This has been really nice reading this thread , much better than Mikes " enough is enough "
I would like a much bigger garden but don't want to move or be tidied down to a small holding which sounds nice but very hard work to me , my Allottment is enough
Always fancied an Orchard thought ! got 4 fruit trees at the Allottment . A small woodland did come up for sale about 8 years ago and was tempted but being at work the time , would never have had time to do anything with it
I think there is a book to be written from your memories Dovefromabove, I only answered earlier regarding the purely practical bits I was picking out. I really should have said how much I'm enjoying reading all the memories being posted up and peoples different perspectives on smallholdings .
Dove, a Tumble, two wheeled tipping cart, we called them rullies, There was a selection of carts some with wings for hay making or harvest and best of all a small gig and pony which I would take to the station to deliver or pick up packages, the lanes were quiet then one car a week or Dad's truck so safe to move along. I still drive those lanes and yes they are lanes with overhanging trees, through woodland and pasture bringing back memories of a wonderful active and adventurous childhood.
Sings to himself, "memories are made of this" happy days.
What a lovely thread, really enjoyed reading this. I dream of a small holding but in reality it will never happen unless we win the lottery. Always wanted to keep horses at home and have chicks
Snap! ginagibbs this thread is a pleasure to read.
Thank you all for the insight into your real lives, aspirations and dreams and the no-nonsense practical advice .
I have always had large gardens, lots of work on upkeep but enjoyable, downsized on retirement to give the opportunity to travel. However, I'm hankering after something bigger than this present garden, much as I love it and the house - ideally located close to all services. I now have an allotment and I hear the talk of orchards. Hmm, thinks, maybe a small one on this allotment site one day.
Frank, your post has reminded my OH of his living on the farm, he said as soon as they were old enough or big enough to ride a 2 wheeled bike, they were sent out to get the cows in, usually aged about 5/6, they cycled up the road and drove the cows back, mum milked by hand and dad carried or rolled the churns up to the road. His mum made the clotted cream, they were given the remainder to drink and the kids hated it. It was like a little dream farm in a very remote village in Devon, no mod cons when they went there, no loo or bath his dad dug a well.
It was terribly hard work to make a living but his dad gradually built it up and its quite a big farm now, all organic.
Its run by one of the brothers with the other 4 jointly owning the land.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Lyn that's quite a triumph keeping the farm in the family, gaining organic status and improving the viability like that. Milk churns on the stand by the gate at the end of the lane - that takes me back
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Lyn, no bikes we walked. The Farm was called Welly Hill not because we had to wear them, because we had deep wells with windmills to pump up the water. There had been Quarries on the land at one time and we had natural warrens of rabbits in the quarries, Aunt Mabel would say go get three rabbits for the pie, shoot them in the head I do not want lead in the pie? The land was quite uneven in places and the top meadows were up a hill, so walk up, they would be waiting at the gate and the lead cow would belt any upstart young cow who tried to pass her as we all ambled back down to the byre. They all knew their own stall and woe betide any cow trying to get in the wrong one, we had to break up a few set to's and they can be quite fierce with each other. The milking machine was portable my job a bucket of warm soapy water to wash the teat then rinse for the machine to be attached and what a lot of people do not know is a cow can kick forward with its back legs and often did, painful. The metal churns filled and rolled off a loading dock onto a cart then taken to the gate and off the cart onto a raised platform for the collecting driver to roll onto his truck and away to the dairy. Some of the milk was delivered locally by putting a churn on the gig and with several metal measures, a Gill, Half or Pint milk would be served into the house wives own container usually a jug. Only a gill today Arthur I cannot afford more, Pint and a half Arthur please it is rice pudding day, going around with that delivery taught you a lot about the village.
There is a saying in Yorkshire, "Strong "o" the arm weak "o" the head" taking on a small holding these days of rules and regulation plus H&S for everything I would guess that to be true or you are young fit and have a bottomless coffer.
Posts
This has been really nice reading this thread , much better than Mikes " enough is enough "
I would like a much bigger garden but don't want to move or be tidied down to a small holding which sounds nice but very hard work to me , my Allottment is enough
Always fancied an Orchard thought ! got 4 fruit trees at the Allottment . A small woodland did come up for sale about 8 years ago and was tempted but being at work the time , would never have had time to do anything with it
I think there is a book to be written from your memories Dovefromabove,
I only answered earlier regarding the purely practical bits I was picking out. I really should have said how much I'm enjoying reading all the memories being posted up and peoples different perspectives on smallholdings 
.
Dove, a Tumble, two wheeled tipping cart, we called them rullies, There was a selection of carts some with wings for hay making or harvest and best of all a small gig and pony which I would take to the station to deliver or pick up packages, the lanes were quiet then one car a week or Dad's truck so safe to move along. I still drive those lanes and yes they are lanes with overhanging trees, through woodland and pasture bringing back memories of a wonderful active and adventurous childhood.
Sings to himself, "memories are made of this" happy days.
Frank.
What a lovely thread, really enjoyed reading this. I dream of a small holding but in reality it will never happen unless we win the lottery. Always wanted to keep horses at home and have chicks
Snap! ginagibbs
this thread is a pleasure to read.
Thank you all for the insight into your real lives, aspirations and dreams and the no-nonsense practical advice .
I have always had large gardens, lots of work on upkeep but enjoyable, downsized on retirement to give the opportunity to travel. However, I'm hankering after something bigger than this present garden, much as I love it and the house - ideally located close to all services. I now have an allotment and I hear the talk of orchards. Hmm, thinks, maybe a small one on this allotment site one day.
some fab stories here
i would love a small holding. Sadly my need to work keeps me from it, but given the chance, I'd be there like a shot. I live in hope!
Orchards ,
Frank, your post has reminded my OH of his living on the farm, he said as soon as they were old enough or big enough to ride a 2 wheeled bike, they were sent out to get the cows in, usually aged about 5/6, they cycled up the road and drove the cows back, mum milked by hand and dad carried or rolled the churns up to the road. His mum made the clotted cream, they were given the remainder to drink and the kids hated it. It was like a little dream farm in a very remote village in Devon, no mod cons when they went there, no loo or bath his dad dug a well.
It was terribly hard work to make a living but his dad gradually built it up and its quite a big farm now, all organic.
Its run by one of the brothers with the other 4 jointly owning the land.
Lyn that's quite a triumph keeping the farm in the family, gaining organic status and improving the viability like that. Milk churns on the stand by the gate at the end of the lane - that takes me back
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Lyn, no bikes we walked. The Farm was called Welly Hill not because we had to wear them, because we had deep wells with windmills to pump up the water. There had been Quarries on the land at one time and we had natural warrens of rabbits in the quarries, Aunt Mabel would say go get three rabbits for the pie, shoot them in the head I do not want lead in the pie? The land was quite uneven in places and the top meadows were up a hill, so walk up, they would be waiting at the gate and the lead cow would belt any upstart young cow who tried to pass her as we all ambled back down to the byre. They all knew their own stall and woe betide any cow trying to get in the wrong one, we had to break up a few set to's and they can be quite fierce with each other. The milking machine was portable my job a bucket of warm soapy water to wash the teat then rinse for the machine to be attached and what a lot of people do not know is a cow can kick forward with its back legs and often did, painful. The metal churns filled and rolled off a loading dock onto a cart then taken to the gate and off the cart onto a raised platform for the collecting driver to roll onto his truck and away to the dairy. Some of the milk was delivered locally by putting a churn on the gig and with several metal measures, a Gill, Half or Pint milk would be served into the house wives own container usually a jug. Only a gill today Arthur I cannot afford more, Pint and a half Arthur please it is rice pudding day, going around with that delivery taught you a lot about the village.
There is a saying in Yorkshire, "Strong "o" the arm weak "o" the head" taking on a small holding these days of rules and regulation plus H&S for everything I would guess that to be true or you are young fit and have a bottomless coffer.
Frank.