Our field

[Polly Fouracre]

Well, we have someone coming on Thursday to begin fencing our field into sheep-sized portions and to make a nice, big pig run. We are going to have eight lambs and four pigs (all destined for the freezer or the market) I have,also ,hatched chicks out in my incubator and hope to be self-sufficient in meat and veg. in a few month's time. (If only vodka grew on trees!) Is anyone else growing their own meat?

[FionaH]

I wish, not even allowed chickens. Sounds like your living the dream Polly, best of luck with it

[jackie j]

Wow Polly good for you I knew you had mentioned doing this but didnt realise it was going ahead. You will have to show me when you have time. I still have those strawberry plants if you want them.

[allotmentlady]

I couldnt kill em lol...........i get too attached, once when i was little my granddad gave a lamb to raise as its mum rejected it......one day i came home from school and he told me that the lamb had gone to be with other lambs, it was years before i found out it was a horrible lie! He had it slaughtered with the others.........I still sniffle at the thought!

[Polly Fouracre]

Wow Polly good for you I knew you had mentioned doing this but didnt realise it was going ahead. You will have to show me when you have time. I still have those strawberry plants if you want them.

Yes please Jackie, if you will p.m. me your address and an evening to suit.

[Polly Fouracre]

I couldnt kill em lol...........i get too attached, once when i was little my granddad gave a lamb to raise as its mum rejected it......one day i came home from school and he told me that the lamb had gone to be with other lambs, it was years before i found out it was a horrible lie! He had it slaughtered with the others.........I still sniffle at the thought!

My daughter-in-law came today to see the chicks and was worried about picking them up and cuddling them. I told her that I would rather take joy in them and pet them, even love them whilst they were young so that they will have the happiest life possible. Their end will be instant, painless and totally stress free and I will be happy to eat them.
Likewise the lambs and pigs will be trained to the bucket so that at the end I will lead them round to the slaughter area and they will not be stressed or afraid at all. If I couldn't do this then I would become a vegan.(Says she before the event!!)

[Glutton4...]

I'm green with envy! Hopefully in a few years' time - I'm a frustrated Smallholder at heart!

[Alison Adams]

But Polly, vodka DOES grow on trees, or near enough ! My dad used to have a still that ran on potato peeling and bran mash or somesuch. He regularly made a clear alcohol from it, many years ago. It can be dangerous, you have to get it right, but if you understand both the engineering to make the still and the science to get the alcohol balance right (which all to do with the temperatures apparently), then you could be self sufficient in that too ! Raspberry flavoured sounds gorgeous, and I dont even drink !

[Polly Fouracre]

But Polly, vodka DOES grow on trees, or near enough ! My dad used to have a still that ran on potato peeling and bran mash or somesuch. He regularly made a clear alcohol from it, many years ago. It can be dangerous, you have to get it right, but if you understand both the engineering to make the still and the science to get the alcohol balance right (which all to do with the temperatures apparently), then you could be self sufficient in that too ! Raspberry flavoured sounds gorgeous, and I dont even drink !

I had instuctions at one time for making a still, I'll search for them!!

[straightline]

Well, we have someone coming on Thursday to begin fencing our field into sheep-sized portions and to make a nice, big pig run. We are going to have eight lambs and four pigs (all destined for the freezer or the market) I have,also ,hatched chicks out in my incubator and hope to be self-sufficient in meat and veg. in a few month's time. (If only vodka grew on trees!) Is anyone else growing their own meat?

I am so, so jealous My wife and I would dearly love to keep some chickens, a few goats, some pigs and have room for a great veggie patch. Polly, enjoy every minute of it!

[vicky]

I have plans for after we have moved... Certainly chickens, plus a turkey or two for christmas. Hubby has put his foot down regarding anything else (for the moment!) but I agree with you that I would be happier to eat your own animals knowing that they have had the best life possible.
How much land are you setting aside for your project?

[Mrs Dobby]

Exactly what we'd love to do ourselves, sooo jealous, but with current planning laws tis almost impossible for us to be able to do it, no land close enough that we could buy and sensibly use, or at least not unless we could live on the land too, hence the petition I set up at Number 10's website, Petition to: create a new class of land use for planning permission, a class of sustainable low impact development land that allows individuals and groups to live on land they own or lease in self build low impact eco homes that are 'off grid', self

[zazen999]

I couldnt kill em lol...........i get too attached, once when i was little my granddad gave a lamb to raise as its mum rejected it......one day i came home from school and he told me that the lamb had gone to be with other lambs, it was years before i found out it was a horrible lie! He had it slaughtered with the others.........I still sniffle at the thought!

Neither can I - I was force fed meat and [eugh] fish as a child and hated it. One day when I was about 8 I came home to find a dead duck in the hall....still makes me cry [sniff sniff].....


However, having a field of your own Polly - how fab!!!!

[bluemoon]

What type of pigs are you planning to keep, Polly? I have a love of Tamworths... One day, perhaps.

[Hilary B]

We kept Tammies for ages, producing crossbred pigs to sell as pork, we made our own bacon as well. We later had a sheep farm for a while but where we were then wasn't suitable for pigs.