Smallholding dreams for 2018

New year’s resolutions have always seemed a bit big when they’re a total lifestyle change, so for years we’ve tried to make a list of smaller things we’d like to achieve in the next twelve months. In that vein, I’ve started to think about all the things that we want to do on our smallholding and frankly the list is somewhat overwhelming. But this is a long term plan, and so I’m trying to put together a list of the top ten things I want us to achieve next year:

1. Sort out the boundaries: our land is largely fenced in by stock fencing which isn’t in brilliant condition and in the short time we’ve been here we’ve had multiple dogs manage to get in and charge about whilst their owners howl ineffectually at them from the fences. Less than ideal with a toddler (himself a bit of an escape artist and excellent fence climber) around. So we need to fix the boundaries.
2. Plant up the front garden: We had the front garden altered to make a decent amount of parking space and that’s left us with four lovely empty flower beds to fill in front of the house as well as the borders going all the way around. I’m planning a pretty country romantic scheme and can’t wait for the ground to thaw!
3. Put up the polytunnel: My lovely husband gave me the most amazing gift for Christmas in the form of a polytunnel that I am itching to get up so that we can grow as much of our own food as possible
4. Start rearing our own livestock for meat: We’ve got plans for two pigs, four lambs and 25 meat hens in 2018. It’s all a bit full on but we’d like to start eating our own meat as soon as possible.
5. Start making our own compost and leaf mould: We’ve actually got two compost bins in a handy little fenced off area behind our barn. The whole thing is lousy with weeds taller than me and it took me weeks to work out what the enclosure was but I think that if I clear the weeds, it’ll be a really handy place to make my own compost.
6. Start growing things that take a long time to grow: We’ve made a good start already with the orchard and the fruit bushes, none of which will really crop in any meaningful sense this year, but I’d like to add an asparagus bed next autumn, and to plant garlic and rhubarb and all of those other things that take more than a year to establish.
7. Build our own stock fencing for our animals: We’ve had various quotes for large amounts of stock fencing where we couldn’t hope to repair our current boundary alone (with three acres, it’d take up every weekend for the next year) so we’ll get the professionals in for that. However, when it comes to fencing in the animals I think we’ll have a go ourselves. We have quite a lot of old stock fencing that we need to take down (again, we’ll do it ourselves) and we can just re-use it where possible to try to avoid waste. This may be one resolution we live to regret!
8. Set up a wildlife haven: We’ve long wanted to help wildlife and we finally have enough space to feel we can make a real difference. I’m not sure we’ll actually get around to installing the pond we so desperately covet this year, but at the very least we can ensure we’ve got some piles of rotting wood, and some bat / bird boxes and hedgehog holes in the fencing.
9. Make a start on the kitchen and flower gardens: I’ve got big plans for our outdoor kitchen and cut flower gardens, and I don’t think I’ll manage to get it all done this year, but I’d like to make a start at least, and think I should be able to get the vague outline in place. We’re going to try to make our own raised beds in 2019, but this year I should be able to grow a decent amount straight in the ground.
10. Make our own: Whilst many of the things we’re planting will be in their infancy and so I doubt we’ll be making cider with our own apples just yet, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to lay down a wonderful store of soups, sauces and other delicious homegrown edibles this year. You never know, I might even get enough raspberries to make a sorbet!