Time to get serious

EatingTheElephant · 15 February 2017 at 8:06AM

Today we have someone viewing our house, so had a quick tidy around last night. It really is just a waiting game at the moment and I need to try and take my mind off it somehow.

I've updated the meal plan and we have enough meals until the end of the month so we can hopefully get away with just a few items like bread and milk, which will be great for the pennies.

We will need to buy fence posts and stock fence for fencing the field at the weekend. I'm so glad we are able to do it ourselves. I know it will take weeks as we are limited with time and it is exhausting doing it manually but a friend had a quote for her field, which is half the size of ours, of 6,000! So definitely a mse weekend. There is a caravan with gas for cooking up the field so hubby has picked up some cup a soups to warm us up while we are up there. I'm really looking forward to it.

Karmacat · 15 February 2017 at 10:20AM

Oh good grief! It's certainly possible. I went on a fencing weekend many years ago, through the BTCV, and I remember ... a monkey strainer? Something like that. Yep, this: https://www.fanevalleystores.com/product/131031/monkey-wire-strainer

Good luck! It's possible - I bet it really does feel like it will take forever, but it'll be worth it. After a few times getting the hang of things, you might think about offering to let WWOOFers camp for a weekend, to help you and learn the ropes?

EatingTheElephant · 15 February 2017 at 7:48PM

Thank you KC, I had forgotten that the BTCV have such great information. I remember coming across it years ago. If ever you need to practice your fencing skills you know where to come!

We are ok at fencing, our current lease requires us to do the maintenance (been there 18yrs). With a pony that is an escape artist many many hours of our lives have been taken up with fencing. Often in dark, wet, muddy, slippy conditions after a day at work. This is the very first time I have actually been excited about it.

I'm sure we don't manage to get as many posts in the ground each day as we did when we were younger, so it will definitely take a long time. At least it has rained a lot so the ground should be softer.

Well today the viewer cancelled, luckily. I say luckily as both DD and the dog have upset stomachs. We have another viewer booked but it's not for ages. I need to stop checking RM....

Eager_Elephant · 16 February 2017 at 12:06PM

Hi Cousin Elephant!!

Fencing is very expensive, DH and I did a training course with our smallholding group and so we have saved quite a bit of money over the years.

The man who taught us has his own fencing company and he was telling us about some prices he would charge - it was eye watering.

DH mainly does the fencing and I tidy up behind him and hold things as and when needed - but we are only keeping in pigs and chickens.

Our sheep field needs re-fencing and that is huge but will be easier than pens as 3 long straight lines and 1 long slightly curved line.

We have built up our supply of fencing equipment over the years, while we were growing it we could borrow from our smallholder group which was fab!

EatingTheElephant · 16 February 2017 at 2:27PM

Hello fellow Elephant!
Thank you for stopping by. I have to admit that hubby does do the larger share when we do fencing, but I do like to get stuck in. Anything to avoid paying those huge fencing costs!!

I may have to pick your brains on chickens further into the year if that's ok. I really would like chickens at some point once we are all moved into a new house and have the horses moved into the new field.

I didn't know that there was such a thing as smallholder groups either, is it just a local thing where you are? I might have to have a google and see if there is anything similar where we are. Thank you for the idea.

Watty1 · 16 February 2017 at 4:48PM

ohhh small holder groups...now that does sound interesting...mental note to google that one too!

Eager_Elephant · 16 February 2017 at 5:17PM

Feel free to ask questions about chickens - I'm not an expert but know quite a bit having kept them for about 8 years.

Smallholder groups are all over the country - I am in East Anglia and I know of one in each county.
Most will offer training in various things and most also have a stock of items to be borrowed - in ours, members also borrow from each other.
Our group does not have a trailer due to legalities but when my animals go for slaughter I borrow a trailer from a nearby smallholder who does not mind lending his items out.
It's a lovely community - I hope there is one near you.

EatingTheElephant · 16 February 2017 at 7:44PM

Thanks EE, I will give you a shout when we get to that point. Fantastic, I have found a smallholder group for our county, this could be very handy

Hubby has been very busy these past 2 days sending out customer invoices, so lots more pennies in the bank. We really should be quicker with sending them out, but it does tend to fall behind a bit when it is busy. We also had a bottle of wine to say thank you from a customer today, how wonderful.

EatingTheElephant · 20 February 2017 at 8:41AM

Whoops I haven't checked in all weekend. I have been busy though!

Spent both days fencing and not doing much else. We have managed to do about a third of the top long side - I told you it would take a while. This is the most difficult edge though, as it is through woods and there are lots of brambles. The brambles will need clearing eventually, but for now we have just cleared a path where the fence is going. I have lots of scratches all over me now, evil stuff. A few tree branches needed clearing too, so I've started a pile for if we manage to get the cottage that is currently our first choice. Second job there will be to install a log burner instead of the open fire.

The only other job done this weekend was to transfer the travel expenses for last month, this covered the stock fencing needed. Mil gave me birthday money early (it's this week) for fence posts, which is what I wanted. Something we will get a lot of use and enjoyment out of

Karmacat · 20 February 2017 at 10:21AM

Wow! Congratulations, you're on the way!

Time to get serious

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