Author Topic: Hello from Aberdeenshire (Read 5472 times)

Skylark · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2013, 08:43:14 pm »

Hi MischieMoo, did the farmer grazing work out ok and did you get any kind of contract signed first, what time of year and for how long? Sorry with all the questions!! I am reading up my xmas pressie book on keeping chickens just now, trying to learn the basics.

Nice to meet you by the way!

sabrina · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2013, 10:28:42 am »

Hi and welcome. Grazing for a season is April to October. You could get in touch with Thainstone Marts at Inverurie who could tell you the going rates and how to go about it.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2013, 11:09:18 am »

Quote from: Skylark on January 10, 2013, 05:04:53 pm

Mad goat woman I think you may be right but at the moment it all seems a bit daunting! We will just have to take little steps

That's a very wise way of going about things. It's too easy to throw yourself into having everything then find you are out of your depth.

I would recommend goats (obviously) if you have time to milk them. Superb milk and you can make cheese and yoghurt for yourselves. And if you look at Plumseverywhere's posts and those of one or two others, you will see you can also make soap.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2013, 12:12:49 pm »

Quote from: sabrina on January 14, 2013, 10:28:42 am

Hi and welcome. Grazing for a season is April to October. You could get in touch with Thainstone Marts at Inverurie who could tell you the going rates and how to go about it.

thats a good idea, you can also do winter grazing let instead - which means you can still take a hay crop in the summer. Whichever way you would need to agree with the grazier who is looking after the sheep when they are with you as it can work either way.

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2013, 04:11:59 pm »

Hi and welcome from wet wet wet Worcestershire.

Established meadow grass may not yieldas much silage, but there should be a good range of plants in it which is good for all livestock and makes lovely hay.

If you look through the very old records meadows were always worth more than arable. Maybe follow the old saying.

Live as if you will die tomorrow, farm as if you will live forever!

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2013, 04:51:46 pm »

Our sheep almost turn up their noses at good clean but dull bought in hay - but they go mad for the stuff we make ourselves which is greenish and herby and lots of clover and timothy and trefoil and meadowsweet and all sorts of stuff!