[themadsaxon]

Hi all, i've started the long process of wanting to own my own smallholding.  I'm registered on a couple of introductory practical courses but the other day I came across a level 3 National Diploma in smallhold management, does anyone have any experience of this and know whether it is worthwhile?  Also does anyone know who to study it with, most of the distance learning places that do it have lots of reviews which are either 1 star or 5, never any middle ground and I certainly don't want to get conned.  Any advice here will be much appreciated.
Regards
Pete

[Shropshirelass]

This would be interesting to hear about as it's something I'd possibly be interested in - I went to walford & north Shropshire college & know they & a few others do some part-time courses, where are you based? x

[Treud na Mara]

I'm sort of guessing you're not in Scotland, but in case you are the Scottish Crofting Federation do various courses. Might be worth a look.

[themadsaxon]

I'm in Peterborough and due to working long random hours (its all money in the kitty ) I'll have to do a distance learning course by mail or on line but sounds like there are some sharks out there. 

[doganjo]

You can do it by distance Learning - £459 - http://www.uklearningcollege.co.uk/smallholding-management-level-3-diploma-course-p-28.html
or £415 here - http://www.ukonlinecourses.co.uk/SMALLHOLDING-MANAGEMENT-COURSE-LEVEL3-DIPLOMA

[FiB]

Gosh, I'd spend the money on a piece of kit or something that you really neeeed training on , like a chainsaw course....   There are lots of good books which get you in the mood and thinking about what you want, but until you find one and start living on it, and start keeping animals.... You won't know what you need to know! Be interesting to hear if anyone has done one of these and found it valuable.  I did a level 3 woodland management course and enjoyed it, but it's really only an introduction - if the smallholder level 3 is at a similar level of detail, I'd say the money would be better going I to the smallholding savings pot!  Good luck it IS exciting

[ellied]

Smallholding can cover such a broad range and combination of activities on such diverse sizes and types of land/buildings that I can't see how one course could cover more than a list of options to look into

I would think about saving that money and taking a little time off the extra work hours to get some practical experience on a voluntary basis so you know the reality of what each of your top 5 ideas is. Or a top 10 if none of the first 5 work out how you think they might.  It's a lot harder than identifying species of animal and plant and knowing the basics of crop rotation and I really don't believe an online course can give you what you would actually need to start.

Sorry, I'm a big fan of education and am enjoying some online free education to keep my mind active, but animals, land, weather, machinery, healthcare, parasites, they're not things you can do on a computer.  Save your time and money and go visit local TAS members, attend agri-shows, think about what appeals and what might be realistic not just now but in 5 years when/if you have just got set up, and then in 20 when you're older and less well off than you were and need things replaced. 

I think your best bets are practical and saleable skills - chainsawing, weed spraying certificates, fencing, JCB/tractor/forklift driving, trailer towing and livestock hauling qualifications, shearing, TB testing, sheep scanning..  whatever area you think you want to get involved in, pick those and pay for that piece of paper with a practical hands on training.  Things most people need someone else to do or to help with and that you can do for yourself AND make a bit of external income from without the office job sideline.

[suziequeue]

If you pick your place right then WWOOFing is a good source of free practical experience and you get bed and board. Some places will take people just for weekends (that's actually how it started)

[ladyK]

Great thread, lots of good advice here!

[The Woodsiders]

Get a copy of The Smallholding Manual by Liz Shankland, take a look at her website, it wont teach you everything but you will get a very good insight.

[Marches Farmer]

Good idea to be cautious - I heard of a lady in Kent who was running poultry-keeping courses on the back of keeping half-a-dozen hens for a couple of years!

[Bramblecot]

Ditto ellied's post.  Save your money for now.  It is £499 for the smallholders course at our local ag. college - better to go on a few practical days for the areas that interest you.

[shygirl]

consider volunteering somewhere and reading loads of books.
before you spend any money on a long distance remember - there are absolutely loads of e-learning courses very cheap or free - whether through wowcher, go groopie, or future learn(open university)
for smallholding, learning things like business, accounts, book-keeping etc all help.
there are many things you can do to small-hold at home, such as breeding rabbits/quails, incubating hatching eggs and selling as day olds etc. worm-farming. buying in whole carcusses from the butcher and learning how to cut and process meat. learning to spin wool etc, make cheeses.

if you are wanting experience in cutting weeds and pulling ragwort, then please come here - caravan available 

[Lesley Silvester]

And I can offer experience in dealing with ground elder and bindweed, together with goat husbandry.

[Backinwellies]

Spear thistle, creeping thistle and rush here!!