The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Micki on January 04, 2008, 08:59:43 pm

Title: Hello everyone
Post by: Micki on January 04, 2008, 08:59:43 pm
I just found this forum today. We live in Notts and i have 2 horses, 1 dog, 3 ferrets, 10 hens and 1 cockeral. Unfortunately we only have just over 1 acre for the horses and the chickens are on the back garden but we manage to muddle through. I tried growing some veg last year but it didn't turn out very good, i'll try again this year and hope for it to go better. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.
Micki
Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: Rosemary on January 04, 2008, 09:20:44 pm
Hi, Micki and welcome.

How do you manage with 1 acre and two horses? We've got about six for two horses (and a trotting oval) and it looks like a World War 1 battlefield. Well, half of it does - the half for Spring looks OK.

I don't think last year was a good one for veggies generally - was Notts not under water for a good part of it? Keep at it - look at what grows by accident in the compost heap and so on.

I like ferrets. I had never seen one up close until last year when four blokes with about a dozen ferrets came to try to reduce our rabbit population. They do smell (the ferrets not the blokes; actually, I'm not sure about the blokes) but it's not unpleasant. They had a little female which looked like a polecat - a sort of gold with dark brown points and she was lovely, really gentle to handle.

Look forward to hearing more from you

Rosemary

Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: Micki on January 04, 2008, 09:53:53 pm
Hi Rosemary. The field gets in a mess but they don't go out for too long in the winter. I've managed to rent another acre in the village this last year so it has took the pressure off my field abit. I split my field in 2 so that i have 3 small paddocks to use.
Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: pigsatlesrues on January 04, 2008, 11:10:26 pm
Welcome Mikki, I know you will enjoy this forum as much as the rest of us do, it really is interesting and so freindly!

Are your ferrets working animals or pets? In Normandy a lot of people have them and use them for the 'chase'. They dress in full combat gear, take their dogs and ferrets and off they go hunting for rabbits etc. It is all very serious and a real pain for the likes of us having to keep half an eye out for our animals all the time.

Anyway I look forward to reading your postings.

Kate
Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: Dan on January 05, 2008, 11:38:11 am
Hi Micki, and welcome.  :)

Don't give up on the veg, even seasoned hands have off-years, and every year we have at least one disaster! But it's worth the trying when you get your own peas, carrots and the like.

Dan
Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: Hilarysmum on January 05, 2008, 11:48:40 am
Hi Mikki, last year was diabolical for veggies here, if the blight did not get it the rain flattened it or it just drowned.
Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: Pebbles on January 06, 2008, 04:37:00 pm
Hi Mikki

We had our first year of veggies last year - bit of an experiment which was quite a learning curve. Better luck to us both this year!

Welcome on board I look forward to hearing all about your ferrets and what they 'do'.

Pebbles

Title: Re: Hello everyone
Post by: jan on January 09, 2008, 08:19:25 pm
Hi Mikki, I live in sleaford in Lincs but not far from Nottingham.  Hope you enjoy this forum there are some good people here who are a great help. Jan