[harefarm]

Hi. Took the first steps toward our dream a few months ago and bought a smallholding, something we have wanted to do for years. Going mainly down the poultry route with maybe a couple of pigs at a later stage. Our goal is to become fairly self sufficient. Any advice is welcome. 

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

Our aim is to produce as much of our food as possible and sell the surplus. Have a read through the articles on the website for our experiences 

[Ladygrey]

Hi there  Welcome to TAS

Wherabouts in Hampshire are you?

Jess

[Lesley Silvester]

    Hi and welcome from Shropshire.  I'm a back garden smallholderwith goats, veg beds and fruit trees.

[harefarm]

Thank you for your comments. I have looked into a few things using the Acciental Smallholder website and found it really helpful. I look forward to looking through everything on the forum.

We are on the edge of Winchester.

[HesterF]

Welcome! I'm not very far ahead of you having moved in last May but we've already got the fruit and veg well under way as well as the chickens, ducks and geese. Bees are coming the in the spring. Not yet up to pigs (who would destroy my beautiful grass) or sheep (who seem to need a little more close attention than I have time to give at the moment).

We've got family and friends down your way - in fact we'll be over near you this weekend. And if you do think about geese, we got our pair of West of England geese from some lovely breeders in the New Forest. They're lovely, lovely geese and very rare so worth breeding (although quite slow growing so not sure they'd be great for just growing on for meat). Brilliant for grass control though.

Hester (in Kent)

[harefarm]

Hi Hester
Yes we have already contacted the man about the West of England geese. We are planning on a dozen or so, some for eggs and a pair or trio for breeding.
Just need to sort the ducks which I have heard mixed things about. I am looking at Khaki Campbells as people in the local village really want duck eggs.
I have breed a few quail in my old place and that is something else I will be doing. How I would love to have them free range as well, but I personally don't think it is worth the risk. I may just make sure the cages are the right size for me to lift out onto the grass on nice days. The will still have plenty of space.
The locals have asked me to think about turkeys aswell.
It looks as though I will have a real mix here but I am looking forward to it with all the different types and temperaments.

[SteveHants]

Hi from just down the road.. 


The goose person....is that the one near Ringwood?

[harefarm]

Hi from just down the road.. 


The goose person....is that the one near Ringwood?

No he is the other side of Dorset

[SteveHants]

Ah - there's a lady just outside Ringwood who breeds them.

[darkbrowneggs]

Hi there from Worcestershire     Good luck with everything 

[harefarm]

Thank you all for your kind replies. Lots of things to sort out before actually ordering the first lot of birds.

Just a quick question. I don't know if I should put it in this post but someone suggested producing turkey eggs to sell off the gate. Does anyone have any experience of this and how much would you charge?

Thanks again

[Mammyshaz]

Hello and welcome from durham 

Still dreaming about owning somewhere we can have more than a couple of hens, fruit and veg. It sounds like you are well known already with locals so a good start for any gate selling 

[HesterF]

I've never even thought about buying Turkey eggs but it would certainly be something a bit different...try it and see?

SteveHants, the lady outside Ringwood is the breeder I got my geese from. Sue Chase (and Geoff).

[SteveHants]

I'm not altogether sure Turkeys lay that many eggs....