Christine Page talks to Debbie Kingsley about her small beef herd and micro dairy in Shropshire
Christine Page moved to Smiling Tree Farm in Shropshire in 2006 having had two previous careers, one in thoroughbred racehorses the other in an office.
“I grew out of horses and didn’t like the office job. When I got pregnant 22 years ago, I started really looking into food, health and farming. The more I dug into where our food comes from, the more depressed I got. I realised that even buying organic did not guarantee chemical-free. I’d always loved animals and the outdoors, so when I got the chance I moved here to grow and raise my own food.
“The past 11 years have been a fascinating, exhilarating journey of discovery. There have been many people and connections made along the way, but the most pivotal has been Pasture for Life; it is an amazing organisation and its inspirational and altruistic members have been truly life changing.
“Through Pasture for Life I have had access to knowledge and resources to learn how to raise healthy, content animals in a truly sustainable way, and turn production of beyond-organic super-nutritious food from happy animals into a viable, sustainable business.
Holistic
Today I run my farm and life using holistic management practices, which is simply looking at the ‘whole’ and considering consequences. I live, work and make decisions based on environmental sustainability, social wellbeing and financial sustainability. Life and work has a triple bottom line: planet, people and profit (but profit doesn’t equal greed, just a living).
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Esta historia es de la edición December 2017 de 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
