In her series for beginners, Debbie Kingsley considers whether you need any particular skills to be a smallholder
The perception of the smallholder as bumbling, a champion Heath Robinson time waster, has always made me cross. Because we spend our time around copious amounts of mud, poo and straw, does not an amateur make. Folk shouldn’t confuse us looking somewhat like Wurzel Gummidge, the walking talking scarecrow, with having our heads actually filled with straw and sawdust.
Brain-power is as important as brawn power when it comes to smallholding. You need a barrage of skills to be a successful smallholder, and the list is long and potentially daunting to the newcomer. But don’t let that put you off; it is hugely rewarding to learn new things and put them into practice. Smallholding is not a theoretical study, so anyone who likes to learn by doing will find great pleasure in this way of life.
Bu hikaye Country Smallholding dergisinin March 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Country Smallholding dergisinin March 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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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
