[Oakley Wood Sheep]

Hi,

Just wanted to introduce myself - my name is HIlary and I, along with my partner Robin are in the process of setting up our smallholding in Oxfordshire. We have a 4 acre paddock and just under 1 acre garden including small fruit orchard and vegetable beds. We also have a strip of woodland which we are preparing for pigs next year.

We have had sheep since June. We started with two jacob crosses which we have recently slaughtered for meat and a 2 Southdowns. Unfortunately we lost one to maggots following fly strike - a very hard lesson learnt early on. We are developing our flock of Oxford Down and have two pedigree Ewes who are really lovely. We will be breeding them next year and hope to show as well.

We also have 4 Khaki Campbell ducks (who have escaped twice from their pen today!).

Our journey into smallholding started with a shared passion for sustainability and also a desire to help our 5 year old daughter really understand about where food comes from. She now takes an active role with the animals and was very excited when our lamb arrived for the freezer! She has also been heavily involved in harvesting apples for cider, quince for jelly and gin and sloes...unfortunately it will be a few years yet until she can taste the results!

We are now looking at building a business plan to turn our passion into something commercially viable. I would be really keen to hear from others who have done the same - in particular anyone who has applied for and/or successfully received any grants or funding.

Really nice to meet you all!

[Lesley Silvester]

  and welcome from an equally chilly Shropshire. I only have a back garden for my goats and veg so can't advise but someone on here is bound to know.

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

Good luck with your plans and hopefully TASers will be able to help.

What would be the aim of your business? I assume not to make your only living? Our aims are to produce as much of our own food, with the surplus sold to cover costs; plus supporting rare breeds and the environment.

[plumseverywhere]

Hello from Worcestershire 

We have 4 daughters that are enjoying life on a smallholding - its a great place to bring up children if you can    Although we don't eat our livestock we do buy in meat from other smallholders (or barter it for wine/soap etc) so the girls understand the food chain better than just nipping to a supermarket to buy in shrinkwrapped meat of goodness knows what background.    Your daughter sounds like she has a great life there 

we just keep goats for soap making (and hopefully harness training)  sheep as lawnmowers and a large plum orchard to make wine/jam/chutney etc

Lisa