Small-scale and sustainable use of the land is vital, argues Alicia Miller
On May 15 this year, my partner Nathan and I did what we always do on this day – filled out our Single Application Form (SAF) in order to get a small subsidy from the Welsh Assembly Government for our farming. We must detail exactly what we do in each field, which should be pretty easy as we’re small scale farmers and don’t have that much land. The problem is that we grow a wide diversity of crops and have complicated rotations. We have to assess (guess?) the amount of land that each crop occupies in the field, so we walk around having arguments about our estimates, because the way we work just doesn’t fit the form. It’s always an infuriating process.
My rant belies an important issue – I’m irritated by the SAF because I feel it dismisses the significance of scale, making us work harder because we’re small. For us, small is part of our belief system. Being small demands a different kind of relationship with the land and the animals that live on it, one which is more intimate and immediate.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2017-Ausgabe von Country Smallholding.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2017-Ausgabe von Country Smallholding.
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The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
