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2020 Smallholding Plans

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  • 05-01-2020 12:34am
    #1
    lanod2407
    Registered Users Posts: 641 ✭✭✭


    I did this for 2019 (see elsewhere, inc an update on how I fared) and found it useful - I find that when you commit a plan to paper and share it you're more likely to make progress.

    Here's what I've lined up for 2020 - feel free to add your own plans and aspirations for the year.

    1. Reflect on the work and output from the farming work and decide if I'm going to stay at it. I've 16 acres, 3 cows (Belted Galloways), 3 calves, a weanling bullock and a bull; and am at the stage where the work involved is conflicting with the day job and finding time for other stuff ....... stuff I call life!While I enjoy getting outdoors and the sanity that brings, the reality is that farming is changing and the feasibility of small-scale beef farming is zero - the numbers don't add up without the subsidies.
    2. Install new piers and gates at the entrance - more a security addition than anything else. Biggest item from last year that didn't get progressed.
    3. Clear out a few fallen trees around the farm.
    4. Get fowl back in the orchard - Mr Fox cleared me out a couple of years ago, so fence needs to be much better. This will be more of a challenge than last year because the henhouse fell apart during 2019, so that needs to be replaced also.
    5. Calves sold and 3 more at foot (pending decision on #1 above.
    6. Re-fence one of the fields to allow the cattle into a copse area - relatively dry and will provide some level of shelter to the cattle.

    Stretch goals - the few items I'd like to get done, but might not get across the line
    A. Repair concrete in the pen yard
    B. Improve the drainage around the fields.


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    #2
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 825 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    How do you find the Galloways? I've only 9/10 acres here and have a few ponies, sheep, goats, pigs and hens but would love 2/3 cows, ideally Irish breeds, so trying to decide what to get. Where do you sell the weanlings?


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    #3
    lanod2407
    Registered Users Posts: 641 ✭✭✭lanod2407


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    How do you find the Galloways? I've only 9/10 acres here and have a few ponies, sheep, goats, pigs and hens but would love 2/3 cows, ideally Irish breeds, so trying to decide what to get. Where do you sell the weanlings?

    They're really easy to keep. Great foragers, good on average (or less than average 🀦*♂️) land, easy calves, great mothers and the breed outwinters well.
    I ended up buying a bull as the AI with the breed can be hit & miss. Miss & miss in my case.

    I've only started being in a position to sell in the past couple of years. Sold a couple of heifers to other breeders, have a buyer up the country for a bullock in the next few weeks & I put one in the freezer myself last year.
    I talk to guys from the Galloway Society if I have potential sales and they can put people in contact with buyers or sellers.


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