Smallholding Courses » BESPOKE SMALLHOLDING COURSES

Fully inclusive bespoke smallholder skills holiday in France

The Good Life in France — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:50:50 +0000

The skills and activities listed below can be combined to make a holiday focused on what you want to learn. With a minimum for 4 participants we will design a course for the number of days and covering the areas you specify. If, however, you would like to join one of our regular weeks you will still have significant say in the content of your holiday.

Sausage Making, Bacon Making, Ham Curing, Smoking, Home Dairying, Preserves, Brewing, Bread Making, Workshop, Grow Your Own, Keeping Chickens, Beekeeping, Soap Making, Whole Pig Processing, Mushrooming and Cockling.

For more information www.thegoodlifeinfrance.com .

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: The Good Life in France
View the original article for contact information and more images: Fully inclusive bespoke smallholder skills holiday in France
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Bespoke smallholding courses in Devon

SOUTH YEO FARM WEST — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:34:24 +0000

Origin of Content: Smallholding Courses

Our smallholder courses have received the most stunning feedback, and people keep coming back for more, so we know that we deliver the goods. But sometimes your timetable might not suit available dates or you may want some very focussed attention to get you up to speed even more quickly than is possible on a shared course, so we offer bespoke courses that are absolutely tailormade to your interests. It may be for an individual, a couple, a small group of friends or a team of co-workers just setting out on keeping livestock and running a smallholding. Whatever your circumstances, if we have the skills we can pull together a day created especially for you. You may also prefer doing one of our existing courses, but on your own or with a partner or friend or colleague. The range of topics we cover include (but are not limited to):

all the legal ins and outs of keeping livestock
animal housing
pigs for beginners
sheep for beginners
poultry and waterfowl
cattle for beginners
keeping cattle on organic systems
choosing your livestock
land management
animal health and welfare
fencing
equipment, tools and tractors
encouraging wildlife
preserving and using your produce
orchard management
vegetable growing
costings - can I make it pay?
the realities of running a smallholding
DIY websites for smallholders, farmers and small businesses
and more

Depending on the size of your group, the total cost may not be much more expensive per person than our core courses, and we cost each bespoke course individually once we understand your requirements and the time necessary for delivery. For one day courses the cost is £350, and £500 for a bespoke cattle day, but we can do half days or two day courses as required. To discuss further, please contact us and you can be sure that we will be delighted to shape a day or a weekend (or more) that gives you exactly what you need. If you are fairly local, we're also happy to spend time with you on your own land, looking at how you might make the best of your facilities and land.

"I always feel slightly invincible after spending a day with you, like I can achieve anything!"

"Many thanks for organising such a first class training event yesterday. You could not have found a more attractive setting...we returned feeling more knowledgeable and confident in what we have let ourselves in for." JW Essex.

"We did not just have a good day with you, we had a truly fantastic day! I really feel like we have been lucky to find you, you are exactly what I have been looking for by way of mentors and teachers, and hopefully friends for many years to come." GB, Devon

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: SOUTH YEO FARM WEST
View the original article for contact information and more images: Bespoke smallholding courses in Devon
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Bespoke smallholding courses

SOUTH YEO FARM WEST — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:38:59 +0000

Origin of Content: Smallholding Courses

"Many thanks for organising such a first class training event yesterday. You could not have found a more attractive setting...we returned feeling more knowledgeable and confident in what we have let ourselves in for." JW Essex. "We did not just have a good day with you, we had a truly fantastic day! I really feel like we have been lucky to find you, you are exactly what I have been looking for by way of mentors and teachers, and hopefully friends for many years to come." GB, Devon

Throughout the year we run a variety of smallholder courses on our 108 acre Devon farm, and have received the most stunning feedback, and people keep coming back for more, so we know that we deliver the goods. But sometimes your timetable might not suit available dates or you may want some very focussed attention to get you up to speed even more quickly than is possible on a shared course. So for the last couple of years we have designed and delivered bespoke courses that are absolutely tailormade to your interests. It may be for an individual, a couple, a small group of friends or a team of co-workers just setting out on keeping livestock and running a smallholding. Whatever your circumstances, if we have the skills we will pull together a day especially made for you. The range of topics we can cover include (but are not limited to):

all the legal ins and outs
animal housing
rearing and breeding pigs
managing and breeding sheep
poultry and waterfowl
keeping cattle
choosing your livestock
land management
fencing
Entry and Higher Level Stewardship
encouraging wildlife
preserving and using your produce
orchard management
vegetable growing
animal health and welfare
costings
and more

Depending on the size of your group, the total cost may not be much more expensive per person than our core courses, but we do cost each bespoke course individually once we understand your requirements. To discuss further, please contact Debbie Kingsley debbie@smallholdertraining.co.uk or call us on 01837 810569.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: SOUTH YEO FARM WEST
View the original article for contact information and more images: Bespoke smallholding courses
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Introduction to Smallholding (Smallholding while working full-time and raising a family)

Mike Whyte — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:09:19 +0000

Origin of Content: Smallholding Courses

Course running June 23rd, 2012. Other dates on request.

Do you:
• want to progress your dream of smallholding towards a reality?
• want to know more about smallholding before taking the plunge?
• want to discover how you can successfully mix smallholding and full-time employment?
• currently participate in smallholding but feel a little out of your depth?

Course content:

On this day course we intend to show what smallholding is really all about. Give you hands-on experience and answer your questions so you can start to become familiar with the realities of smallholding and feel confident about pursuing the smallholding dream.

Over the last 12 years we have built and managed a successful smallholding (while remaining in full-time employment and raising two children). Our knowledge and experiences covers cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens as well as how to deal with the paperwork.

10.00: Refreshments and introductions. What do you want out of smallholding and what do you want out of your day with us?

10.30: Setting-up a smallholding. DEFRA rules and regulations.

11.00: Tools and equipment. Handtools, tractors and trailers. Fencing and grassland managent. Vets.

11.30: Pigs: Meet our pigs. Learn about buying, housing, feeding, handling and breeding.

12.30: Lunch: (made with our home-reared highland beef). We fully encourage discussion and questions during this hour in order to make full use of time.

1.30: Sheep: Meet our sheep. Learn about buying, housing, feeding, handling and breeding.
Chickens: Meet our chickens: Lear about buying, housing, feeding, handling and breeding.

2.30: Cattle: Meet our highland cattle: Learn about buying, housing, feeding, handling and breeding.

3.30: Abattoirs, butchering and marketing your produce.
Final questions and answers.

4.00: Course ends.

The course is limited to eight people. Please bring: outdoor clothes, wellies, and waterproofs if it looks like rain.

Cost: £80 per person or £140 per couple. Includes hot lunch, refreshments and a copy of lecture notes.

Dates: Course tend to run on Saturdays or Sundays. Dates will be finalised as we make every effort to accommodate applicants preferred dates.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: Mike Whyte
View the original article for contact information and more images: Introduction to Smallholding (Smallholding while working full-time and raising a family)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Personalised/Bespoke and Private Course Days-Self Sufficiency & Smallholding (East Yorkshire)

Gardenfarming — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:40:51 +0000

Origin of Content: Smallholding Courses

Bespoke, tailor made to your own personal circumstances, requirements and your own convenient attendance date – one to one experienced tuition by former agricultural college tutor, qualified assessor, full scale farmer and self sufficient advocate with over 25 years experience of smallholdering in both remote upland and lowland locations.

All courses are run from my own self sufficient smallholding home on the coastline of the East Riding of Yorkshire utilizing my own livestock and kitchen vegetable garden for practical hands-on participation and demonstrations. These private, bespoke- tailor made one-day courses can cover absolutely any aspects of your concerns or areas that you just feel a little additional experienced and technically detailed input, advice and reassurance would benefit: soil types, analysis, nutritional status, grassland management……, how to utilize inherited outbuildings or what and where to build new ones…… which livestock will work best for you on your land? Animal health, husbandry, nutrition, what to look for when purchasing stock and where is best to buy from?……. How to utilize, process, preserve and enjoy what you produce! You choose – it is your course and don’t worry if you feel unsure about what you want to ask me because I can lead and guide your pathway into self sufficient living by drawing on my extensive experience of tutoring and living the self sufficient lifestyle! You can also choose the day and date of your Course Day attendance by sending me a selection of your suggested dates to sue@gardenfarming.org and your booking will be confirmed subject to day and date availability. Home made & produced self sufficient lunch is provided for you to taste the delicious outcomes of your own intended self sufficiency plans, all in the relaxed, informal and homely environment of my own smallholding home – once you have attended your private-bespoke course day you have the reassurance that I am always on the other end of e-mail for follow up questions or some help and support once you return home to your own project.

Please go to www.gardenfarming.org for full details of all Courses on offer from Gardenfarming and send me an e-mail to sue@gardenfarming.org to request day and date availability in order to book your own Bespoke/Family Course Day.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: Gardenfarming
View the original article for contact information and more images: Personalised/Bespoke and Private Course Days-Self Sufficiency & Smallholding (East Yorkshire)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Direct Selling from your Farm

Freddies Farm — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:08:10 +0000

Origin of Content: Smallholding Courses

A substantial number of beef and sheep producers are now marketing produce direct to consumers. This is done in a range of ways, including farm shops, Farmers’ Markets, internet and mail order sales. There are so many factors which must be taken into consideration with direct marketing and this course aims to highlight as many as possible, in an attempt to help new small producers from falling into some of the many pitfalls in the process. At Beech Hayes farm we have "been there, done that and got the t-shirt". We have made mistakes and we have learnt by experience some of the issues which people can face with direct selling. We have successfully grown our business and our brand and hope to use those experiences to help others in developing their brand too. Ideas such as shortening of the food chain can increase value compared to selling through liveweight or deadweight auction sales or through intermediaries. Many consumers are increasingly looking to buy high quality food of known provenance. Businesses must meet stringent legislative requirements (for example Food Hygiene and Labelling Regulations). Meat can be sold as fresh or frozen. The level of investment required will depend on how much of the meat preparation process is carried out by the business itself and how much is sub-contracted to other parties and the method of sale. Please remember that special consideration must be given to the VAT aspects of diversification as the new activity may not be treated the same as the existing farm business from a VAT standpoint. As with all new ventures a full business plan incorporating a marketing plan should be prepared to assess the viability of the enterprise in advance of making any investment in equipment and facilities etc. The marketing plan should establish the target market for the product, how big this market might be, who your competitors are and what your product will offer to set it apart from the competition. Many producers begin on a small scale by testing the market by attending Farmers’ Markets or developing sales through word of mouth. Other elements will be discussed such as branding, physical requirements, facilities and equipment required. Butchery premises, chiller rooms, freezers, vacuum packing, labelling, presentation, transportation, licenses - the list goes on, but we hope to tackle the main ingredients to help you become established. We will also aim to help with the cost considerations; both running costs and capital investments, aswell as looking at the returns and pricing structures to add value. And finally looking at the constraints faced by small scale farm and direct selling such as capital costs, labour, time, seasonality, legislation, competition.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Written by: Freddies Farm
View the original article for contact information and more images: Direct Selling from your Farm
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.