the daydream fund challenge thread

Lotus-eater

rozeepozee wrote: »

Old caravans can be done in style. http://www.larosa.co.uk/gallery.html No PP needed as I understand because they are impermanent structures. We were also thinking of Shepherd's Huts, yurts or teepees, but Yurts are about £10K (I bet the mongolians don't pay 10k for their yurts:rotfl:)

I once stayed next to a family who were building a yurt to live in for a while. A yurt is a hell of a lot of skilled work to make. I remember he was spending weeks and months working full time on it, I think. They told me loads of interesting stuff about them, most of which I have now forgotten

It needs a woodburner going full time in the winter in the centre of it, to stay warm.

Having lived in a caravan for a couple of winters, I'd choose that over the yurt any day, for a start it's off the ground, which helps keep damp down.
But really overwinter, you just want something that will stay as warm as possible, as cheaply as possible. Also somewhere to put muddy wellies and wet coats.

lostinrates

The place is crawling with police today...some rural idyll this is! They are hunting locally so I guess their has been warning of some clash today. I dithered over letting the chooks out but the master has assured me he'll keep away from us today, so....they are out. The horses don't miss a trick and are already snorting and carrying on. We've moved fields in preparation for this, and the grass is up to their knees in some places, hopefully the longer grass will protect the ground a little.

downshifter

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I think your problem with both, is that are laying elsewhere.
Ducks especially lay where ever they want, mine used to change laying places every week or so. Once I couldn't find them anywhere, I watched them for ages and nothing, so I set up a camera and played it fast forward to find out where they went. Found a huge clutch in the end.
Check under hedges and everywhere really.

I had been wondering about this too, (not ducks, just the hens) until one day I noticed my dog carrying something in her mouth, she's always catching mice and scoffing them, or rearranging the stones in the garden, but when I asked her to 'drop it' she very carefully and proudly laid (sorry should have said 'placed', or that would've been a medical first) an egg at my feet. I let her have that one, god knows where it's been, but now keep hens and dog separate for the first half of the day anyway, before that they ran freely together all day. Is there any chance something else could be eating yours?

However it's not a great time of year for laying hens, mine laid wonderfully last year in the snow though, I think the brightness fooled them into thinking it was summer!

DS

rhiwfield

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I once stayed next to a family who were building a yurt to live in for a while. A yurt is a hell of a lot of skilled work to make. I remember he was spending weeks and months working full time on it, I think. They told me loads of interesting stuff about them, most of which I have now forgotten

It needs a woodburner going full time in the winter in the centre of it, to stay warm.

Having lived in a caravan for a couple of winters, I'd choose that over the yurt any day, for a start it's off the ground, which helps keep damp down.
But really overwinter, you just want something that will stay as warm as possible, as cheaply as possible. Also somewhere to put muddy wellies and wet coats.

At Coed Hills the H&S guy (in between explaining biodynamics to me) showed me the yurts and other buildings there. The stovepipe for the woodburners was wrapped in fire retardant materials at the yurt roofline and I think the yurts were on wooden platforms to avoid the damp problem.

There's a few youtubes on CH, here's one on how to make a bender

Davesnave

The only yurt I ever saw was at a Family Day, held by the council on one of the more run-down estates. We were asked if we'd attend to do a cheap plant stall, so we agreed. Despite my trepidation, only one herb walked off on its own. We also took more money than at another event they ran the same year in front of the Royal Crescent, for which said council charged us about £40!

Anyway, at the first named event, some Yoof Coordinator decided that a relevant activity for the local youngsters would be to construct a yurt, and she promptly began doing so, not 10m from our stall.

As someone not entirely unaccustomed to working with challenging youngsters, I could see where this would go, but apparently, the large number of pointed rods hadn't rung any alarrm bells with the coordinator, nor had her risk-assessment highlighted the possibility that they might make damn good javelins....:eek:

Suffice to say, I never saw that yurt in its full glory & neither did the local kids, though they seemed able to live with the disappointment!

lostinrates

Well, good to their word the hunt steered clear of us today and thus my ground is still intact. Hurrah. Little victories against the winter, eh?

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Well, good to their word the hunt steered clear of us today and thus my ground is still intact. Hurrah. Little victories against the winter, eh?

The hunt have never visited me.

I'm afraid, now the fences are in, there's only one 'proper' way in and out of this place... ....although across a neighbour's garden is a possible alternative route!

Mucky day here. Ideal for doing the tax return. :(:(

alfie_1

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I think your problem with both, is that are laying elsewhere.
Ducks especially lay where ever they want, mine used to change laying places every week or so. Once I couldn't find them anywhere, I watched them for ages and nothing, so I set up a camera and played it fast forward to find out where they went. Found a huge clutch in the end.
Check under hedges and everywhere really.

thought of that one!! i did my "miss marple" rendition...following chooks that KNOW you are following them is frustrating for me and no doubt of great humour to said chooks!! still no clues tho...
maybe its an official chook STRIKE?? will get demands for central heating and duvets..... and HD tv !
dream on chooks......

alfie_1

downshifter wrote: »

I had been wondering about this too, (not ducks, just the hens) until one day I noticed my dog carrying something in her mouth, she's always catching mice and scoffing them, or rearranging the stones in the garden, but when I asked her to 'drop it' she very carefully and proudly laid (sorry should have said 'placed', or that would've been a medical first) an egg at my feet. I let her have that one, god knows where it's been, but now keep hens and dog separate for the first half of the day anyway, before that they ran freely together all day. Is there any chance something else could be eating yours?

However it's not a great time of year for laying hens, mine laid wonderfully last year in the snow though, I think the brightness fooled them into thinking it was summer!

DS

aaahhhh! you may have something there !! one of my labs has history of egg snatching... i wonder!!

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

The hunt have never visited me.

I'm afraid, now the fences are in, there's only one 'proper' way in and out of this place... ....although across a neighbour's garden is a possible alternative route!

Mucky day here. Ideal for doing the tax return. :(

Yuck, I'm in a mess with paperwork. I have receipts in various handbags and jacket pockets and its all outgoings, outgoings ATM. I must at least get receipts together soon. I was looking at small business accounts books, like an organised way of managing stuff as you go a long, you just fill in the numbers. I like them very much...but they are laid out weekly, monthly would be better for our slow rates of stuff....and they are expensive, about £20 I think :eek:

BTW some people jump fences if allowed on the land, never using a gate...some people can't help it The embarrassment - not to say fear-of steering a horse at a hedge or a fence thinking it will stop it and instead sailing over 6-7 feet of hedge or fence while you struggle to hang on is no joke for anyone..rider, hunt, or landowner.

BUT seems to be more quad bikes than horses around here.

TBH, just going don the road past you is enough to unsettle livestock sometimes, but saw this lot walking not galloping -past cattle: very civilised and how it should be if they want to use land.