sussex, It  feels like there is sooo much to do.  We already have planning for 5 holiday lets as well as 4 acres of unloved paddocks and a very large natural pond (which seems to have no fish left in it???).

We bought from the estate of a gentleman who is no longer with us, which means when we bought we didn't know what we had, or what worked and the weeds covered everything.  Working our way through the weeds was a voyage of discovery, cement mixers, compressors, power washers all potentially in working order with a little know how and various bits of building materials.  The holiday lets had been started but not in line with the planning so we are having to go backwards to go forwards.

We would like the plot to pay for itself eventually so are looking at animals with income potential even if its just providing for our needs, a decent size veg/fruit garden, poss a farm shop..... loads of ideas but so far we have just cut down the weeds, found a couple of lawned area's, started work on the holiday lets and bought 2 cats from the RSPCA.

In fact we have very little know-how as have never having kept livestock before, or had much more than a small greenhouse, but fully believe we will get there in the end, lots of reading and talking over the winter months and take it step by step.

All advice welcome or just a chat.

[oaklandspigs]

Hi and welcome, you'll find lots of helpful people on here.  looks like you'll be busy !

[Rosemary]

Good on you bringing an unloved smallholding back to life 

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

Take video and photos as you go along so that you can see your progress and don't forget to enjoy the present and your progess - easy to always be looking at what needs to be done next.I speak from experience 

[Dans]

Hello 

That all sounds wonderful! There's lots of friendly people with great advice on here. Unfortunately I'm still an aspiring smallholder so not much to share.

I highly agree with Rosemary re taking video and pictures. Our house is just a terrace that we bought in poor condition, and 2 years on there is still masses to do and it gets depressing, but looking back at photos of how it was reminds you what you achieved. All be worth it in the end!

Good luck!

Dans

[Lesley Silvester]

Hi and welcome from foggy Shropshire.      What an adventure you have ahead of you.  Keep us posted.

[deepinthewoods]

hello from darkest cornwall

[luckylady]

Hi Orinoco 
We are in East Yorkshire too having moved 'back home' from the south 3 years ago.  We bought a disused dairy farm and have renovated the farmhouse and now waiting for planning permission for barn conversions.  Have had great fun this year with our new polytunnel growing and we got our first orphan lambs too.  Folk on here are so friendly and knowledgeable and ready to share it that you need never be short of an answer to any query you may have.
Enjoy your adventure of discovery. 

[Orinoco]

Thanks all for the replies.

I am soo pleased to find this site, we have been back in Yorkshire for about 4 months now and our biggest  problem so far has been Openreach and as we both needed to work remotely over the internet taking 3 months to fit a telephone line was a little stressful.

Even though we have moved back we dont really know anyone enough to bombard them with questions, and we have a lot, so we would like to thank you all in advance 

Hi Deepinthewoods, would be interested to know which bit of East Yorkshire you are in.

Ta all

K

[luckylady]

DeepInTheWoods is deep in the woods in Cornwall Orinoco  , its me who is in East Yorkshire and so happy to be back to my roots  .  Will PM you. 

[The Mobile Butcher]

Hi
 From Whitby- North Yorkshire
Best of luck with your smallholding.

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi
 Piggy keepers from near Northallerton- North Yorkshire  
 Best of luck with your smallholding.
mandy

[ASSIST ACS]

 :thumbsup:You sound really brave and adventurous.  There are some really good basic hands on courses for both crop and livestock husbandry for smallholders.  Well worth investing a bit in them before launching into things (especially the livestock side) and potnetially making expensive errors (and obviously there are animal welfare issues to consider for novices as well as the income side), but if you have rescued 2 cats via the RSPCA it sounds like you are clued up in this respect.  Goats are great, as are chickens, but for commercial purposes I am not the one to offer advice - members will be, and presumably there is a smallholder group in your part of the world which would be worth joining - many members will have 'bin there, done that'!
There are a couple of really good smallholder magazines available to subscribe to as well, with useful articles and also ads for equipment, feed, products etc.  Very best of luck from Yvette of Assist Animal Care Services.

[tizaala]

Congratulations on rescuing the cats from the clutches of those useless scumbags ( Rspca ) Putting money into their coffers was a huge mistake, they will waste it on PR and admin . there are much better charities to contribute to.

[Orinoco]

Not sure what the pc view is but i agree rspc are funded to look after not get political and there were a heck of a lot of lovely cats without a home, I understand there are less people looking to take on a rescue animal this year so they need to spend carefully.

[Tudful Tamworths]

Sounds like you have a very exciting project on your hands. Good luck - from Liz in Caerphilly, south Wales.