[pottsie]

Hi everyone,

just found the site and have already found some great tips! I got my place with 1.6 acres last year, started with no animals or pets, moving in from a town centre. I'm now up to 1 cat, 2 dogs, 2 ducks, 18 chickens, 2 goats and 2 sheep, but the goats and sheep are due to go soon. Most of my fruit and veg products have started ok, but i think thats due to stupid determination and good reading rather than skill. Still repairing the greenhouse after the wind picked it up and smashed all the glass? Probably going to look at pigs next (if i can persuade the wife, or the stork will bring them) but determined to know more about there keeping than i have with soe of the other animals ( jumping in with both feet, before looking!) If there is anyone out there in the Durham area who would like to share info, swap products, or even just tell a beginner what he is doing wrong please reply.

Thanks Rob

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome! Sounds like you're having a lot of fun - you'll get lots of help here - we're a very friendly bunch!

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome Rob.   

[Hilarysmum]

Hi welcome, if you can read through all the postings in the pig section here, and read Andy Case's Starting with Pigs and Rare Breed Pig Keeping edited by Richard Lutwyche.   (Or I could lend you Hilary who "wrote the books on pig keeping and is an acknowledged expert  )

[little blue]

hello and welcome.

[jameslindsay]

Hi Rob, why you  getting rid of the sheep and goats?

[pottsie]

Thanks for the welcome, i have checked the article about the pigs and it helped a lot, think i've managed to get some time with a local rare breeds farmer who is going to sell me a couple and hopefullly keep me right after, the goats and sheep are going for the buthchers so looking forward to my first self reared animals.

[Cams Mum]

What is Goat meat like

[SuzyJ]

Hello and welcome, lovely place is Hamsterley. We used to live in Co Durham but moved abroad to start a new life on a smallhollding.

Hope you find all the info you need here.

Goat's meat is lovely and eaten quite often here in Bulgaria.

[sandy]

Helllllllllllllllloooooooooo and welcome Goat meat is yummy

[Micko]

Hi Rob..good to hear from you and welcome. You're not tooo far away from us, we're in Prudhoe, Tynedale area and are in the process of starting up and are looking at getting our first pigs and chickens soon but concentrating on getting the polytunnel up first and some crops in the ground. Having said that I fancy getting some pigs fairly soon to help clear the ground where we've got loads of scrub/young woodland. Be interesting to hear how you get on and like you say share info and any experiences. We're thinking of booking onto a pig course before we get going and was wondering about the course at Yearle Tamworths further up into Northumberland.

keep us up with how things are going.

[pottsie]

Hi all thanks for the replys, well i got introduced to goat meat a couple of years ago the wife is originally from India so when  i was eating mutton i found out it was actually goat. Its really tastey and especially tastes nice in a curry. These are my first goats so looking forward to getting to eat them. Had a bit of a problem this week though, my goats got over my new fencing (now i see what people meen about keeping them in) and it looks like they have eaten something which made them ill. Had the vet out on friday and they he gave them a shot of pain killer and some b vit which i've had to inject over the weekend. I now have one goat who is getting its cheekiness back and one who is still a bit sad with it self, but looking better! I'm hopeing that he is going to pick up even more over the next couple of days, he was eating a bit of sugarbeat and drinking well last night so things are looking up.
Thanks Rob.

[pottsie]

Hi Micko,

I thought i was going to be growing orientated at first but due to other things didn't get started with the planting till late last year, still managed to get loads out and still eating potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, beetroot, leeks, cabbage and quite a few other bits and bobs so did alright in the end. My main problem was i didn't get my pollytunnel or greenhouse up, when i eventually got the greeenhouse up and some of the glass in we had a really bad storm which picked it up and moved it a few feet, smashing all the glass, even though it was attached to a concrete base? i'm now looking at attachin the base to the paving slab base i put in. Had a look at the Yearle Tamworth pig course but unfortunately i'm working that wekend so will have to wait for a new one, it does sound perfect for what i need though.

Thanks Rob.

[Micko]

Should get yourself booked on the Yearle course Rob. Just been on it this weekend and was great. Loads of really good advice and some hands on with injecting some poor little ginger piglets.

[pottsie]

Your just trying to make me jealous Micko, really fancied the course but as usual work stops play, i've even looked at the next course in may but can't get the time of? Looks like i will do it the hard way again read, read again and if i have any probs speak to the experienced, to be fair it's worked ok up to now, but i will do it the easy way one year? Looks like ginger pigs coming next week (Yipee)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rob .