Have you ever heard the name ‘Richard Bett’ when it comes to pure breeds? You might not have, but in a nutshell he is undeniably one of the biggest names in exhibition poultry today. What sets him apart is his ability to keep, breed and show a variety of different pure breeds to an exceptionally high standard. He’s been doing this for decades and when the classic shows were on, he’d always take a team of 120 birds. As you can imagine, he was often in the honours list come awards time.
Richard was mentored by poultry author and judge, the late Ian Kay, who many in our world regard as one of the leading authorities on pure breeds. For a number of different reasons, including logistics and not getting any younger, Richard decided that he would drastically reduce his stock of poultry and waterfowl. A ‘one-off’ sale was proposed for November of last year, including enlisting a proper auctioneer and professional penning company.
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de The Country Smallholder.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de The Country Smallholder.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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How to Buy a Smallholding in France- Long-time smallholder Lorraine Turnbull looks at the practicalities of moving to rural France
Aspiring smallholders are continually thwarted by the prices of smallholdings and property with land located within the UK. Even the humblest croft in Scotland comes with a substantial price tag and conditions which would make even an adventurous wannabee consider carefully. But all is not lost. For those willing to take the adventure of a lifetime, there is always Europe, and one of the most popular places is France.
Meet the Bournemouth goats and their supporters
These capricious animals are hard workers preserving the natural habitat
Still warm enough to sit outside with a Pizza
Henrietta Balcon uses fresh figs to create an unusual dish at Harvest time
Goodbye to the birds of spring and summer
If you look and listen you might be able to see them preparing to leave says The RSPB
Get ready for the colder weather in the warmth of late summer
Claire Waring advises on doing the best to make sure your colonies survive until next spring
Preparing the Veg Patch for Winter
Lee Senior says, a well-run plot can excitingly continue to produce good quality, tasty, fresh food for much of winter
Time to prepare to plant your orchard
Wade Muggleton, smallholder and author of The Orchard Book, shares his practical experience so you can create your own fruit collection
Choosing feed for the autumn
As autumn approaches, Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at the Smallholder Range, offers advice on choosing the right feed to support your adult birds through their annual moult and ensure your young birds grow and finish well at this time of the year.
Vet advice from an experienced poultry vet
Reflecting on how much the humble hen has helped people world wide plus advice on stopping the scourge of red mite
Give your hens some support
Paul Donovan looks at the right and wrong ways of handling birds
