Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Hi from SW Scotland  (Read 3722 times)

Dav275

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Dumfries & Galloway
  • www.woodwallart.co.uk
    • WoodWallArt
Hi from SW Scotland
« on: November 28, 2015, 03:35:39 pm »
Been browsing this forum for a while, so thought I should join and say hello. We moved to Dumfries & Galloway a few years ago and have been building a new house out in the countryside. House is now complete and we are considering what to do with the remaining land.

We have about 8 acres, but it’s partly hilly, and the flat bits are very wet/boggy. We have ducks and chickens but are not sure what else.  Was toying with the idea of getting some rabbits to keep for meat.  Mostly around here it’s sheep/beef farming but we’re not looking to get into ‘proper farming’.

The main attraction is living on our own out in the countryside, and being as self sufficient as possible. We are completely off grid - our power system works well, with PV, wind turbine and solar thermal. A log boiler with thermal store heats our water and we have our own borehole and sewage system. The only external service is the broadband connection.

Not sure we even qualify as ‘proper’ smallholders, but we like the lifestyle, and from what I’ve read on here everyone seems friendly so I hope it’s ok to join in.   :wave:

Scotsdumpy

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2015, 12:24:09 pm »
Hi from a chilly Aberdeenshire

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2015, 01:01:59 pm »
Hello from South Lanarkshire   :wave:

Your boggy bits would be perfect for a wide variety of willow, which help to suck up the wet, cut down the wind, provide you with logs and provide the bees with early nectar.  If you think it's a good idea, I have all sorts of willows growing here, and you are welcome to as many cuttings as you want, free - you'd need to collect them though.  There are short growing ones, big bushy ones, fast growing, round catkins, black catkins, tiny catkins, long leaves and short leaves, early nectar and later nectar.
Should you decide to keep a few rare breed sheep after all, for your table, then they love willow, especially in the winter when fresh grazing is in short supply.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

mojocafa

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Angus
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2015, 02:18:12 pm »
 :wave: from arbroath
pygmy goats, gsd, border collie, scots dumpys, cochins, araucanas, shetland ducks and geese,  marrans, and pea fowl in a pear tree.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2015, 04:10:10 pm »
We have ducks and chickens but are not sure what else.

Yes, we get like that at times too ;-)

Welcome!!
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2015, 04:57:36 pm »
Hi and welcome

Sounds like your land might not be perfect for pigs and cattle but there are some lovely rare breed sheep that would settle right in  :)

kelly58

  • Joined Mar 2013
  • Highlands, Scotland
  • Home is were my animals are.
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2015, 05:25:53 pm »
Hi from Caithness  :wave:

DavidandCollette

  • Joined Dec 2012
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2015, 06:36:10 pm »
 
 :wave:from very flat north Lincolnshire

Factotum

  • Joined Jun 2012
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2015, 08:21:29 pm »
Hi from a snowy, windy and slightly frozen NE Scotland - the weather's too grotty even for our Shetland cattle to choose to be outside at the moment, they're all safely tucked up inside their shed...

It is great on this forum - lots of friendly people giving useful advice.

Enjoy.

Sue

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2015, 11:29:25 pm »
 :wave: from a wild, windy Shropshire.

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2015, 09:59:24 am »
Hello from me in South Lanarkshire too  :wave:

Dav275

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Dumfries & Galloway
  • www.woodwallart.co.uk
    • WoodWallArt
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2015, 11:27:59 am »
Thanks everyone, for the warm welcome.

Fleecewife - appreciate the offer.  We also thought willow might be good.  Have planted 50 willow, 50 poplar and 200 douglas fir over the last 3 years.  Only about 10 of the willow survived, so don't  know whats wrong.

emaBennett

  • Joined Aug 2015
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2015, 08:22:07 am »
 :wave:

Helloooo, We have just yesterday found a property in Dumfries area... spoken to owner yesterday evening... visiting on the 14th Dec. Now my husband is quickly thinking about raising pigs, we already have our own flock of poultry of Geese, Ducks and Chickens as well as a pack of dogs..... Can't stop thinking abou the fun we'll have walking in the woods. Haven't even sold our house yet! Nothing like thinking of jumping quickly  :fc:


goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Hi from SW Scotland
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2016, 09:27:23 am »
..and hi from Lauder, other side of the borders.  We keep rare breed sheep, pygmy goats and .... well it's all on the list below my name I think....love the sound of all that planting, a great start.
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

 

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