Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Essex Mechanic turned smallholder must be mad! 40+sheep/lambs & 40+pigs  (Read 2604 times)

carfarmer

  • Joined Mar 2015
Hi everyone, been reading your articles over the years and they have been very useful.
I may be a true accidental smallholder. I am basically a full time mechanic and for sad reasons (arson,long story) we bought some 9 acres of land to keep our horses.

It took 5 years to find a suitable site and a re-mortgage to purchase, plough and seed for grazing. I even sold my 1934 model Y V8 Hot Rod to finance it. :'(
Seven years on and 50 chickens :chook: later the neighbours plot was put up for sale and dubious characters were interested, so with my "future inheritance?" my dad helped me buy the other 9 acres to ensure my investment would not be devalued.
The next step was, since we had a boarder collie :dog:, was to get some sheep so she didn't get bored.

Zwartble sheep :sheep: were chosen as they could be meat or milked and lack of horns. 5 ewes and 1 ram
The meat from these was very lean and tasty and the flock gradually grew especially after we a new ram.
Growing your own meat has a certain satisfaction and we had the space, so pigs were the next order :pig:. initially old spot but they were slow in growing a bit fatty, so we moved onto saddle-back and large black.

The neighbours plot was an orchard :tree: and we have started to not only to feed the pigs the windfalls but also make some cider which makes your legs go funny. :excited:

Another 7 years and I'm still doing 12 hour shifts at work and probably 4hours at the 'farm' everyday but loving the fresh air,countryside and animals.
Its a busy time at the moment we are currently lambing, have new piglets, boarder collie puppies oh and a baby boy of 4 months. Not much sleep to be had!.

Thanks for this forum
Martin






Kimbo

  • Joined Feb 2015
  • Anglezarke, Lancashire
gosh you're very busy then!
hello from Lancashire  :wave:  We have 9 acres , 2 horses, 2 dogs, 3 feral cats, 6 chooks and our first Ryeland sheep arrive in May.
Hope you find lots to interest you here
Is it time to retire yet?

Sudanpan

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • West Cornwall
    • Movement is Life
Wow - what energy! :thumbsup: Sounds fab.
Continue enjoying  :excited:

devonlady

  • Joined Aug 2014
Hello from Devon :wave: When my daughters were teenagers I said to them "Girls, I want one of you to marry a motor mechanic and the other a vet." What did I get, a copper and a quantity surveyor ::)

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Hello and welcome from Carnoustie  :wave:

devonlad

  • Joined Nov 2012
  • Nr Crediton in Devon
Hello from devon

Gaynor

  • Joined Mar 2014
Hello from Kent. I also have new piglets (middle whites) &. Another litter due any day now. 2 sows, 2 goats, few chooks & ducks, 1 dog (1 died couple weeks ago) plus 3 ponies are more than enough for me. Thought about sheep several times but all work is down to me generally - and I'm not getting any younger haha.

Sounds like you have great set up :)

carfarmer

  • Joined Mar 2015
Thanks for the welcome. :wave:
 Hopefully i will be able to spread some of my hard found knowledge from the many "learning opportunities" iv'e endured

 

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