Comments for Smallholding Times Magazine http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk Greener living and smallholding life Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:48:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Dexters – the ultimate smallholder cow by Jacqui Parkes http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/dexters-the-ultimate-smallholder-cow/#comment-148 Jacqui Parkes Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:48:50 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/?p=892#comment-148 'Dexters are very sociable animals and housing them over winter gives a chance for the keeper to become ‘one of the herd’ Dexters are indeed very sociable animals however, the keeper should never put themselves in a position so as to be viewed as 'one of the herd'. When cattle think that humans are cattle they become subject to the hierarchy i.e 'bunt' order and this is very dangerous. ‘Dexters are very sociable animals and housing them over winter gives a chance for the keeper to become ‘one of the herd’

Dexters are indeed very sociable animals however, the keeper should never put themselves in a position so as to be viewed as ‘one of the herd’. When cattle think that humans are cattle they become subject to the hierarchy i.e ‘bunt’ order and this is very dangerous.

]]> Comment on Grow your Own – Chores for January by Garden Smallholder http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/grow-your-own-chores-for-january/#comment-147 Garden Smallholder Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:45:19 +0000 http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/?p=3194#comment-147 Great post. Always tough to think of what can be done in January. Don't forget you can also force rhubarb in January though Great post. Always tough to think of what can be done in January. Don’t forget you can also force rhubarb in January though

]]> Comment on Smallholding to rent in Wiltshire with 3 acres by SmallholdingTimes http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/smallholding-to-rent-in-wiltshire-with-3-acres/#comment-145 SmallholdingTimes Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:30:11 +0000 http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/?p=3121#comment-145 Hi Des and Wendy Please follow the link in the article to be taken to the estate agent's particulars. Good luck! Smallholding Times Hi Des and Wendy

Please follow the link in the article to be taken to the estate agent’s particulars. Good luck!

Smallholding Times

]]> Comment on Smallholding to rent in Wiltshire with 3 acres by Des & Wendy http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/smallholding-to-rent-in-wiltshire-with-3-acres/#comment-144 Des & Wendy Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:39:18 +0000 http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/?p=3121#comment-144 Please can you let us know what the agricultural tie is on the property in Wiltshire, as we would be looking at running it as a Livery/Kennels/Cattery/Tea Room etc. Many thanks Des & Wendy Please can you let us know what the agricultural tie is on the property in Wiltshire, as we would be looking at running it as a Livery/Kennels/Cattery/Tea Room etc.

Many thanks

Des & Wendy

]]> Comment on Recycling a futon … what has it become now? by Diana Morgan http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/recycle-a-futon/#comment-143 Diana Morgan Mon, 02 Jan 2012 08:09:15 +0000 http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/?p=3082#comment-143 Great Idea! My husband used some old wooden louvre doors as shelving in our allotment shed. Great for drying the onions. Great Idea! My husband used some old wooden louvre doors as shelving in our allotment shed. Great for drying the onions.

]]> Comment on Benefits of going on a smallholding course by Michaela Giles http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/benefits-smallholding-course/#comment-77 Michaela Giles Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:37:49 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/?p=572#comment-77 Although I hold courses here at Tedfold Cottage Farm and so am bias in my opinion. Please believe me you WILL save the price of the course many times over not making expensive mistakes. Also at TCF and I assume many of the other course providers you will be offered continuous ongoing support which is priceless. You have paid to hassle us and so is not a hassle to us!!! Join your local smallholder group if you have one as well and gain access to many minds to pick!! Also in the South-East check out the Livestock Health South-East courses free to attend and cover many topics. There is a link on my website on the farm calendar page www.pigkeepingcourses.com best wishes Michaela Although I hold courses here at Tedfold Cottage Farm and so am bias in my opinion. Please believe me you WILL save the price of the course many times over not making expensive mistakes. Also at TCF and I assume many of the other course providers you will be offered continuous ongoing support which is priceless. You have paid to hassle us and so is not a hassle to us!!!

Join your local smallholder group if you have one as well and gain access to many minds to pick!!
Also in the South-East check out the Livestock Health South-East courses free to attend and cover many topics. There is a link on my website on the farm calendar page www.pigkeepingcourses.com

best wishes
Michaela

]]> Comment on The Duclair by celia lewisc http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/the-duclair/#comment-62 celia lewisc Sat, 23 Jul 2011 11:59:37 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/breeds/the-duclair/#comment-62 I am an artsit in England working on a book of domestic duck and goose breeds - I want to include the Duclair - do you have any photos of know of a breeder? Many thanks for any help you can give me. I am an artsit in England working on a book of domestic duck and goose breeds – I want to include the Duclair – do you have any photos of know of a breeder? Many thanks for any help you can give me.

]]> Comment on Getting started with cattle by min http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/gettingstarted-withcattle/#comment-66 min Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:46:41 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/?p=835#comment-66 Hi, new to this forum and to small holding /cattle,this was very informative ,but can anyone advise me as to what jabs/innoculations are a 'nessesity' for my new Dexter cows. The previose owner sais they have only had blue tongue,and have been wormed regularly,my vet realled of a list of things they would need,obviously they have to have the TB tests,and I would of thought that tetanus would be sensible,whith all the barbed wire stock fencing,but which others do I ''need'' to have done.one is only being kept just under a year as he is our future meat ,the other two are going to be our breeding heifers. kind regards, min. Hi, new to this forum and to small holding /cattle,this was very informative ,but can anyone advise me as to what jabs/innoculations are a ‘nessesity’ for my new Dexter cows.
The previose owner sais they have only had blue tongue,and have been wormed regularly,my vet realled of a list of things they would need,obviously they have to have the TB tests,and I would of thought that tetanus would be sensible,whith all the barbed wire stock fencing,but which others do I ”need” to have done.one is only being kept just under a year as he is our future meat ,the other two are going to be our breeding heifers.
kind regards,
min.

]]> Comment on The chicken, the buzzard, and the mirror-ball by davidherman http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/the-chicken-the-buzzard-and-the-mirror-ball/#comment-58 davidherman Sat, 21 May 2011 11:36:49 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/?p=321#comment-58 While there is a small amount of information in the reply from RSPB, the tone is not helpful. "Also when we become (understandably) attached to our pets the emotional experience can be very upsetting in circumstances such as you describe." I do not keep chickens for sentimental reasons. My fifty bird flock feeds a community of 80 people with the excess eggs providing an economic supplement. In addition, as a farmer, I have a duty of care for the animals I raise beyond these economic reasons. Maybe it is the RSPB who have emotional reasons for protecting buzzards. Personally, while appreciating our wild life and realising our need to protect them and ensure their survival, I feel I should have the right and duty to protect my birds. I would never resort to trying to exterminate birds of prey through poisoning and provide a lot of areas where wild life can thrive. Nonetheless I am sorely tempted to shoot these predators if I catch them attacking my chickens. A hornets nest for sure. While there is a small amount of information in the reply from RSPB, the tone is not helpful. “Also when we become (understandably) attached to our pets the emotional experience can be very upsetting in circumstances such as you describe.” I do not keep chickens for sentimental reasons. My fifty bird flock feeds a community of 80 people with the excess eggs providing an economic supplement. In addition, as a farmer, I have a duty of care for the animals I raise beyond these economic reasons. Maybe it is the RSPB who have emotional reasons for protecting buzzards. Personally, while appreciating our wild life and realising our need to protect them and ensure their survival, I feel I should have the right and duty to protect my birds. I would never resort to trying to exterminate birds of prey through poisoning and provide a lot of areas where wild life can thrive. Nonetheless I am sorely tempted to shoot these predators if I catch them attacking my chickens. A hornets nest for sure.

]]> Comment on The chicken, the buzzard, and the mirror-ball by Rebecca Elliott http://smallholdingtimes.co.uk/the-chicken-the-buzzard-and-the-mirror-ball/#comment-57 Rebecca Elliott Fri, 20 May 2011 20:49:36 +0000 http://newsmallholders.co.uk/?p=321#comment-57 | have lost two hens in mysterious circumstances within the last 4 months - they just vanished without a trace. My chickens live in my back garden, which has no rear access. During the winter one disappeared, with no evidence of a fox attack (when the fox visits, which he has done on three previous occasions, he leaves a hell of a mess of feathers at the very least). Three weeks ago another vanished, again with no trace. I have seen buzzards circling high overhead many times, as I live in a village at the foot of open hills. I have never seen them low over the village. A buzzard attack is the only thing I could think of, but I wasn't sure it was possible till I found this thread..... | have lost two hens in mysterious circumstances within the last 4 months – they just vanished without a trace. My chickens live in my back garden, which has no rear access. During the winter one disappeared, with no evidence of a fox attack (when the fox visits, which he has done on three previous occasions, he leaves a hell of a mess of feathers at the very least). Three weeks ago another vanished, again with no trace. I have seen buzzards circling high overhead many times, as I live in a village at the foot of open hills. I have never seen them low over the village. A buzzard attack is the only thing I could think of, but I wasn’t sure it was possible till I found this thread…..

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