[renee]

Renee here.
I have just wandered from Ravelry into your forum. I think I will be staying as you seem a very friendly bunch. Have done a lot of wandering in my life, Started in Yorkshire, a short stay in Scotland and France. A much longer stay in Denmark and now in Sweden.
The district I live in is sort of the Dales, the Moors and the Pennines all in one. My farm is about 1200 ft. above sea-level but the mountains go up to 5000. We have 5-6 months of snow and temperatures down to -40C though they are sticking between - 10 and -20 so far this winter .
 I have just been checking facts. It seems that I live in the least populated council in all of Sweden! So that is why I have 70 miles to the bank and 130 to the slaughter house. There is about 1 person pr. square kilometer and that includes the towns. I have a smallholding of 60 hektare forest and rough grazing, 100 sheep and two horses.
I am looking forward to learning a lot from TAS. Thank you for listening , Renee

[Ina]

Hi Renee, and welcome!

Your situation sounds great to me... The more space and fewer people the better!

(No, I'm not really antisocial... )

[Rosemary]

Hi Renee and welcome.

I'll look forward to hearing more about your life in Sweden. I think that Scotland should look more to its Scandanavian neighbours for hints and tips on how to do things better than perhaps our cousins across the pond. Just my personal opinion, of course.

[Mammyshaz]

  hello Renee
It will be interesting reading about the similarities and differences in smallholdings across the sea. I think I've seen you on Ravelry. Have you got Icelandic sheep?

[renee]

Spelsau, they are Norwegian and mine are the original breed but yes, they are "viking" sheep so closely related to Icelandic. Come to think of it, do Shetland have a short tail?

[Lesley Silvester]

  Hi and welcome from Shropshire.

[mojocafa]

God dag to you from Arbroath, which is almost in line with kristiansands I lived there as a child
Mojo

[jaykay]

Hi Renee 
Where you live sounds wonderful 

Yes, Shetlands have short tails and look very like Icelandics to me.

[Bert]

Hi from the Isle of Mull  .
 Your place sounds fantastic, not sure I would do well with that cold .

[Fleecewife]

Spelsau, they are Norwegian and mine are the original breed but yes, they are "viking" sheep so closely related to Icelandic. Come to think of it, do Shetland have a short tail?

Hi Renee from another Scottish member (I'm also new to ravelry but haven't said anything there yet)
 
There are various Northern Shorttailed sheep here - Hebridean, Shetland, Soay, North Ronaldsay, Boreray, Manx Loughtan,  as well as Gotland and Icelandic, but I don't know of anyone who keeps Spelsau here, so it will be interesting to see some photos and learn more about your flock.
Are there wolves in your area?

[renee]

Hi Renee and welcome.

I'll look forward to hearing more about your life in Sweden. I think that Scotland should look more to its Scandanavian neighbours for hints and tips on how to do things better than perhaps our cousins across the pond. Just my personal opinion, of course.

Hello Rosemary, I am not sure. I am also very interested in how things are being done in other parts of the world.

[renee]

God dag to you from Arbroath, which is almost in line with kristiansands I lived there as a child
Mojo

Goddag til dig. Unfortunately I speak Danish but am trying to learn Swedish. To make matters worse, they have a very strong local dialect up her which is very close to Norwegian!

[renee]

Hi from the Isle of Mull  .
 Your place sounds fantastic, not sure I would do well with that cold .

Ach, my life is hard work but I like it. Thought as much about Shetlands. In Sweden it is illegal to dock sheep's tails so it is easy to see if they are Nordic or European.
I was priveleged to be at the Viking museum in Denmark when the Sea Stallion embarked on its maiden voyage, (this time round, not 1000 years ago) To Dublin. (I was selling mutton to tourists )
My friend had woven the sails from Spelsau guard wool. She has had permanent employment at the museum for years now. 

[renee]

Hi from the Isle of Mull  .
 Your place sounds fantastic, not sure I would do well with that cold .

Hello. The Isle of Mull has always fascinated me. The hamlet where I live is protected from almost all sides from the wind so there is scarcely any chill factor. The climate is dry, we have wooden barns from the 17th cent.
So I bet you are colder on Mull than I am.
On the photo, my main house is in the centre, main barn to the left and second house on the right. I also have a chalet from where the photo is taken. The photo is taken in April. We don't really have Spring, just rush into Summer.

[renee]

Are there wolves in your area?

Thanks for the update on the sheep.
Again I am lucky as to wolves. THere are more and more problems in various regions but I live in a Sami area where the Sami graze there reindeer during the winter months, moving further North during the summer. As Wolves can really smash a flock of reindeer they have permission to shoot wolves. They are pros - they took a couple and a wolverine last week 5 miles from my home.
I have bears in the forest but there is plenty of wildlife for them.
The Sami who looks after my neighbours cows in the mountain summer pastures, said he once woke and the was a bear in the paddock, trying frantically to get out!