Anglesey Smallholder

Today I decided to make a simple slate plaque for my sheep’s house.  The process was very easy.  I will probably redo it at some point with a better picture!  I used an old broken roofing slate.

First, cut the slate to the size and shape you want.  I started off using a hacksaw, then remembered that I have a jigsaw and finished cutting it using that.  Mark the cuts using a ruler and pencile, then slowly cut along the lines.  Use a set-square to make sure that the corners are true right-angles.

If you’re using a jigsaw, make sure you choose a fine-toothed blade, set it on a medium speed, and go slowly and carefully.  When you are cutting wear goggles and a mask – the dust is quite fine and you don’t want to be breathing it in.

When you have finished cutting out your shape, draw your picture on it with a pencil.  Hopefully you have more artistic talent than I do!

When you’ve finished drawing, fit an engraving bit to your miniature drill, and start going over your lines.  An engraving bit looks like a small sphere.  Again, use a medium speed setting.

I found that the best way to use the engraving bit was to hold the drill at a 45 degree angle to the workpiece and drag the bit back towards the body of the drill, not to do sideways strokes like you would with a pencil.

Once you’ve finished engraving, wash it off with water and admire your work!  Make the cuts nice and deep so they stand out.  I might paint in them to make it stand out better.

Use a drill to make a hole for mounting it, and you’re done!

I’ve just returned from a trip to Bethesda, to pick up two books that were offered on the Freecycle Network.

Freecycle is a way of passing on things you no longer need.  Rather than throwing away your unwanted items or letting them fill up space in your loft, you simply give them away to those who want them.  The whole process is entirely free: joining is free, offering items is free, and all items are given away for free.

To offer an item you no longer want, you simply send an e-mail to the group.  To claim an item that somebody else has offered, you just reply to their e-mail.  If you are successful (more than one person may request the item, in which case it is up to the item’s owner to decide who gets it.  Normally in this situation, they just choose one person at random), then the item’s owner will give you their address, and you just go over and pick it up.

When I first moved into this house I was very short on furniture.  I got a set of drawers and n old table on Freecycle.  They weren’t great, but they were free and did the job until I could afford something better.

There are local freecycle groups all over the country (and the world).  Click the picture below if you want to find out more,  or find your local group.

Egg shells make a good breakfast. Not for me, of course, but for the chickens themselves.

Chickens need grit in their diet so they can produce their egg shells. Without sufficient grit, they’ll produce soft shelled eggs – very strange and squidgy things. A useful source of grit for egg shells is – egg shells!

Whenever I use an egg, I place the broken shell into a bowl and save them until the bowl is full. (Don’t worry, they don’t smell bad.) Once I have enough shells, they are baked in the oven to sterilize them.  I just put them in a roasting tin in the bottom whenever I’m cooking something else in the oven – or I leave them in the Aga if it’s on.  When they have finished baking, I crush them by putting them in a carrier bag and beating them with whatever is to hand.

The crushed shells are mixed in with the chicken’s feed. They eat most of it, and it keeps their shells healthy and hard!

Hi, and welcome to my blog.

In spring 2008, I moved from London to the isle of Anglesey, North Wales. I left behind the small yet ridiculously expensive flat in the city, and bought my very own smallholding in the countryside.

I’ve always loved the countryside. I never planned to move to London, but that is where much of the work is, and so I had to go. I didn’t enjoy living in the city, and being out here is a wonderful improvement. I have as much space as I could ever want, clean air, privacy, and the opportunity to own my house rather than rent.

I have no farming experience at all. Nobody in my family owns any animals beyond a dog or cat, nobody is an expert at DIY or a mechanic, and sadly, nobody is a millionaire. However, my parents live nearby and have given me invaluable help. My mum is a keen gardener, and her knowledge will certainly be useful once we start trying to grow some vegetables. While my dad is not an expert at DIY, an extra pair of hands is always useful. They have already given me many many hours of assistance with painting and redecorating the house, and repairs to the exterior.

My biggest worry is caring for the animals. Having no experience, I may not be able to spot the early signs of illness or injury. Caring for farm animals is also made more difficult by the fact that they are less tame – it’s rather difficult to catch them to check their health, and chasing them around is likely to make things worse. I’m also unfortunately extremely shy – just making a telephone call is an ordeal, especially if it is something I am unfamiliar with. Things like buying feed, bedding, or finding a vet… it’s difficult for me.

Still, I will try my best. Whether it leads to success or failure, I hope you will join me on the journey.