[mapahutchins]

Recently moved to West Cornwall where we have a couple of acres on a windy hilltop.

We are a family of 6 - Granny and Granddad are of farming background and moved to Cornwall from Devon. The rest of us (Me, Wife and 2 kids) moved to Kernow from the SE where we were living in the urban sprawl west of London.

Now the 2 parts of the family have 'come together' we hope to make the most of our 2 acres and set up a small holding to support us all.

Only 1 old cat at the moment  ... oh and a few hundred thousand Devonshire bees! We have already found some great homes for some of our bees but are looking for any other sites you may know of..!

Already tapped into some of the great resources and people locally but hope to make more contacts here. So much to do and so little time....

Thanks for reading.

BTW did I mention our site is very windy? Well it is!

[TheGirlsMum]

Welcome, we have 3 acres at Black Rock and windy is an under statement!

[Fleecewife]

Ah yes, windy hilltops  .  Plant hedges all round (native, mixed) and get the strongest polytunnel you can 
What a lovely mixed family you have to work your new holding.   Have fun 

[Lesley Silvester]

  and welcome from sunny Shropshire.

[arobwk]

And welcome from mid Cornwall. 
It's the easterlies I dread - they always seem more destructive, on my patch!

[mapahutchins]

Many thanks for all the replies and comments.

Today we are mostly trying not to get washed away in the rains!

Hedge and tree planting are very much on our minds...as is that strong poly. Further strategic planting will be necessary as will a good regime to keep the rabbits at bay.

Seems like a lot to do right now and really wish I had my IBC's in place so I could catch all this lovely rain water!!

[arobwk]

Likewise on the "lot to do" and the IBCs, but I'm welcoming the bit of rain!

[TheGirlsMum]

If you can get black IBC helps stop the algae growth. Ours are all full again plus the troughs

[arobwk]

Wish I'd thought of that (i.e. black IBCs), but don't suppose it will matter much.  From my experience, easier to find the "white" ones 2nd-hand.   

[mapahutchins]

Hurrah, just had the field cut! Local farmer is going to make use of it.

My supplier of IBC's is proving rather unreliable...white version... I did think about black ones and now that I am looking again I will keep an eye out for them. Maybe I should post a request for recommendations ... in fact I will. Thanks for the suggestions. Off to find the appropriate board!

[mapahutchins]

New post on this forum...(hope this works)

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=84767.0

[BobTheFarmer]

Hi!

I'm just a few miles east of you, good luck with it all.  We're still looking for land in the area, how did you get yours?

[mapahutchins]

Hello Bob,

We only have a couple of acres that we acquired with the property (we are on a redeveloped farm complex that has been split into a number of small holdings/properties).

My neighbour has been here for 3 or 4 years and has managed to pick up some small parcels of grazing land by keeping his ear to the ground but I have no contacts in that dept. If you are after a serious acreage I wouldn't know where to look?

Good luck.

[BobTheFarmer]

I've been looking on the net mostly, Lodge & Thomas are the local agricultural experts.  I need to get saving them pennies as 30-50 acre plots are in the region of £200k!

[Part time dabbler]

Hi from East Cornwall (and London but dont mention that).

Regarding your bees, are you looking to move a swarm on or just place a hive somewhere?