Are you new to smallholding life, wondering how best to start the new year on your land? Or are you just keen to find out how smallholders keep themselves busy in the depths of winter? Here’s a little look at our jobs list for the month of January! January is a reasonably quiet month on…
Are you interested in becoming a smallholder? Would you like to find out what is involved in getting set up on a parcel of your very own land? Here is part one in a series intended to help you turn your smallholding dreams into reality! This post starts right at the very beginning, before you…
Are you concerned about your carbon footprint and keen to move away from using fossil fuels to heat and run your home? Have you considered using wood for heating and cooking? Are you interested in the practicalities of relying on solid fuels such as wood? Here’s how we make wood burning work for us. Introduction…
How much can a smallholder accomplish in five years? We have recently celebrated our five-year anniversary on the smallholding. So here’s a review of all we have done in that time! Chickens Once we had moved in, the first big objective was to get ready for chickens. We had previously kept back-garden chickens some years…
Are you thinking of moving to a smallholding? Would you like to know why established smallholders took the plunge? Read on to find out all about our journey from city dwellers to running a smallholding in rural Scotland. Let’s Start at the Very Beginning George and I met through a mutual friend when we were…
Are you interested in purchasing a range cooker? Perhaps you are wondering whether a range cooker is worth the expense? Or maybe you have some practical questions: How do you cook with a range oven? How does it differ from a more modern oven? Read on to find out about our experience! Making the Right…
What does it mean to be a smallholder? What do smallholders do all day? If you’re curious, I’ll walk you through a typical day in my life in early Spring. 5.00 – I wake early to let the birds out. I clean out the duck house and refill their water bath. The alpacas and our…
Is it possible to take a few days away as a smallholder? Can things just tick over for a weekend? How much do you need to ask someone to do if they house-sit? These are all important questions. As a smallholder, I have responsibility for my animals and garden. Just as a pet owner or…
Have you ever wished that there were more hours in the day? Or wondered how you could be more productive with your time? Do you feel you are fighting against time as you try to get the most out of your day? Here’s my secret weapon. Time is a very valuable resource, especially now that…
What does your ideal Christmas Day look like? The entire extended family gathered around one big table? Or something more quiet and minimal? Christmas means something different to each of us. Some like a big, extended family gathering. Others spend the day with just their nuclear family. Still others prefer to get away somewhere remote…
