| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| madmonk |
I need helpOk had a few laughs on this site but for a change I need to be serious, anybody out there know of a good smallholder/downsizer course I can go on. it won't be long before we go to France and I want to do things right , the growing bit is no problem but if we are keeping animals I would like to think that we can look after them properly. ta R |
| Nanny |
not knowing where you are...........
i know there are courses advertised in the country small holder magazines or you could contact your local smallholders society and see if they know of any mr nanny and i did two at the local agricultural college as a result of being in our smallholders society, pigs and sheep it was great fun and we learned an awful lot that has stood us in good stead for the life we have found ourselves leading......... |
| hardworkinghippy |
Once you are in France Madmonk (don't come over specially!), you can book a week with us.
What are you intending to do in France? |
| wellington womble |
What about wwoofing (working weekends on organic farms) enables you to get practical experience under your belt now. I'm guessing most places will charge you an arm and a leg. Also what do you want to do, especially? Growing stuff to eat is largely a matter of looking it upp in a book, looking at the ground, realising they are not the same, planting stuff anyway and picking it up as you go along. Mistakes are rarely costly, and distressing only to you if you do your back in digging. You probably don't need a course. Lambing, on the other hand, is a bit different, and you probably do, unless you grew up on a sheep farm.
I wonder how many people do pick (make?!) it up as they go along, and how many have been on proper courses. |
| dpack |
here will help 
dont know about courses |
| Lozzie |
You could spend your money on worse things than a set of Katie Thear books.
She writes really well, in my opinion. Where in the UK are you, Madmonk? |
| barefoot_boo |
I'd strongly recommend a permaculture course. See http://www.permaculture.org.uk/mm.asp?mmfile=education
hth boo |
| Silas |
Rodbaston College here in Stafford does a lot of this sort of thing, where are you? |
| madmonk |
Thanks for your replies we are in Northampton, but will travel if neccessary, thanks again. |
| gil |
Try the local agricultural college to see what (short) courses are available. The uni/college I go to (Aberdeenshire) will let local smallholders onto the practical livestock sessions - we had someone who joined us at Easter for the lambing management course. Would yours do something similar ?
Also, there are a couple of places that do short pig-keeping courses : try searching in the Livestock forum (think tehre was a thread about 18 months ago), cos I can't remember the names. And wwoofing would also be useful. |