any one going self sufficient

kerryjack

Great skill to have is to be able to kill and butcher your own meat and we are not left do it in this country. It takes the good out of it when you have to bring them to the butcher. Very disappointed with my last kill 2 good sized hoggets 30 quid each to have them killed and baged. but not much in them, now my butcher is an honest man and I know him with years and there is feck all out of it for him at 30 quid to kill and cut up a lamb and bag it. We should be left butcher our own animals for our own consumption.

Stationmaster

Water John wrote: »

How many have you to feed???

I'll be spacing out the killing plus have plenty of extended family to take cuts. My plan/ideal scenario is to eventually sell home reared/organic meat locally so I'll be giving a good bit of out to friends and neighbours too for the first kill.

Water John

Grow, Cook, Eat RTE 1 7.30 pm this evening may be of interest to posters.

uck51js9zml2yt

kerryjack wrote: »

Great skill to have is to be able to kill and butcher your own meat and we are not left do it in this country. It takes the good out of it when you have to bring them to the butcher. Very disappointed with my last kill 2 good sized hoggets 30 quid each to have them killed and baged. but not much in them, now my butcher is an honest man and I know him with years and there is feck all out of it for him at 30 quid to kill and cut up a lamb and bag it. We should be left butcher our own animals for our own consumption.

My father in law kills and butchers his own sheep. Have seen them going from saying "baa" to being hung in 25 minutes.

He's in Eastern Europe.

uck51js9zml2yt

Stationmaster wrote: »

I'll be spacing out the killing plus have plenty of extended family to take cuts. My plan/ideal scenario is to eventually sell home reared/organic meat locally so I'll be giving a good bit of out to friends and neighbours too for the first kill.

Where are you based?

Stationmaster

Alison Old-fashioned Thud wrote: »

Where are you based?

East Clare

arctictree

Bought a few bags of seed potatoes and some packets of peas, beans, turnip and cabbage seeds. Used to grow all the above but lapsed the last few years as other things took over and we just finished a new build on the farm. Am finished lambing now so might have a go at getting a veggie garden working at the weekend.

squinn2912

arctictree wrote: »

Bought a few bags of seed potatoes and some packets of peas, beans, turnip and cabbage seeds. Used to grow all the above but lapsed the last few years as other things took over and we just finished a new build on the farm. Am finished lambing now so might have a go at getting a veggie garden working at the weekend.

Put up photos I’m about a week behind you. I’m looking at hens this weekend and still calving

squinn2912

Took a tentative step towards Autarky this evening. What you think of these guys?

furandfeather

squinn2912 wrote: »

Took a tentative step towards Autarky this evening. What you think of these guys?

Snap!

Hard Knocks

furandfeather wrote: »

Snap!

Have you much or a run for them or just let them wander?

We’ve been toying with the idea

furandfeather

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Have you much or a run for them or just let them wander?

We’ve been toying with the idea

Well they just have a small pen attached to the coup until they're settled. They ll have an area of about 14yds by 10yds for them to pick around when they get used to the place
We always had hens growing up I just never got around to getting some since I moved, so this has spured me into action.
All going well I'll have a 1/4 acre of spuds in the ground next week, and I think I'll get 3 calves for the kids to rear- keep them busy!

All good things for the kids to be learning I think

squinn2912

furandfeather wrote: »

Snap!

You’re neater Lookin than me!!

65535

Capturing water into black IBC's from a shed.
I'm making up a new Polytunnel - the last one went when a wooden roof hit it from a sudden north wind gust.
Hoping to grow a lot of what I eat (Bad word - Vegan here!)
Can't wait for the good weather, looks good this week already.

AntrimGlens

These two boys going for slaughter on Wednesday. No pork being made, except some cured bacon and sausages. All charcuterie salami, air dryed hams, nduja, chorizos etc. Not cheap meat, but hopefully the taste will be worth it. £100 to buy them, £500 of meal and a bale of straw plus veg peelings and bread from three houses. Dunno how much it will cost to butcher them yet, I’d imagine another £200. So £400 per pig would buy a lot of chorizo but sure we’ll see.

squinn2912

AntrimGlens wrote: »

These two boys going for slaughter on Wednesday. No pork being made, except some cured bacon and sausages. All charcuterie salami, air dryed hams, nduja, chorizos etc. Not cheap meat, but hopefully the taste will be worth it. £100 to buy them, £500 of meal and a bale of straw plus veg peelings and bread from three houses. Dunno how much it will cost to butcher them yet, I’d imagine another £200. So £400 per pig would buy a lot of chorizo but sure we’ll see.

Would they not do you chops etc as well? Why no pork?
It’s expensive and time consuming but you know what’s in them well worth it. And now you’re in on it

Genghis Cant

squinn2912 wrote: »

Took a tentative step towards Autarky this evening. What you think of these guys?

What age are they? They look a bit off laying yet.
I'd say you were sold 2 RIRs, 2 bluebells and 2 light Sussex.

haybob

Any one have the cure for carrot fly a potion of Jay's fluid
and sheep dip perhaps.
Anyways I was rared up to grow my own and I love it

Keep hens Rhode island red the best layers plymouth rocks the best all rounder, broilers are grand but I found
them delicate for outside

Bronze turkeys are nicer but the white one grow bigger on
Same feeding.

I grown shapes express, both kind of Duke of York, home guard, Queens kerrs pinks records and golden wonders throw a shake of turnip manue to make the spuds to make them floury don't care for roosters
Change ground every year for carotts sand and turf mould dug into new soil
Slug collars were the greatest invention ever
Buy plugs in a garden center no plants they grow better if your not starting them youself

Ramble over

haybob

AntrimGlens wrote: »

These two boys going for slaughter on Wednesday. No pork being made, except some cured bacon and sausages. All charcuterie salami, air dryed hams, nduja, chorizos etc. Not cheap meat, but hopefully the taste will be worth it. £100 to buy them, £500 of meal and a bale of straw plus veg peelings and bread from three houses. Dunno how much it will cost to butcher them yet, I’d imagine another £200. So £400 per pig would buy a lot of chorizo but sure we’ll see.

Fine pigs
Mind if I ask you some question
Tamworth x saddleback??
We found the tammies lovely animals but a bit gamey in flavour so went back to large white
Any black pudding being made

haybob

Smoking and cureing fish is next for me

Any thoughts

Water John

I think if you have a 30cm high barrier around the carrots, the fly only flies close to the ground.

squinn2912

Genghis Cant wrote: »

What age are they? They look a bit off laying yet.
I'd say you were sold 2 RIRs, 2 bluebells and 2 light Sussex.

Nah I don’t think they’ll be too long. They might take a wee while to settle. The reds are Norwegian Reds similar type thing I think. Let you know soon enough!

haybob

Water John wrote: »

I think if you have a 30cm high barrier around the carrots, the fly only flies close to the ground.

Raised beds work well but I'd love to plant a good few drills without a pesticide

Water John

Plant a square, shortest boundary.

Lady Haywire

haybob wrote: »

Raised beds work well but I'd love to plant a good few drills without a pesticide

I remember planting garlic & onions in a circle around the carrot rows. Was on raised furrows though too.

uck51js9zml2yt

Stationmaster wrote: »

East Clare

I might be after some meat if this goes on. I'm not too far from you


Carrot/onion fly can be dealt with by growing alternate rows of each.

AntrimGlens

squinn2912 wrote: »

Would they not do you chops etc as well? Why no pork?
It’s expensive and time consuming but you know what’s in them well worth it. And now you’re in on it

The wife hates pork!! In fairness we all eat a fair bit of dried pork and cook with chorizo etc. and given self sufficiency times it’s probably worked out ok.

Water John

You could call it St Patrick's. Didn't he, as a young fellow, mind the pigs in Antrim, when he was a slave there?

Lady Haywire

Started the few ridges today. Anna May would be proud
Still unsure of what to plant but bought a bumper 6 variety pack of courgette/squash as I eat a lot of those & they grow well here.
Onions, beetroot, probably broccoli/cauliflower too. If I can get turnip thinnings off someone they'll be stuck in as well.

Rocket/lettuce are in window boxes. Might attempt a small greenhouse too as I found 6 old window panes with frames in the byre.
Would do a small one for a trial of tomatoes & peppers.

gozunda

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Started the few ridges today. Anna May would be proud
Still unsure of what to plant but bought a bumper 6 variety pack of courgette/squash as I eat a lot of those & they grow well here.
Onions, beetroot, probably broccoli/cauliflower too. If I can get turnip thinnings off someone they'll be stuck in as well.

Rocket/lettuce are in window boxes. Might attempt a small greenhouse too as I found 6 old window panes with frames in the byre.
Would do a small one for a trial of tomatoes & peppers.

That's a fairly fresh looking Loy. What's your technique?

Do you manure the ridges for planting?