All about life on the smallholding
Learn about our life on our smallholding in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
Animals
I have a variety of animals on my six-acre smallholding, which include three micro pigs called Dotty, Dolly and Huxley, five pygmy goats called Peewee, Gurt, Sweetpea, Bonnie and Clyde, three miniature Mediterranean donkeys called Jasper, George and Flynn, a couple of miniature Shetland ponies called Chief (who really is the boss) and Jo-Jo. In 2020, I introduced Joan and Jett to the smallholding, two beautiful, friendly Valais Blacknose Sheep who are currently running with the ram and will hopefully have lambs in early 2024. A friend gifted me two gorgeous bottle-fed lambs in 2023: a wether called Kevin and a beautiful ewe called Kerry. These two didn’t have the best start in life when their mothers rejected them, but with a lot of love and care (and evenings in front of the fire watching television), they are now thriving! I also have a small flock of chickens who produce the most delicious eggs.
Produce
Living 1000 feet above sea level with very strong winds, I am limited in certain things. Having a greenhouse is one of these limitations – it would quite simply blow away! Therefore, I tend to plant vegetable ‘plugs’ rather than sow seeds as I have much more success with these in the harsh climate in Yorkshire. I have had success with a variety of vegetable crops, including carrots, cabbages, leeks, onions, potatoes, sprouts, peas and beans.
I planted a small orchard of fruit trees in the first year of living in the house, and I am hoping to reap the rewards soon with a harvest which includes apples, pears, cherries, plums and greengages. Soft fruits such as raspberries have also been planted along with rhubarb.
Home decor
Whilst the house renovations were challenging as they were on a huge scale -every single room in the house was ripped out and transformed – choosing the décor has been a dream come true! I absolutely love interior design, and I have an eye for detail. I can visualise things from an early stage, and this gives me time to plan and search for the pieces I want. Pulling everything together is the most satisfying part of a renovation, and I have enjoyed transforming two very tired, unloved properties into warm, welcoming and beautiful homes.
Working with old properties has its own challenges. My main home dates back to 1691, and my Welsh property is circa 1800s and built using traditional materials; therefore, consideration needed to be given to things such as the types of paint that could be used in addition to restoring the properties in a sympathetic manner. An old converted barn can still have fantastic entertaining areas if it is done well!
Country living
Embracing the countryside is all about enjoying the outdoors. The British weather doesn’t always make this easy, but with a little thought and a lot of imagination, even rainy days in Yorkshire can be enjoyable!
A Shepherd’s hut is an ideal way of enjoying the outdoor weather, even on cold, wet days. Stoke up the hut’s log burner, pour yourself a glass of bubbly and cosy up with a good book.
I enjoy being outside as much as I love being indoors, and each season brings new ideas. I love to think of new ways to decorate my home for the holidays, with Christmas, Easter and Halloween being particularly good for this.
My passions
Animal care and wellbeing
Before buying any animal, whether it be a dog or a cat, then you must do your research. You need to know what caring for a pet really entails and ask yourself if you have the time, energy and funds to devote to looking after a pet. When buying animals on the scale of a smallholding, you need to ask yourself these questions over and over again. Caring for a domestic pet needs commitment; however, caring for animals such as sheep, horses, donkeys, pigs, and goats in all weathers requires a dedication you may never have imagined. If there are three feet of snow outside, it may be fine for you to let your dog into the back garden for ten minutes rather than take him on a long walk, but farm animals will still need tending to and, in the harsh winter months this care is even more important for their welfare.
In addition to commitment, you will need the services of a good vet, a farrier, a shearer, a feed and bedding merchant and a whole host of knowledge. Be prepared to attend classes to learn the basics of animal husbandry and spend any spare time with your head in a manual!
Self sufficiency
Anyone can enjoy the idea of a smallholding. It can be far from the scale of farming and need not involve acres of land. Vegetables grown in containers, dwarf fruit trees grown on the patio and a few chickens in the garden can be enjoyed by just about everyone.
Championing farming
Buy local and buy well! There are a number of ways that everyone can champion local farming, such as shopping at local farmer’s markets and ordering food from local farms. If you have to shop at a supermarket, make sure you check the labels so that you are aware of where the produce has been grown and how. Buy the best that you can afford and, in order to keep costs down, eat seasonal produce.
Rural living
One of the first things I did when I moved into my six-acre smallholding was to plant a wildlife walkway around its perimeter. Over 1500 shrubs, including willow, hazel, holly, field maple and wild cherry were planted. In the first year, this walkway had already given shelter to wild rabbits and hedgehogs and provided a safe habitat for ground nesting birds such as Lapwings and Curlews. I have spotted nests of pheasants’ eggs and have the pleasure of knowing that this walkway, once established, will provide more and more wildlife with a safe place to live and, hopefully, breed.
In addition to the walkway, I also planted several coppices around the acreage. In years to come, when these trees become established, they, too, will provide shelter and housing to an array of wildlife. The coppices comprise a variety of trees including Mountain Ash, Crab Apple, Silver Birch, Beech, Flowering Cherry, Alder and Maple.