Sourcing power from elsewhere

If you do decide to remove yourself from the grid, you will have to source another energy supply to power your home. Solar energy is a reliable form of power that can produce around 3,400kWh of free electricity every year.
The power needed to fuel energy for a family home depends on what size family you have. If you have small children, then a 3kW to 4kW solar panel system will produce the required amount of energy for a family home, whereas a 2kW to 3kW solar panel will produce enough energy for smaller homes with less people living in them. A 3kW overall solar system will cost around £5,000 – £6,000 and will be a sound investment based on the amount of free electricity you will procure during its lifetime.
A back-up energy supply will also be necessary. This could be installed in the form of a generator or gas cylinder. Alternatively, domestic wind turbines can also be installed to produce 5kW to 6kW of energy – you will be paid for any energy that you don’t use, which is sent back to the grid.

What else should you consider?

If you are relying on energy supplies that are off-grid, you must ensure that you only use the energy that you need. To keep energy costs low and to live within your own budget, LED bulbs should be used to replace incandescent bulbs – helping to reduce electricity costs by 75%; aim to get rid of any electrical appliances that you don’t need, and make sure that all electrical appliances are turned off at the mains once they have been used.

How to drain correctly

If you do not live near a clean, natural source of water, you will need to supply your own water. A well can cost anything between £10,000 – 20,000, and this is dependent upon how deep the well is dug, and whether the well will be used as a source of drinking water or for other domestic purposes.
In the case of a lack of sewage system, a septic tank will need to be installed. This sewage tank will need to be emptied periodically by a vacuum truck so that it is disposed of safely. As well as this, a greywater system should also be installed; by treating water used in dishwashing, sinks, showers and baths, this water can be used again. This also benefits the lifespan of your well, as you can reuse water that has already been cleaned and brought to the surface.

Smaller lifestyle changes

If going off-grid completely is not the lifestyle for you, there are alternative ways that you can be more self-sufficient and environmentally conscious.
Eliminating waste
You should be monitoring and maintaining your food, energy and water usage. There are ways to keep on top of this waste, such as by…
• Keeping showers short.
• Only using artificial lighting when it is completely dark.
• Turning off lights after exiting a room.
• Using food leftovers for compost to create a rich soil for growing more fruit and vegetables.
• Attend workshops that allow you to learn more about how to repair any damages to the home, or how to cultivate land for agricultural practices.
• Adopt techniques such as hunting and fishing so as to catch fresh food, helping to reduce your reliance upon supermarkets that you would usually have to drive to.

It was as part of this youth work that the two of them helped a young man establish a local community farm where they could teach young people more about the provenance of their food. The project was a great success and from then on, Chris in particular, dreamed of having a house with some land so that they could live a more self sufficient lifestyle. Bridie tells us their story….

We were living in a three bedroom miners cottage and, although we had no mortgage, we could not afford to buy a house with land without taking on a substantial financial commitment. This would have seen us working more hours and spending less time together so this wasn’t an option. We started looking on the Internet for properties and quickly realised that if we wanted to lead the “good life” we might need to consider leaving the UK.

We scoured the internet for properties in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Ireland all of which were attractive for a variety of different reasons – price, language, types of produce we could grow, livestock and community.

We finally settled on Ireland mainly because it was close to home if we were needed by our families and because there was no language barrier. After a couple of fact finding missions and one failed house purchase we found our dream bungalow and some additional land in the Arigna Mountains in County Roscommon. The purchase was completed in March 2013 and have been living there full-time since June 2014.

The view from the pig pen

The purchase of this property was straight forward unlike the house which fell through. We were able to complete the entire purchase process over the Internet and on the phone which made life simple. It also helped that we were in touch with Joan, the lady who was selling the bungalow, who kept us up to speed with how things were progressing with her solicitor. In fact we are still in touch with her and she has visited us twice since moving back to England.

The house buying process is very similar to buying a house in England but in our scenario the land and bungalow were purchased as 2 lots due to different taxes on the sale of land and property. The bungalow came with 1 acre and we purchased a further 7 acres of mountain grazing land which had previously been home to sheep.

Although the land was good in places it was wet and rushy in others; however, due to the small numbers of animals we intended to keep, we knew we could make the land work for us.

Setting up a smallholding in Ireland is a little different than in the UK but it’s not difficult and the agencies concerned were all very helpful. We have been really welcomed by our neighbours and they are pleased to see the house and land being used.

As for livestock we knew we wanted to keep pigs, goats and sheep in small numbers and we found lots of information on the Internet about the process and the agencies we needed to speak to. We also found a local couple, Judit and Pat, who ran self-sufficiency courses and attended their goat keeping and dairying course as we had no experience of raising milking goats. Their help and advice was invaluable.

The yard with outbuildings

The summer of 2014 was very kind to us and we worked hard getting the smallholding split into separate areas – we fenced areas for the pigs, installed water drinkers and put in gateways.

Before you move any animals onto your holding you need to get the district veterinary officer to come out and check your land and animal housing arrangements are suitable for the type and amount of animals you are going to keep.

We completed an application form to get our herd numbers and the district vet visited us at the end of July. We were delighted when he approved us to keep pigs, sheep and goats. Our movement papers and registers arrived over the next 2 weeks and we then set about sourcing animals.

Our first purchase was two female goats in August followed by another in September. We mated the eldest, Freddie, at the end of October and started to contemplate having our first animals born at the smallholding the following spring. We then also bought 2 weaners at the end of September as we decided that it wouldn’t be cost efficient for us to have our own sow at this time.

The goats enjoying some hay…

…and the two weaners

From there we fenced off an acre of land at the rear of the house for us to turn into a garden. We put in some French drains and erected our polytunnel. We then sourced used scaffold boards to make raised beds and spent lots of time getting the garden set up for growing. This still isn’t fully complete and along with a snowy winter and the very wet spring and summer, yields haven’t been as good as we hoped. But, as one of our neighbours told us, “you can’t fight the weather”.

French drains going in with polytunnel behind

Snow also delayed installation of a Portacabin but this is now in place and serves as our butchery and dairy. This is where we keep our freezers and the equipment we need to process the meat.

In addition we are growing food for the animals and have planted willow as forage for the goats and to use for baskets, fences and screens.

Spring came and in March 2015 we had twin male boer goats born. These were our first animals born here on the smallholding. Freddie proved a great first time mum and was also very good to milk, giving us between 1.4 and 1.8 litres per day. We use the milk to make cheeses including cream cheese, ricotta and mozzarella. Our plans are to have more goats milking in the spring so we will be able to make our own butter and some hard cheeses.

The Jacob sheep – a hardy, versatile sheep thought to be one of the oldest breeds in existence

The number of animals at the smallholding is constantly changing as animals will be born and then either be used for meat or be sold on to other smallholders. Currently we have 3 ducks (one arrived today). 4 goats, 2 pigs, 3 Jacob sheep, 1 beehive and our lovely dog Roz who loves living here. We hope to have lambs born here in the spring as the ewes were too young last year.

With pork, ham, bacon, and Chris’ speciality Merguez sausages, we can already see that we may have spare produce that we can either swap for other produce or services. We may even set up some farm gate sales in the future but this is our lifestyle choice rather than a business opportunity and we don’t want to start having to meet deadlines and get back on the treadmill that we have just got off.

I would recommend this lifestyle choice to anyone but to anyone considering a similar change I would say that we were perhaps a little unrealistic about the timeframes. We thought we would have much of the transformation completed in the first year but this was never going to happen as things take longer and cost more than you think. Living in rural Ireland also means that the local amenities are further away so we need to make sure we make the most of our trips to town as forgetting things can be costly and time consuming.

We do miss seeing family and friends but we have lots of visitors and the Internet means we can keep in touch easily.

Ireland is the perfect choice for anyone considering this type of lifestyle. Houses with land are much cheaper than in the UK (habitable property with an acre of land can be found for well under €150,000 with properties requiring restoration available for as little as €40,000 – €50,000). Lots of people keep animals and grow their own fruit and veg so there is plenty of local knowledge and advice on tap. Although it may seem an idillic lifestyle it is completely different to what may people will be used to so I would strongly recommend lots of reading and, if possible, a stay on a smallholding to see if the lifestyle really is for you.

You can follow Bridie and Chris’ adventures at: Arigna Smallholding

Useful Links

Department of Food, Agriculture and the Marine
Agriculture and Food Development Authority
Organic Trust
Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association
Smallholding Ireland

Unfortunately not all steel is created equal

Our modern, Western, consumer driven marketplace demands items made to a strict budget and in some circumstances this can lead to tools of frustratingly poor quality finding their way onto our shelves. For this reason, as well as the recent trends for reuse, recycling and upcycling, many smallholders are turning to vintage tools as their everyday workhorses.

In this country, certainly on the allotment or in the garden, it is probably the fork, spade and hoe that are the most widely used implements for the small-scale agriculturalist. On a slightly larger scale tools such as the mattock – a digging/cutting/chopping tool – billhook and hand plough still prove essential for areas where mechanisation, for various reasons, still isn’t widely available.

One of the many styles of billhook – this is a Staffordshire pattern by Whitehouse

These tools, along with the scythe and sickle for grass cutting and harvesting, axe for chopping and felling and saw and knife for cutting and pruning, can still provide efficient, cost effective and fulfilling ways to work the land on today’s smallholdings.

A Brades sickle – perfect for clearing small overgrown areas and harvesting crops or fodder

Before mass production really took off here in the 50’s and 60’s tools were generally made of very high quality, home produced, steels that were manufactured specifically for their suitability in toolmaking.

What’s in a name?

Vintage tools can be found quite easily by scouring boot and garage sales, internet marketplaces and specialist websites. Some of the classic brands to look for are Elwell, Harrison, Whitehouse, Brades, Skelton, Gilpin and Tyzack. These makers among others were forging hand tools when they were the everyday implements of farmers and woodsmen so the steel, on the whole, tends to be of a higher quality than is generally employed in today’s more ‘throwaway’ society and consequently holds a keener edge for longer.

Makers marks – clockwise from top left: – The Whitehouse hedgehog logo, Harrison, Elwell, Brades, Tyzak and Gilpin

Perhaps as importantly, though, these vintage brands are often wonderfully balanced making them easier to use for longer periods of time. They become an extension of the hand and, with practice, can be used for a wide range of tasks from heavy agricultural to the more detailed. While the condition of secondhand items can vary considerably, in many cases, if they have been kept inside, surface rust or scratches are the worst you will have to deal with.

Quite often the only thing you need to do is sharpen a dull blade to revive an unloved yesteryear tool. This can easily be achieved, as it was many years ago in the field, with a whetstone and oil. For more substantial blades, such as the convex grinds used on axes, use a file or bench grinder.

A vintage whetsone in holder – used to quickly sharpen a dull blade in the field

Protect and survive

“I’ve had this broom for over 20 years – it’s had 17 new heads and 14 handles in that time”

Ronnie Barker’s Arkwright character came out with this gem in the classic ’70s and ’80s comedy open all hours.

Maintenance of your vintage metal tools should involve much less in the way of replacements than Arkwright’s broom. Traditionally it would have been limited to plunging them into a bucket of oiled sand which cleaned and lubricated them in one motion. Today, cleaning with water and the application of a good wax polish to both blade and handle does much the same job – it also arguably removes potential for damage to both the blades and the moving surfaces by the sand. TIP: Engine oil attracts dirt which, again, can damage close fitting, moving surfaces.

Handles may crack or indeed already be missing when you find your perfect instrument. Now, as they were then, they are almost exclusively made from ash or beech as these woods are both naturally strong and water resistant. You can find generic handles for many items but, if you like to add some personalisation, this presents a good opportunity to customise grips to your own requirements.

Interestingly, many of the companies mentioned above have now been absorbed into the ubiquitous Spear and Jackson brand with the Tyzack name still being used for a builders’ tool range. However, there is one independent manufacturer left from this golden era, Morris and Sons of Dunsford, where Richard Morris still handcrafts wonderful quality billhooks that are available at very reasonable prices.

In summary, vintage tools, properly restored and maintained, not only look fantastic but can also outperform many of their modern counterparts and last a lifetime. Many will continue to perform long after the modern equivalents have given up the ghost and been laid to rest at the back of the shed – often for a quite modest initial outlay.

Many thanks to Old Garden Tools and Timeless Tools for their insight into the world of vintage tool and the pictures included in this article. Both have more information and a good selection of quality vintage tools available for sale on their websites.

Made from Ecoflex – a mixture of recycled polymers and wood byproducts that would normally be burned or dumped in landfill – the coop is weather proof and doesn’t expand and contract like wood meaning it won’t rot, twist, buckle or splinter. The manufacturers say that their products can last up to 4 times as long as equivalent wooden structures.

The slot together system is easily erected, without the need for tools, in under an hour. The instructions refer to numbers that are clearly printed on the parts and the quality of manufacture is such that the whole kit assembles with minimal fuss.

Slot together design requires no tools for assembly

Routine cleaning is achieved by simply removing the roof slats. The Ecoflex construction also has the benefit of being a less attractive habitat for the dreaded red mite however, even if you do get an infestation, any unwanted visitors are easily flushed out.

The coop is quick and easy to assemble – although not this quick!

The Norfolk is suitable for up to six chickens and is available from Handpecked Poultry who will ship nationwide. See the website here or call Tel: 07759 680 160

Is this your first foray into self-sufficiency?
This is our first big attempt at being self sufficient. Working towards self-sufficiency covers a huge range of topics so in a small way we’ve been learning things for years. For instance, in England every year we’d make country wines and cider, bake bread and every once in a while eat a couple of my dads chickens. Our first year or so of living ‘the good life’ goes to show that anyone can do it. Plants and animals are simple to look after. Of course there will be problems and the odd mistake but most things are much simpler to fix than what people would have you believe. It’s amazing what you can do when you just have a go!

What previous experience did you have before deciding on this lifestyle and why Bulgaria?
Our experience in this field is fairly limited. Neither of us had owned farm animals before or grown vegetables other than in the odd raised bed or flower pot. I spent a lot of time traveling, first in Africa where I saw first hand really how simple it is to grow enough food to live from. In many places I passed through self sufficiency was the only option, I once asked a guy in Malawi what he does for a living, he told me “I dig”. This simple statement inspired me. He wanted more from life of course but from an outsider’s point of view, my point of view, he had everything he needs. Food, shelter and a loving family. During the year and a half I spent cycling through Africa I came to understand that life IS simple. If you have food in your belly, a smile on your face and a place to sleep then you’re all good. By the end of that trip I had formed the idea that I wanted a place of my own where I could live closer to nature. I then spent a year volunteering in New Zealand on organic farms through an organization called WWOOF (willing workers on organic farms) – which is brilliant in New Zealand but the Bulgarian branch isn’t up to much. During that trip I learnt a lot about making wine, keeping goats, sheep, pruning fruit trees and a whole lot more. 

Bulgaria just kind of came along, we were looking for cheap land prices and Bulgaria came up on a Google search. We went on a holiday and within a year and a half had bought and paid for our place out here.

Frog Shadow Farm

How easy is it to find and buy land in Bulgaria? Is it much cheaper than the UK? Are the laws significantly different and how did you make sure you didn’t fall fowl of any local legal process?
Finding land and properties out here is incredibly simple as a huge amount of the houses are empty. Lots of the young folk have left the small villages and loads more have moved West in search of their fortune. There’s a few ways you could buy land out here. On-line estate agents are one option, ebay is another but I would recommend just coming out here, looking around the country a bit, finding a village or town you like and asking what’s for sale. Estate agents in my experience will rip you off, we used one and found out that the previous owner received less than half the amount we paid (every ex-pat you speak to has a similar experience). Land is pretty cheap out here roughly £1000 to £2000 an acre depending on whether it’s in a village or not. There are a couple of difficulties out here with buying land. Even though they are a full member of the EU foreign nationals can’t personally own land, you have to register a company then the company buys the land. It’s not too much hassle, once a year you have to pay a solicitor to do your tax return which is very cheap. It would be a good idea to get a lawyer to help you with the documents, in our local town there is a translator that knows all the ins and out of property law who is very reasonable. Officially the laws are much the same as in the UK but from my personal experience they seem much more relaxed, you can do pretty much whatever you like on your own land and no one will bat an eye lid. The whole way of life is slower and more relaxed even when the police pull you over they seem more happy to practice their English than to tell you off. 

Antony scything the wheat

How much land do you have? How is it arranged and what proportions are allotted to vegetables, livestock, building etc
Our whole place is just over one and a half acres. The house, barns, animal area and grape vines take up half an acre. Our vegetable patch is about half an acre where we grow just about everything we eat. Next year I’m going to use a smaller area but grow more intensively. We produce organic grain on 3/4 of an acre for animal feed. We get a local farmer to plant and harvest that for us. The first year we tried to scythe and thresh it by hand but after a couple of days in the blistering heat we decided it’d be much easier to pay a few Levs for a local to come by with his combine. We grow as many extra vegetables as we can for the animals; maze, sunflowers, potatoes and a patch of Jerusalem artichokes for the pigs to dig up in the autumn.

How self-sufficient are you? Can you feed yourself all year round and how do you manage that?
We manage to produce enough food for us to eat all year round. During the summer we eat lots of fresh salads, vegetables, loads of eggs and if we’re lucky a goat or two. When autumn comes we get into preserving mode, some things are jammed, some are dried, others bottled, a fair old whack goes in the deep freeze. A pig or two gets processed into sausages, chops and bottled meat. Potatoes store well in a cool room, pumpkins also last well into spring and certain cultivars will last much longer, leeks keep well into winter too. Of course we’re still learning how to grow and preserve our own food, this is the beginning of our second full year. Saying that, over the first winter we hardly bought any food. Things like sugar, coffee, tea, white flour, and rice are bought in as they’re pretty tricky to produce yourself. All the meat and vegetables we eat are from our own place, most meals are cooked in lard rendered from our pigs in a big pan over a fire, each year we produce a few hundred litres of wine and probably an unhealthy amount of rakia (the Bulgarian name for home brewed brandy).

Collecting grapes for wine

We believe in the law of return, what we take from the soil we put back. We use composting toilets which returns the nutrients we’ve eaten back to the soil, all the animal manure goes on the compost heap, along with any other scraps from the garden. We have people come to stay and help us on the farm, no one can believe how the toilets don’t smell. The system we use is incredibly simple, it’s a collection system, basically a bucket under a toilet seat, you go to the loo like normal then cover your deposit with sawdust, when the bucket’s full you empty it onto your compost heap and cover it with some straw. There’s a great book on the subject called the The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure  by Joseph Jenkins. The book is a surprisingly good read and very informative, you never know it might have you crapping in a bucket one day!

Do you trade with other locals for anything you can’t produce yourself?
We often swap seeds with locals and trade our time in exchange for experience. My neighbour keeps a huge amount of bees (in the region of 300 hives) so when the hives are full to the brim with honey I go down to help with the harvest. I get hands on experience and knowledge from an experienced bee keeper plus a few jars of honey and whenever we need help they’re always willing to lend a hand. We acquired our first bee hive in a barter, I had piglets for sale, so rather than paying all cash took half cash half bees! In another barter we wanted an animal to roast whole in the outdoor oven but our goats hadn’t reached a good enough weight so we went over to a farmer at the end of the village, had a chat and came home with a lamb to be roasted the next day. We’ll give him one of our goats in return when they’re big enough. People out here get by and manage to live with very little money, they can do this by helping each other out.

Whole roast lamb from the outdoor oven

Are the seasons and weather similar to the UK?
The seasons are fairly similar, in Bulgaria we get a spring, summer, autumn and winter but they all more extreme.  Winters are colder, summers are hotter. We get a long summer out here which is great for producing crops but it can get pretty dry so you have to irrigate.  

What livestock do you keep and how do you use them?
We keep pigs, goats, chickens, rabbits and bees. The pigs are great animals, they are the real work horses of our property. We put them out on the land to do the digging for us, they tidy up any crop residue after we harvest and at the same time spread their marvellous fertiliser. The goats are amazingly useful and economic creatures, they provide us with lots of milk, cheese and meat. The nanny goats go out with the village shepherd to graze all day long and come home at the end of every day with udders bulging with milk. Most villages in rural Bulgaria have a shepherd, ours costs 4 Lev (about £1.70)  per animal per month. I wouldn’t be without chickens to produce eggs and meat they also tidy up any spilt grain. Rabbits are not for me. We kept them for a year and a half with mixed success and failure. I’m not a great fan of their meat and they take a fair amount of work to keep them happy so I’m going to stick the whole lot in the freezer.

The Frog Shadow milking goats Primmy and Little-B

Most households in our village have animals, nearly everyone has chickens, most have a few goats or sheep, a lot have a pig or two, lots of people use donkeys or horses and carts for transport. The livestock laws are much the same as anywhere in the EU but people are relaxed about them out here, you can do what you want and no one minds.

What are the biggest benefits of smallholding in Bulgaria and the main disadvantages if any?
There are a lot of advantages of having a smallholding in Bulgaria the main one is that people are still living in traditional ways, every spring you see people out in their fields with horse and plough, early summer every one is out cutting hay and storing it for winter use, people still preserve food using traditional methods, people still know about wild medicinal herbs. Another advantage is you can buy yourself a piece of land and a house for less than the price of a car in the UK. I don’t like the idea of being tied to a mortgage for the rest of my life, I find it hard to believe that a tiny patch of land and a few bricks can be worth 70 odd years work. As it is we own enough land to feed ourselves and have a house to keep us warm.

Learning how to make jarred meat from the locals

Alas there are disadvantages to living out here. The language is very different to English so takes a lot of effort to learn. I can get by speaking to the locals but I’d love to be able to speak fluently. The main disadvantage is that earning money out here is difficult. In the UK if you need some money you can pick up a job for a few months but out here there are very few jobs to be had. Another possible disadvantage is that there are very few young people, the average age of the people in my village is about 60 so within 10 or 20 years I think a lot of the traditional skills and crafts will have died away. It’d be great if people moved back into the small villages to work the land in a sustainable fashion, you can have a great life out here, yes it’s hard work and you’ll never be rich but who cares you’re really living!  

Any advice for those who may be thinking of a similar venture?
I would advise anyone who is thinking of moving out here on a similar venture to spend a month or two travelling around the country to get an idea about where they think would suit them best. I would also avoid estate agents like the plague. True, it may seem harder to find the perfect place without the help of a UK agent but if you come out here and get talking to a few locals they will tell you about all the houses for sale in the village of your choice. I would also recommend thinking hard about an income source, the perfect situation would be to have a small income from outside Bulgaria coming in. Living out here is cheap but you still need money for things like fuel, taxes, tools and maybe the odd emergency. All that aside, life out here is simple, peaceful and much more satisfying. It’s not to everyone’s taste but if you think you might like it you could come and volunteer through one of the many web sites; Helpx, Work Away and Couch Surfing are all sites I’ve used with success. 

I think most of us are aware of the reputation of ragwort as a silent killer that lurks in the paddock ready to kill any horse, goat or pig unfortunate enough to take a nibble. However, the fact is that the amount of ragwort that needs to be ingested to induce irreversible liver damage – the main consequence of ragwort poisoning – is often much higher than you might imagine. Horses and cattle, for example, need to consume somewhere between 5% and 25% of their body weight for effects to be fatal, for goats it can be as much as 400%.

This reputation has permeated deeply and it is not unusual even for councils to misinterpret the law pertaining to this plant and react inappropriately.

The 1959 Weeds Act actually states that:

“(1) Where the Minister of Agriculture Fish and Food (in this act referred to as ‘the Minister’) is satisfied that there are injurious weeds to which this act applies growing upon any land he may serve upon the occupier of the land a notice, to take such action as may be necessary to prevent the weeds from spreading.”

There is nothing in law that actually states you must automatically eradicate this weed from your land, although you may be required to should it become a problem. It doesn’t help that in some legal texts it is described as an injurious weed – this phrase comes from the Latin meaning ‘wrongful’ and actually refers to a ‘detrimental effect on agriculture’, not to its toxicity.

The danger in ragwort comes from the pyrrolizidine alkaloids it contains which, while harmless inside the living plant, when digested and broken down by the liver become toxic. Ragwort is not toxic to humans though handling and is not a food plant so poisoning via ingestion would be very unusual. It is good to remember that there are other flowering plants, notably borage, comfrey and common groundsel that also contain these alkaloids – in fact the figure is almost 3% of flowering plants worldwide.

Unless you have a large patch in your livestock field the dangers are likely to be minimal especially considering that the fresh plant has quite an unpleasant and bitter taste that most animals will avoid. A more likely source of ingestion may be when it is found dried in hay as it is much more palatable in this state.

This is not to say that poisoning doesn’t happen – it does. If you have animals in a field where ragwort is present you would be well advised to take steps to avoid the chance of ingestion as far as possible.

Clinical signs of poisoning include lethargy, anorexia, photosensitivity, diarrhoea, weakness, blindness, belligerence and excess abdominal fluid (ascites)

To control an infestation cutting or pulling the plant out might be your first reaction but this can often lead to a greater problem later on. Pulling is likely to leave root fragments that can each return as individual plants. Cutting stops them setting seed which is, in fact, what kills the plant off. The most effective way to rid your land of ragwort is to enclose the infested area with rabbit proof fencing and let it set seed. This kills the plant and if the ground is generally undisturbed by animal activity – especially the scratching of rabbits – the seeds are unlikely to germinate.

Do bear in mind that ragwort does also have its own important role to play in the environment too. A common pollen producing plant it it vital to a number of eco systems and there are as many as 30 species of invertebrate that are totally dependant on it for food.

Perhaps the best advice if you find ragwort on your land is to consider the options, act accordingly, keep calm and carry on.

For more more detailed research on ragwort visit www.ragwortfacts.com

The bio-secure element of easichick is what makes it unique. Offering near zero counts for moulds, salmonella sp., pseudmonas, aspergillus sp., avian influenza and entero bacteria*, easichick is ideal for nesting boxes as it protects eggs from harmful bacteria. It is also great for hatching eggs.

After testing easichick for several weeks in my own coop I have found that it has several advantages over more traditional litters such as wood shavings. Even though the pack is tightly compacted when sealed, when opened the bedding breaks up readily making it easy to distribute. I have also noticed that because of the way it is shredded it is far less likely to be blown around by the wind than more traditional wood shavings.

Don’t take my word for it though, when we asked champion breeder Bev Nelson about it this is what she had to say:

“easichick is great, it can be trampled on but it doesn’t compact down so it keeps the bedding free and much drier. The time between cleaning out our houses has doubled compared with other types of bedding. It’s made a massive difference to us.”

Award winning breeder Bev Nelson with some of her hens

Bev is a self-taught chicken breeder and still holds down her day job as an optometrist, while running Bev’s Rare Breeds – an at-home chicken keeper’s supplies business she started with her husband Matthew.

“For a breeder bio-security for birds in the early weeks is really important as bacteria can be really harmful. Because easichick is bio-secure it helps protect them from bacteria, it smells clean and stays clean and that’s the best you could want for your birds”.

Bev started winning championship prizes with her birds about four years ago and among her accolades she can boast breeding the National Poultry Show Champion Silkie Bantam in 2011 and the Champion Booted Bantam 2012 and 2013.

Her Croad Langshan also won at the Cheshire Show last year and her Large Croad Langshan also triumphed at the National Federation of Poultry Clubs annual show in 2012.

easichick is available in 10kg bales nationwide. For a list of stockists and further information visit www.easichick.co.uk You can also follow easichick on Facebook and Twitter for news from the company, offers and competitions.

* 20 organisms/gram (Aspergillus); 10 organisms/gram (Entero bacteria); 20 organisms/gram (Moulds); 20 organisms/gram (Pseudomonas); and not detected in 25g (Salmonella).

In the case of humans we took this natural instinct and increasingly refined it. Shelters became more extravagant and mealtimes evolved from merely eating for survival into events and experiences of enormous importance.

Nowadays we have gone way beyond that and a quick trip to the shopping centre or a few clicks online and we can have practically anything we want in double quick time. Due to evolution our survival instinct is now largely redundant but that doesn’t mean that the primal urge to get back to nature isn’t still buried somewhere inside us.

Recently those ancient skill have been brought back into the public conscious by bushcraft experts, such as Ray Mears and Chief Scout Bear Grylls, who’s knowledge and enthusiasm has afforded them an unlikely celebrity status in this everything on-demand world.

Thankfully, if that urge does surface, there are ways to scratch that itch that go beyond the basic; pitch tent, warm up beans on a burner camping trip. Woodland Ways is the UK’s largest provider of bushcraft, survival and country craft courses and boasts award winning instructors and a huge Bushcraft Store in Bedfordshire. The team also work with the mainstream media as well as many local projects to help spread the bushcraft and survival ethos to anyone who is has been bitten by the bug.

Everything you could imagine is catered for and with centres in Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire augmented by other venues both here and abroad there is a mind boggling choice of experiences available. Fancy a 10 day wild bushcraft safari in South Africa, or a 12 day expedition to the Sahara – they do that. Want to learn to make traditional turkey feather arrows or carve a spoon? There are workshops for that too. Whether you are an individual or are running a youth group, corporate team or stag/hen night Woodland Ways will arrange a never to be forgotten experience completely tailored to your needs.

The team’s wealth of experience means that they are always in demand for projects with the media where they provide research, safety advice, survival and craft instruction, venues, presentation and infrastructure services. The BBC, Discovery Channel, Countryfile, Daily Mail, Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine and Talk Business have all benefitted from their expert knowledge.

A short stroll with Kevan Palmer, a senior instructor at Woodland Ways, unearths dozens of edible plants many of which had unexpected tastes, aromas or medicinal uses. The depth of knowledge is encyclopaedic and at Woodland Ways their passion is to share it with you.

Check out the full programme or courses, workshops and services as well as the online store on their website here.

It starts with specific information on essential equipment and how to find your land before moving on to researching your market, raising money for your venture, selling produce, retaining custom and suggestions for diversification. The information is a mixture of facts and the authors experience and reveals several interesting tips on keeping the fundamentals of your business running smoothly.

Particularly useful is the information about the alternatives that are available for both acquisition of land and type of businesses outside of the plain old sole trader or ltd company options

There is also a comprehensive reference section at the end with plenty of contacts for further information.

It’s not a huge tome with the main editorial body running to about 145 pages on the iPad Kindle version I read. It also ended at around 55% of the indicated page count which caught me by surprise. However, it does unearth many useful gems of information and, although there are huge amounts of information available online these days, for those of us that still like the convenience of having it all collated in one handy place the Kindle price of £6.71 is well worth it. This is an enjoyable and encouraging read for anyone considering their own growing business and while it could go into more detail in some areas it generally offers pointers for other resources to fill any gaps.

Author: Kate Collyns
Price (at time of publication): Kindle £6.71, Paperback £8.85
ISBN: (10) 0857841300 (13) 978-0857841308
Publisher: Green Books

Get it here:

A hundred years ago there was something in the order of 2,500 schools growing their own produce. This illustrates perfectly the importance that was placed on agriculture at the time, something that was highlighted further during the Second World War when numbers increased again with livestock beginning to feature more prominently as domestic food production became essential to keep the country running.

Things continued in this vein until the 1980s when the focus in school curriculums changed and, in a drastic turnaround, by 2006 there were fewer than 70 left.

Luckily, before they disappeared completely, the need for a more active and accessible support structure was recognised and the School Farms Network was formed with support from the Department for Education (then Department for Education and Skills) and the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. This network has been the driving force for awareness and ultimately the recent resurgence of the school farm, offering advice and direction for anyone wanting to make the transition. Today the network is growing at the rate of 10 a year and now boast over 100 schools with as many again having expressed an interest in joining.

Of course it’s not as easy as making the decision and doing it. Different schools will have different requirements depending on their current circumstances. Those with strong connections in the agricultural community already will have the advantage of local advice and support, perhaps even funding. Some will be starting with land or buildings ripe for conversion, whilst others will have a blank canvas.

Either way, the School Farms Network can provide advice and support that includes finding a mentor or the specialist advice needed to get you going. They have also produced the Get Your Hands Dirty resource pack which provides a progression route through the key stages such as when to register as an agricultural holding and information regarding livestock transportation as well as guidance on important policy such as the Code of Practice to help prevent zoonoses.

Some schools will be more suitable than others but any school has the potential to join the network whether private, state or schools for children with special needs. Lack of land or difficult locations, lack of experience and lack of funds are often problems that can be solved by talking to other experienced school farmers and learning from their experience.

Ian Egginton-Metters of the SFN suggests “It is important to have a vision which can be shared by colleagues, parents, pupils and the local community, but then be prepared to adapt: start small and build confidence, accept donations (including equipment and feed) that fit the overall plans. Start with ‘easier to manage’ stock such as poultry and only take on stock where more than one person already has direct experience behind them. Many schools start by rearing a few poultry, sometimes in arks or small runs, and build skills, knowledge, experience, and importantly enthusiasm and commitments.” He adds “We would regard a school as running a farm if it had a variety of farm livestock, as opposed to just a few poultry, so there are a number in ‘transition’ to this status. We have some schools with just a handful of sheep, goats and occasionally piglets, through to those with more land, rearing a reasonable flock of sheep, a herd of Devon Red Polls or breeding sows. We have others with arable cropping and everything in between!”

Inspiration and ideas come from many different sources! The first primary school farm, for example, started when the Head heard about a School Farms Network (SFN) event. He decided to come along and see what it was all about (he was initially interested in environmental education); and hasn’t looked back since. The farm is now one of the main attractions (for parents and children alike) to the school. They have even created a new post for an ex-pupil who is now responsible for the day to day activities of the farm and outdoor environment.

Of course on-going support needs to be better for some than others and this is where support from local business is so important. Pretty much all school farms have some links with local business; farmers may supply fodder, cost price hay, or feed (which, if bought in small quantities, would be very expensive) sponsorship and/or advice. Local vets often help, even sitting on the farm committees and agricultural colleges provide advice and even placements. Getting other organisations and businesses involved can also be a great way of expanding the experience. In Kent, for example, school farms are very well supported by the NFYFC which offers advice, training and even the chance to show stock at County Shows, among other things. There are no substitutes for this on-hand local expertise in an emergency and the relationships built are often as fulfilling for the businesses as for the pupils and teachers involved.

Businesses can engage in many ways through donations of materials and equipment, through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) or arranging team development activities to improve the farm sites and even by offering careers/recruitment advice. Others may be able to offer staff or relatives with farming experience, business advice, or tips on sourcing of materials at the best prices. Whatever form it takes all school farms will have examples of how local businesses have supported them.

Clearly the benefits of school farms are manyfold for example, where grazed land doesn’t require contractors to cut the grass; and there are also more wide-ranging benefits such as for those pupils where practical skills come more naturally than classroom learning. Understanding how food is produced, provenance and food quality is very topical and of increasing interest; preparing a meal from food that the pupils have grown and reared themselves; improved general health and well-being by learning outdoors are all notable benefits.

As far as integrating the farms into the curriculum goes, all primary and special schools teachers are encouraged to use the resource, whether for personal & social education, team work, measurements and project work, even religious studies. In secondary schools it depends more on the school, the Head and other teachers, especially now that vocational learning has been downgraded. At present, these qualifications won’t be recognised in school league tables and this can be a problem as some Heads will be concerned about offering qualifications that may not carry the same ‘weight’ as more mainstream subjects – particularly relevant when applying for University places. However, schools do also have obligations to provide ‘awe and wonder’ experiences and its hard to imagine a better way to do this than have young people experience the birth of a lamb, or care for a sick animal. Some school farms have been able to make the farm a ‘whole school resource’; accessible to and used by teachers from all departments. One school has 4 teachers from 4 departments responsible for the farm to ensure that it is used by the whole school with each child in years 7 & 8 spending one hour each week on the farm under their PELTS (Personal Learning and Thinking Skills) programme. Others have an agricultural teacher running the farm who is available for any teacher to help prepare and deliver specific lessons. A few examples are; inspiration for poetry, still life (well, probably moving a little!) drawings and real life feed and growth rates data used through the school intranet for maths and science.

As yet the government has no specific plans to support school farm development. Ian believes that, “It would be useful to have Ofsted visits include the farm as a requirement. It seems, with future food security, tackling obesity and healthier eating high on government agendas, all these issues lend themselves to supporting school farms in delivering against these objectives. However, as yet it is proving difficult to persuade government into providing support. Developing more school farms is critical to us making a bigger impact.”

Pocket Farm, for one, hope that this aim comes to fruition.

For more information on existing School farms or establishing a new one contact Ian Egginton-Metters, Assistant CEO, Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens (FCFCG) & School Farms Network Co-ordinator, c/o 32 Mendip Drive, Frome, Somerset BA11 2HT
Tel/Fax: 01373 302204 Mobile: 07939 230053 Email: ian@farmgarden.org.uk or visit www.schoolfarms.org.uk Please note this is a part-time office, so please allow a few days for a response.

The main Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens office:
The GreenHouse, Hereford Street, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4NA
Tel: 0117 923 1800 Fax: 0117 923 1900 Email: admin@farmgarden.org.uk
Web: www.farmgarden.org.uk
Registered in England as a Limited Company No: 2011023 & Registered Charity No: 294494