Author Topic: Making plans my new life!!! (Read 5222 times)

Janette1970 · « **on:** August 04, 2009, 01:19:26 pm »

Hello everyone. Just decided a few weeks ago that I am not returning to work and I am about to turn my riverbank into a hobby farmlet type of thing! Well a couple of pigs, some chucks and a few ducks.

Need to ask the neighbours first though!! They have chucks (and will love the idea of buying good happy pork!) so shouldn't be a problem.

I've picked up loads of tips so far but need a little advice on poisonous plants/trees.
I have a copper beech and a Yew tree in the ground I am wanting my chucks and pigs to roam. There is a bit of ivy on the ground around the base of the trees. Can anyone tell me if any of these will be a problem for chucks/pigs?
The copper beech has a preservation order slapped on it, will I need to keep the pigs away from this?

Also can anyone suggest any good books I can buy that will show me how to go on.
Are there any courses running in the south yorkshire region?

So excited

Any help would be greatfully received

Thanks. Janette

rustyme · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2009, 02:32:40 pm »

hello Janette,
Yew is deadly poisonous , both leaves/needles and berries , the whole thing . It can kill anything that eats any part of it ( and does every year) . Ivy is also poisonous , but slightly less so than Yew. None the less , it can kill . I have had poultry live alongside it and they never touched it , but now I would get shot of it , just in case. If pigs are allowed right up to the Copper Beech , they may cause problems ?? It may be best to fence it off if possible, CB is safe with stock as far as I know, many hedges have it .
I have no idea about courses ( not into them myself ) but others will advise you on them . As for books I go for older books , newer books tend to be re hashes of the older ones ..but I do have many of both . I just get as many as possible and read as much as I can , there is nearly always something to learn in all of them .

Hope that is of some help ...good luck with whatever you do ...

cheers

Russ

Troubled Waters · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2009, 04:06:46 pm »

Hi Janette,

What great plans.

I am further behind you in my planning and still learning so I will leave others to answer your questions but hello and welcome. Please keep us posted on your journey.

Helen

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2009, 11:21:14 pm »

Good luck with your plans!!

I do know yew is one of the deadliest plants - I wonder what its purpose is, if it kills anything that eats it!!
As for the copper beech, if its a protected tree, I suppose the council could come down on you if the pigs damage it .....but I think the ruling is there to stop you taking the tree down. Hopefully your pigs will not damage it, but if they eat the bark they could kill it, I suppose, and then you might be in trouble. Can you not fence the tree off from the pigs?

Ivy, it is said to be poisonous. Ground ivy, I am not sure if it is poisonous. If any of my goats are ill, I pick the ivy that grows up the trees, and over walls, and feed it to them. It perks them up, and is said to be a tonic.

MM · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2009, 08:17:38 pm »

Hello! Good luck for your new future!

sandy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:03:54 pm »

Good luck, I wish more people would take opportunities to change their way of life

Lizmar · « **Reply #6 on:** August 18, 2009, 09:44:24 am »

Good luck. You are so brave. How did or what pushed you just over that edge to make you go for it. I'm looking to do it as well, but just work the confidence up to just do it $:-\$

Sharondp · « **Reply #7 on:** August 18, 2009, 09:58:41 pm »

Good luck with your venture - I'm heading that way too - just applied for part-time hours so haven't quite given up work yet!
We've just had an offer accepted on a house with 4 acres so very excited too!
Keep us posted!

Janette1970 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2009, 05:44:37 pm »

Well, I've finally got started on my new life.
Still can't resist the odd days work though.

What pushed me over the edge was my lack of career/ failure to get a job as a primary teacher. I went through all the training as a mature student getting my degree and postgrad. (4 years full time!!) I have 3 children, all teenagers now! but they were only just at school when I went to uni!
I have tried to get a job over the last 4 years having quite a few intervies over the years. I did get one post for 1 term. But this didn't go too well. Very tough school, SERIOUSLY deprived area. My contract was not renewed and I was greatful at the time.
Since then, no one wants me!!!!

I's a pretty rough feeling.

What has made all of this possible for me is the support of my husband. (he also made director this year so money is not quite so tight!)

The plans for a couple of rare breed pigs have fallen by the wayside, just too many problems with my land not being quite right!

But I do have six lovely ex-battery hens and two chicks that all live together in a lovely run I've made for them.

The next plan is to get some ducks in another run and turn the rest of the land I was going to use for pigs over to a veg patch.

Still waiting for that lottery win so I can buy the fab house up the road and then build a petting farm/playbarn type thing! That would keep me and my boys busy

Maybe I ought to buy a ticket

EX-BATTS RULE

doganjo · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2009, 05:52:49 pm »

Well done, Janette! Glad to hear you are so happy - who needs schools anyway! Life education is what I say!

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2009, 06:25:04 pm »

Hi sounds like a serious challenge here. What is wrong with your land. If its the yew then it can be fenced off with electric fencing. It may be worth checking it out with one of the expert pig vets to find out if pigs would eat yew. We dont have any here so no idea, however we had loads of bracken which is poisonous to pigs. Ours dig it up and leave it to die also ragwort (although I do have a non tolerance policy towards both). Our land is very boggy, and has taken some work to make suitable for the pigs but it works. Please dont turn down the chance of decent, homegrown, pork. Its too tasty to miss out on.

sandy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2009, 08:32:49 pm »

It's funny how the Ex Batts have soo strong charactors, I also have Black Rocks but it is the Ex Batts that I find the most interesting....the roughest ones have the most charactors................not sure who is laying but I love them all.