[Simpsyla]

Hi everyone,

New here so thought I'd introduce myself (and ask for some help!).

My wife and I live in Sunderland in the north east.  I'm an accountant and she works in marketing.  However, the vision is to have a small holding one day.  However, before we go too far along this road and chase some romanticised dream we were hoping to meet some people who'd done the same and hopefully have a look at what they do?  We'd be willing to travel in order to achieve this.  I think we'd be looking at between 5 and 10 acres when we eventually get there...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris.

[Rosemary]

We run Intro to Smallholding courses here at TAS. Details in Smallholding / Courses button above.

I'd also recommend a visit to the Scottish Smallholder and Grower events - Spring Gathering (31st May, Thainstone Agricultural Centre, Inverurie) (might be  a bit far) and Festival (27th September, Lanark Agricultural Centre). 

[Simpsyla]

Thanks Rosemary, think north of Aberdeen may be a little far but Lanark is a possibility - many thanks.  I've forwarded a link to the courses to my wife to take a look at - hadn't explored the website other than the forums yet - doh!  Will remedy this now 

[Q]

Hi Simpsyla from Northampton
You sound pretty well in the same boat as me.  I have chickens in a large garden at the minute but I would love a few acres and some stock.
Looks like an area  move is going to be necessary for us too.
We also have that little niggle of wanting animals but until you try it you dont really understand the 24/7 commitment thats required.
When you have animals its too late to change your mind!
Reading through the traumas other smallholders experience on here is a little off-putting.

Good luck and I would love to see how you progress.

[Simpsyla]

Hi Simpsyla from Northampton
You sound pretty well in the same boat as me.  I have chickens in a large garden at the minute but I would love a few acres and some stock.
Looks like an area  move is going to be necessary for us too.
We also have that little niggle of wanting animals but until you try it you dont really understand the 24/7 commitment thats required.
When you have animals its too late to change your mind!
Reading through the traumas other smallholders experience on here is a little off-putting.

Good luck and I would love to see how you progress.

Thanks Q - I'll look forward to reading your posts with interest too 

Completely agree about the commitment - it's a tad daunting!

We are looking to move house anyway so think we're going to look for somewhere with land and then build up slowly - and the unused land will be fun to enjoy/good space for wildlife.  Do you know which area you'd be looking to move to?

[Q]

We are looking to move house anyway so think we're going to look for somewhere with land and then build up slowly - and the unused land will be fun to enjoy/good space for wildlife.
Do you know which area you'd be looking to move to?

Hi Simpsyla

I run my own IT business and would have to sell that to fund the purchase of a smallholding. That will remove my income which may be a slight problem!

I think Northampton is expensive for what I ideally want to do so a move North (lincolnshire) or west (wales) may be necessary. (the family might have a word or two about that) - My partner doesnt want to move at all - so there could be an issue there too.

Above all its the commitment to the animals that holds me back and makes me wary. 
I also dont enjoy dispatching chickens because I value their right to exist so I think pigs etc for food may be a hurdle to overcome.

I am thinking of renting for a few years but suitable places are very few and far between. 

The impression from the forums is that small scale livestock can be costly & mistakes very easy to make.

My purpose is only to enjoy the animals (dead or alive  ) so my plan is very much a Hobby smallholding including lots of vegetables - I have 5 allotments for that at the moment!

I liked the self sufficiency on 10 acres idea from J. Seymour - I think bringing that concept up to date has potential.

What is your overall plan?

[Simpsyla]

We haven't really got as far as a plan yet...  We're as far as knowing we want our next place to be rural and come with land (as in my previous post, if we have it and don't do anything with it it's nice to have) and we probably want some chickens and vegetables but other than that we don't really know.  We're really just researching what's reasonable and sensible at the moment...

[Rosemary]

It's a terrible shame to be lucky enough to have stewardship over productive land and not produce food on it - that's what smallholding is. A farmer on a small land holding. Just my opinion.

[Simpsyla]

We'll almost certainly have chickens (whether we get the land we're after or not) and plant some fruit trees.  If it just provides habitat for wildlife in the medium term I don't see it as any bad thing (for instance, we rehabilitate hedgehogs currently so may prove a great release site for them)...

[Q]

Well done you for the hedgehog activity.  They need all the help they can get. 

[Mammyshaz]

Hello  from near Durham ( possibly nearer you actually than Durham centre 

We have two allotments with fruit and veg and hens. Our aim is to find a smallholding. After helping on a farm through lambing last spring and a few times since for baling and shearing, our family only have one vision - a home with land. It's just difficult to find on our budget 
In the meantime we learn the ups and downs of the life we want from this forum. Enjoy 

[Simpsyla]

Great news on the allotments - another thing for us to consider in the meantime!

How did you get in touch with the farmer?  Did you know them or did you literally rock up and ask if you could help?

I've read through the 'poultry' section on the site today - was excellent.  Looks like this place is going to be really useful!

Whereabouts are you from?  My wife and I live in Silksworth at the moment, although I'm originally from Hetton (my wife's from Hastings Hill), so not too far away from you I would imagine?

[Mammyshaz]

Near Penshaw. Spend many a Sunday at Herrington Park with the dogs 

I volunteered to help somebody down south during summer holidays with payment of experience. Then someone else invited me to help them too.
There are always people after a bit of help around lambing time, it's so busy, especially larger farms. There aren't many on the doorstep. I travelled   I'm sure I was more a hindrance than a help most of the time  Thankfully, I had a very understanding couple who own the farm, with some of the hiccups I made. The experience was invaluable and when OH and our boys went to help that was it, we've been searching ever since. The problem is getting somewhere in our budget and within commute of our work.

An allotment is a great start. I don't know how much growing experience you have but there are always mistakes to learn from. Keeping hens is a good start to keeping animals for food too. We have eggs daily and have learned to dispatch an d prepare chicken for the table too after hatching our own eggs.

[kelly58]

Hi from Caithness 
We have cared for our animals and the land for 13 years, yes it has its hard times but the good times make up for it  Go for it !

[Lesley Silvester]

  and welcome from soggy Shropshire. I only have a garden in which I keep my goats and grow fruit and veg but I love it. I had reservations about eating my own goats but found I could do it.