I'm not really sure what constitutes a "smallholder", but I'm trying to
gather together a list of websites relating to growing fruit & veg,
keeping livestock and anything else that might be useful (a Dummies Guide
to Hedge-laying might come in rather handy in the near future, for
instance).

Any smallholders reading this group and care to own up? Care to post
(or email) sites you find useful?

James

The message
from James Fidell contains these words:

I'm not really sure what constitutes a "smallholder", but I'm trying to
gather together a list of websites relating to growing fruit & veg,
keeping livestock and anything else that might be useful (a Dummies Guide
to Hedge-laying might come in rather handy in the near future, for
instance).

Any smallholders reading this group and care to own up? Care to post
(or email) sites you find useful?

I used to be a smallholder, but I'm a bit bigger now.....

This is really the place to ask any questions.

Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

James Fidell wrote in
:


Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

Some of the property we're buying has some overgrown traditional hedges.
It would be nice to remake those if at all possible. I'd also like to
disguise some of the stockproof fencing around the rest of the land with
traditional hedges wherever possible -- perhaps even completely replace
it if I can do a good enough job.

This site: http://www.hedgelayer.freeserve.co.uk/ I found very useful for
refreshing my rather old knowledge last time I had to do it.

Run by a nice bloke too: I sent him a thankyou email.

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Janet Baraclough.. wrote:

Technically it's land that's registered as a smallholding (one step
down from agricultural land). Our last place was registered, from many
years before we acquired it, and every year I had to fill in a Scottish
Office return about the land use, livestock and labour etc. In practice,
lots of people who have upwards of an acre and produce some of their own
food, call it a smallholding although its not registered.

There is no technical definition of a smallholding (at least, not in
England and Wales - Scotland may well be different). All agricultural
land should be registered as a holding (size immaterial) and will be
given a holding number. If livestock is kept, the land *must* be
registered as a holding. The definition I like best (because it defines
it better, not because there is anything wrong with other definitions)
is "a holding of less than 50 acres".


Hedgelaying..try local conservation groups etc; they often want
volunteers and will teach you how. I wouldn't rely on a hedge for
keeping stock inside your boundaries, though.

I agree. The best book, IMHO, (called "Hedging, a practical handbook")
is published by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. ISBN 0
946752 17 6.

--
Howard Neil

In article , Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

I used to be a smallholder, but I'm a bit bigger now.....

This is really the place to ask any questions.

I'm assuming it's not *really* the right place if the question relates
to animals. Not unless it's about stopping cats crapping in your
garden, anyhow

Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

Some of the property we're buying has some overgrown traditional hedges.
It would be nice to remake those if at all possible. I'd also like to
disguise some of the stockproof fencing around the rest of the land with
traditional hedges wherever possible -- perhaps even completely replace
it if I can do a good enough job.

James

The message
from James Fidell contains these words:

I'm not really sure what constitutes a "smallholder", but I'm trying to
gather together a list of websites relating to growing fruit & veg,
keeping livestock and anything else that might be useful (a Dummies Guide
to Hedge-laying might come in rather handy in the near future, for
instance).

Any smallholders reading this group and care to own up? Care to post
(or email) sites you find useful?

Technically it's land that's registered as a smallholding (one step
down from agricultural land). Our last place was registered, from many
years before we acquired it, and every year I had to fill in a Scottish
Office return about the land use, livestock and labour etc. In practice,
lots of people who have upwards of an acre and produce some of their own
food, call it a smallholding although its not registered.

Hedgelaying..try local conservation groups etc; they often want
volunteers and will teach you how. I wouldn't rely on a hedge for
keeping stock inside your boundaries, though.

For general stuff you could look through the archives of
alt.permaculture, at www.google/groups, but bear in mind that the
contributors are sometimes talking about conditions in other parts of
the world.

Janet

I think it would be an idea to start at this site.
http://www.nqsouthern.com/digitalpub...tions/?dpid=29

You don't say what part of the country you are.
There are several regional shows for Smallholders see 2003 show guide
http://www.nqsouthern.com/digitalpub...rticle_id=1818



--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

If you mechanically cut a hedge, you end up with a hedge that's bare
or leggy at the bottom and topheavy at the top. A hedge like that won't
keep out wind or animals. Laying it maintains an even thickness from
ground level to the top, which is a better windbreak, wildlife habitat,
and barrier to dogs/children etc.

Janet

James Fidell wrote in
:


Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

Some of the property we're buying has some overgrown traditional hedges.
It would be nice to remake those if at all possible. I'd also like to
disguise some of the stockproof fencing around the rest of the land with
traditional hedges wherever possible -- perhaps even completely replace
it if I can do a good enough job.

This site: http://www.hedgelayer.freeserve.co.uk/ I found very useful for
refreshing my rather old knowledge last time I had to do it.

Run by a nice bloke too: I sent him a thankyou email.

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Janet Baraclough.. wrote:

Technically it's land that's registered as a smallholding (one step
down from agricultural land). Our last place was registered, from many
years before we acquired it, and every year I had to fill in a Scottish
Office return about the land use, livestock and labour etc. In practice,
lots of people who have upwards of an acre and produce some of their own
food, call it a smallholding although its not registered.

There is no technical definition of a smallholding (at least, not in
England and Wales - Scotland may well be different). All agricultural
land should be registered as a holding (size immaterial) and will be
given a holding number. If livestock is kept, the land *must* be
registered as a holding. The definition I like best (because it defines
it better, not because there is anything wrong with other definitions)
is "a holding of less than 50 acres".


Hedgelaying..try local conservation groups etc; they often want
volunteers and will teach you how. I wouldn't rely on a hedge for
keeping stock inside your boundaries, though.

I agree. The best book, IMHO, (called "Hedging, a practical handbook")
is published by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. ISBN 0
946752 17 6.

--
Howard Neil

The message
from James Fidell contains these words:
In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades wrote:

I used to be a smallholder, but I'm a bit bigger now.....

This is really the place to ask any questions.

I'm assuming it's not *really* the right place if the question relates
to animals. Not unless it's about stopping cats crapping in your
garden, anyhow

Well, a lot of animal-related questions could be put in
uk.business.agriculture - they're a helpful lot.

However, many Urglers keep or have kept livestock.

Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

Some of the property we're buying has some overgrown traditional hedges.

My advice would be that wherever possible you cut them to an 'A' form,
as this affords the best habitat for the largest number of species.

It would be nice to remake those if at all possible. I'd also like to
disguise some of the stockproof fencing around the rest of the land with
traditional hedges wherever possible -- perhaps even completely replace
it if I can do a good enough job.

I approve of hedges - I had getting along for a mile of them on my 24
acre holding. You might like to consider the East Anglian tradition of
planting fruit trees at intervals along the hedges.

laying a hedge should make it stockproof, but goats (especially) will
kill it by eating it and barking it. Sheep are only a little better.

To do a really good job on laying takes many years. Properly done, the
hedge is cut down and allowed to regrow, and the one and two-year shoots
(where necessary) have a V of less than 90° cut out of the half of the
stem on the side you intend laying to, so that you can close the cut
right up.

| | ________
| / /
| \ | \-------
| | | |

Some uprights are left to weave the horizontals through, and these are
later dealt with the same way and are tied in to cap the hedge.

HTH

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Janet Baraclough.. wrote in
:

The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

If you mechanically cut a hedge, you end up with a hedge that's bare
or leggy at the bottom and topheavy at the top. A hedge like that won't
keep out wind or animals. Laying it maintains an even thickness from
ground level to the top, which is a better windbreak, wildlife habitat,
and barrier to dogs/children etc.

It still takes a long time.

I lay my own garden hedges, but you'd need a lot of time and/or help
available to maintain all the hedges on a small farm that way: most people
won't have that, and will at most lay the odd one which has been
particularly neglected and needs thickening up, relying on a mechnical
cutter to do the rest.

The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

If you mechanically cut a hedge, you end up with a hedge that's bare
or leggy at the bottom and topheavy at the top. A hedge like that won't
keep out wind or animals. Laying it maintains an even thickness from
ground level to the top, which is a better windbreak, wildlife habitat,
and barrier to dogs/children etc.

Janet

The message
from James Fidell contains these words:
In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades wrote:

I used to be a smallholder, but I'm a bit bigger now.....

This is really the place to ask any questions.

I'm assuming it's not *really* the right place if the question relates
to animals. Not unless it's about stopping cats crapping in your
garden, anyhow

Well, a lot of animal-related questions could be put in
uk.business.agriculture - they're a helpful lot.

However, many Urglers keep or have kept livestock.

Why do you want to lay a hedge? (I have my reasons for asking...)

Some of the property we're buying has some overgrown traditional hedges.

My advice would be that wherever possible you cut them to an 'A' form,
as this affords the best habitat for the largest number of species.

It would be nice to remake those if at all possible. I'd also like to
disguise some of the stockproof fencing around the rest of the land with
traditional hedges wherever possible -- perhaps even completely replace
it if I can do a good enough job.

I approve of hedges - I had getting along for a mile of them on my 24
acre holding. You might like to consider the East Anglian tradition of
planting fruit trees at intervals along the hedges.

laying a hedge should make it stockproof, but goats (especially) will
kill it by eating it and barking it. Sheep are only a little better.

To do a really good job on laying takes many years. Properly done, the
hedge is cut down and allowed to regrow, and the one and two-year shoots
(where necessary) have a V of less than 90° cut out of the half of the
stem on the side you intend laying to, so that you can close the cut
right up.

| | ________
| / /
| \ | \-------
| | | |

Some uprights are left to weave the horizontals through, and these are
later dealt with the same way and are tied in to cap the hedge.

HTH

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Janet Baraclough.. wrote in
:

The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

I'm not a smallholder though. I just have some hedges. If I *were* a
smallholder I think I'd get them mechanically cut: it's an awfully slow
process if you have hedge surrounding several acres to face.

If you mechanically cut a hedge, you end up with a hedge that's bare
or leggy at the bottom and topheavy at the top. A hedge like that won't
keep out wind or animals. Laying it maintains an even thickness from
ground level to the top, which is a better windbreak, wildlife habitat,
and barrier to dogs/children etc.

It still takes a long time.

I lay my own garden hedges, but you'd need a lot of time and/or help
available to maintain all the hedges on a small farm that way: most people
won't have that, and will at most lay the odd one which has been
particularly neglected and needs thickening up, relying on a mechnical
cutter to do the rest.