Debbie Kingsley talks to organic farmer Rosie Yells who breeds Norfolk Black turkeys
I first met Rosie Yells several years ago when buying some of her wonderful Norfolk Black turkey poults to rear for Christmas. The youngsters were just off heat at a month old, and charming in character and looks, quite unlike other birds I had reared. I asked her to share her love of this intriguing and delicious breed.
“I am Rosie and my husband is Paul – together we run our farm in West Devon. It is 177 acres of smallish fields, mostly south facing, looking towards Dartmoor. At first, back in 1988, we rented the farm from my parents. Initially there was so much that needed attention – the buildings, the hedges, the fencing, the farmhouse, not to mention the fact that there was no livestock and no machinery. So, in 29 years, lots has happened and we have also been lucky enough to bring up our three children in this lovely place.
“We keep suckler cows, sheep and turkeys; we grow one field of cereals each year; we have an apple orchard and we harvest lots of firewood, so it is not a dull life!
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Esta historia es de la edición September 2017 de Country Smallholding.
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The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
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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
