Is having a small holding as idyllic in real life???

[henmama]

I have been pondering with the idea of building an eco house, getting some goats and chickens. We are luck that my in laws have a piece of land beside their house that we could build on.

I live in a village at the moment with me and my husband, no kids. I have a cat and chickens. I would love more animals... as a therapist to maybe even run animal assisted therapy sessions.

Are these all pie in the sky ideas or has anyone else chased a crazy dream? If you do live on a small holding is it all its cracked up to be?

It's great if it's a hobby/lifestyle and you don't have a great deal else to do in terms of commitments. I used to have sheep, hens, horses etc but no longer (well, the ponies are out on loan so could in theory come back) and if I'm being completely honest I don't miss it, having done it for 10+ years, other than odd times at shows I wish I was still on the 'inside'. Not having the responsibility, and the relentless grind of it all, has been SO refreshing.

It was my dream about 20 years ago.
Now, with the way life has gone, I'm kind of glad I didn't pursue it.

Good luck with what ever you decide 🤞

My family live on a single acre (4000) sir mtrs we have 2 dogs 20 chickens lots of lawn I have young boys that have been delegated the daily chores of feed and water chickens collect eggs clean eggs put in sale stand collect money the other feeds the dogs and the other takes out the rubbish and sorts it into recycling. We have 3 raised garden beds that are not really utilised that well because the chooks smash any new seedlings I have a great little area for a fire pit and cookups but its
to cold in winter and fire restrictions in summer soo, if has taken me the best part of ten years to make my place as low maintenance as it can be but I still spend a bit of time poisoning and cutting grass, I used to do firewood but have a massive solar system now and fitted reverse cycle aircon thru out the house.
we have 22000 ltrs of water tank and it is always depleted by mid summer, but I love it and so does the family we have a good amount of space between us and the neighbours so privacy is great, in my old place in the suburbs I could hear my neighbour fart! There is also something to be said of rural communities if you get yourself involved then you will always have help.

Friend of mine has one. It's ok but she always has to be there to sort the sheep/chickens out, can only go away if she gets someone to move in. Constantly seems to be fixing fences and dealing with jobs that need doing. Lambing season is hard work.

I've lived in a smallholding for much of my adult life and wouldn't do without enough land to live off. That said, I have never had livestock nor do I intend to, chickens, fruit and veg are as far as I'm willing to take it (despite dh's fantasies about goats and pigs).

It's hard work but it's also 'real' in a way that other work never feels like it is. I have recently moved (from one smallholding to another) which means that things are not fully set up and I'm finding having to buy food at the supermarket incredibly depressing.

I had one for years. Goats, geese, poultry, ducks, fruit along with dogs ( to keep me sane) & cats, vital to patrol the feed stores
it’s really really relentless hard work. I ran it alone as DH worked mostly overseas. Summer, seems idyllic but still hard work. Winter, well. Milking in the cold & dark early morning & evening, plus the jobs involved in being able to sell the result. Bedding everyone down later by torchlight when all you feel like doing is staying indoors in the warm. You have flu? Tough, the animals still need tending every single day, Christmas Day, no different. Holidays, I can vouch that nobody, I mean nobody wants to step into the goats’ routine. I didn’t have holidays. …..and what everyone else has said including all the shit.

This has cracked me up 😂

I currently have 22 Pygmy goats as pets and a hobby. Realistically they are completely pointless and do nothing helpful at all! Don’t keep the grass down, don’t milk and can’t be eaten! They are only good for crowding round you and getting in extreme mischief. I do love them though ❤️