Smallholder | Editor's Blog

Question - Is it possible to accurately measure an acre?

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Answer Originally an acre was what it was thought a man and a beast could plough in one day – though it would have been exhausting in some conditions. I think I would rather have lived on sandy land!

HOW NOT TO MAKE MILLIONS - but still enjoy a rich rural life

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:14:03 +0000

Alan McDonald currently resident on his rural property near Juncal do Campo in the Castelo Branco area of Portugal has published “HOW NOT TO MAKE MILLIONS – but still enjoy a rich rural life” a book of over 250 pages that describes how he reached his goal of being a farmer despite frequently having been told it was not possible because he did not have the money needed to do so. The book goes on to give the reader the decades of experience and wealth of knowledge acquired by the author in England, Australia, Scotland and Portugal.

Hands and feet in the soil - thoughts for December

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:04:22 +0000

I’ve recently returned from a week in Holland where I was privileged to go with our local secondary school as a helper. And what has this to do with smallholding you are wondering? From the moment we left the ferry at the Hook of Holland I was getting increasingly excited about the excellent welfare of the Dutch livestock. Field after field of goats were not only loose in the field (no tethering) but also had houses on stilts and a selection of play things in their field, logs, platforms and so on.

Editor's view

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:32:59 +0100

September has always been one of my favourite month’s even though I was not over keen on school. Since the burden of returning to school was lifted many, many years ago I have been able to embrace September whole heartedly. Even though I know that winter is just around the corner, that the bright berries are forewarning dark days, still I revel in September with its unexpectedly warm days and crisp mornings. The nights are drawing in but not so much to make life difficult, the reverse in fact. By 8pm the livestock is finished and there is an hour or so to enjoy the evening unlike the breathless haste of summer when I finally come indoors around ten at night and wonder what to eat.

September editor's welcome

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:57:12 +0100

Editor's welcome

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:12:41 +0100

“A dry May and a dripping June, brings the harvest in real soon" “Grass never grows, when the wind blows"