Do any of you have a smallholding?

[midnightexpress]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but this seems as good a place as any. I was wondering if any MNers have a smallholding, and if so, whether you would recommend it as a way of making a living, or have any advice. I'm not quite sure what I want to know, but just want to get a feel of what it would be like really.

I don't, but my parents do, and many of their friends over the years.

It's a very hard life, and it's nigh on impossible to make a living that way.

You have to be prepared to be tied to it 24/7/365, and for things to sometimes go horribly wrong, scuppering your plans for the year.

If between you you have enough income to pay all the bills, buy food, and aren't worried about going away overnight, then it can be great, and I think I had a pretty golden childhood.

Have you any experience of looking after livestock ?

I used to have one, but "things" went wrong and we never really worked it before we had to sell up.

"Hobby farming" can be fun (and hard work) but it doesn't produce anything like a living profit. The upside is that you know where your eggs/chickens/pig meat/garden veg come from, and how it's been treated; downside is by the time you've paid for slaughter and butchery, and a chest freezer big enough, there's nothing left over.

What kind of smallholding were you thinking of? I found Country Smallholding magazine helpful.

Thanks for the information. Your thoughts sort of chime with mine re hardship and I realise it's not something to enter into in a dilettantish way thinking I'm going to be the next Felicity Kendall. We were thinking about combining it with one or more other businesses - I'm currently self-employed and can work wherever, and we were wondering about somewhere with potential for holiday lets. However, it is not something we could finance without a bank's help, so am wondering if it's feasible or not.

I had noticed that magazine too, so thanks for the advice - I'll take a look at it.

We don't have much experience of looking after livestock, but DP has done lambing and looked after sheep a bit, and worked for 10 years as a dry-stone dyker.

My suggestion is go and do a course at your local Agricultural college before you embark on it, ours does one which I am going to do in Spetember, one day a week, but it covers everything that you would want to know.

^ I also second Five's suggestion.

Oooh now that is a good idea. I'm doing an RHS distance learning course in horticulture at the moment, but I'll certainly look into that.

Thanks very much for the advice, lots of food for thought.

Theres some courses here that might be of interest.

We used to get Smallholder magazine - takes me right back that does !

Our family has number of smallholdings or large farms (wondering if there's a the difference?).
Both sets of grandparents, grand aunts/uncles etc. all had their own. My sister and I had fabulous childhood, however, dear parentials had to cut their foreign holidays short to be at hand helping as their parents got older. When grandparents passed away, most of the land was leased out to various farmers but even to this day, simply cutting the grass in the mahoosive gardens and picking berries, apples etc. takes a lot of time. No animals at the moment so that gives parents more flexibility, but in all, it's very hard work and you're tied down 24/7/365.