[Min]

There is a wee article on the BBC website too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24624883

[Lesley Silvester]

Thanks, VF. That was fascinating. I knew a couple who lived this kind of life and brought up their children in a cottage that they had built themselves. They had no electricity. They did have a bathroom but when they found how much it would cost to bring water down from the road - a distance of about half a mile - they turned the bath into a storage container for jars or preserves and used a chemical toilet (but with no chemicals so it could be emptied onto the manure/compost heap.

[sabrina]

I just watch this last night and thought it was very good. They way they live worked well for them. Children learning what life is all about unlike my 13 year old granddaughter who I have just had for 2wks. Never off her phone, can't get up in the morning which turns out to be my fault as I should keep at her. If its raining do not expect her to do any work or even go near her pony and she feels she has the right to verbal abuse us when ever she likes. It was so nice to see a family sharing their lives rather than sitting in different rooms. Killing the sheep did not upset me as its stress levels was almost nothing. May not suit everyone but more people should think about it.

[Victorian Farmer]

Sabrina I think you're right I no 2 people that do there own sheep.As the tv show shows animals don't bother .A lot of small holders do it for a hobbey these folk lived the dream.Haw meney do there Christmas meat a cockral was always used naw given away.

[Lesley Silvester]

I understood though that, if you slaughtered your own animal, only you were allowed to eat it, no one else. Not even family members.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I understood though that, if you slaughtered your own animal, only you were allowed to eat it, no one else. Not even family members.

No....



According to the Food Standards Agency guide to home slaughter it is permitted for your own consumption and that of your immediate family living at the same premises.


See point 11 of this doc
http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/guidancenotes/meatregsguid/home-slaughter-livestock/livestockguidance/home-killguide.pdf



You can't sell it -or give it away - to anyone outside that

[in the hills]

Mmmmm .... I read that in a Smallholding Magazine, too, MGWM.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Mmmmm .... I read that in a Smallholding Magazine, too, MGWM.

So did I! but then dug further to check.


The guide I posted a link to is regularly updated so should be correct. At the very least it can be pointed to if any official questions feeding the family.

To be fair the smallholding mags are not averse to printing incorrect info eg  Ive previously read articles talking about people feeding stock on stuff which isn't allowed to be fed to them which they've then had to print tiny :-( corrections to in subsequent issues.

[Min]

It may have been correct in the past. I also read the same thing in Tim Tyne's Sheep book. He had a big rant about it. Glad it is not (no longer) true though, seems ridiculous.

[in the hills]

Yes, might have been changed as it did seem a bit crackers...... this document is from May 2013....... perhaps it dawned on them.

[Lesley Silvester]

I heard it on the Archers. 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I heard it on the Archers. 

 

[Lesley Silvester]

They do have agricultural advisers. Glad I gave you a laugh though.

[lachlanandmarcus]

They do have agricultural advisers. Glad I gave you a laugh though.

To be fair I don't know whether all government agencies are singing from the same hymn sheet on the interpretation the food standards agency have come up with, we all know how Un joined up government is!! So the Archers consultant may have got different info from somewhere else.


But at least it's an official document that's up to date and which anyone using home kill to feed the family can rely on to defend themselves if pursued by big brother.....

[Lesley Silvester]

Not that I could bring myself to slaughter one of my goats anyway, and certainly wouldn't know how to butcher it. Useful info for anyone that can though.