[wendien]

My name is Wendie, a farmers daughter , I never wanted to go anywhere near a farm or small holding ever again. I'm now in my 40's and my heart is yearning for a smallholding. I am a nurse so no useful experience at all.
I am fortunate that although we live in a busy town we have a fairly large garden and now the children have grown up I do not need a play area any more.
I sit in the garden and imagine what I can do with it, where the herb garden and possible chickens can go etc. I have a greenhouse and small veg plot which can now be expanded greatly but I have no idea what I am doing.

Any advice, books I can get greatly appreciated.

[Lesley Silvester]

  and welcome from sunny Shropshire. I used to live in Frome. Lovely county. whereabouts are you?
I have a garden where I grow fruit and veg and keep two goats.

[wendien]

Im in Taunton. OOh goats my daughter would love that.

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie

If you are going to grow veg and keep chooks, plan to keep the chooks in a pen or they will wreck your veg beds. There speaks the voice of experience 

[TheCaptain]

Where abouts in Somerset are you? My Mother in lw does ll of the growing on our smallholding and I'm sure she'd be up to showing you what she does on ours if you were interested?

[Possum]

Well, I'm a nurse and I have found it really useful in smallholding. So don't do yourself down!


Nursing means that you are good at nurturing, which is useful when you are looking after animals. I'm sure it's good for fruit and veg as well. It means you don't panic when an animal is injured, and you have half an idea what to do if you have to tube a lamb or inject a sheep. (Although admittedly, the anatomy is a bit different  )


As for what to read, the diary pages of this website are invaluable. I read all of them before I started looking for  small holding. Also, Country Smallholding magazine and anything by John Seymour.


I live near Taunton, so you are welcome to come and have a chat if you want.