I had been aware of groups like Greenpeace for some time. I had read lots about people who became green and watched programmes on TV. There was not much room for it in my materialistic lifestyle. I admired people who opted out and led sustainable lives. Before buying this place I never thought I would embrace it so much.
I had always had cats around. When the children were little we had budgies, goldfish, hamsters and white mice. I grew a few veg and knitted and sewed. I made cakes and bread. This was more than most people I knew at this time.
we timed the completion on this house for the Le Mans race and came down the Thursday before to sign the papers and collect the keys. As we were in the Corvette we had very little with us. We had bought the contents of the house to start us off.
This was a dairy farm. Our house was originally two houses built side by side in 1832! We still have two front doors although one is blocked up.
I had always had cats around. When the children were little we had budgies, goldfish, hamsters and white mice. I grew a few veg and knitted and sewed. I made cakes and bread. This was more than most people I knew at this time.
we timed the completion on this house for the Le Mans race and came down the Thursday before to sign the papers and collect the keys. As we were in the Corvette we had very little with us. We had bought the contents of the house to start us off.
This was a dairy farm. Our house was originally two houses built side by side in 1832! We still have two front doors although one is blocked up.
The poly tunnel is new. You can see by the creases in the plastic! One of the issues here is we have so much to do. Our business has to come first as that enables us to live here.
Let us go back a few years....when we upped sticks and moved here our health care was covered by the U.K. For two years. We had been fully paid up members until the end! This facility has now been stopped! Our plan was that after the two years we would enter the French care system. Wrong! The then ruling King had decided to exclude us! Our French was still very basic then and we did not want to get back into proper employment. We had/have a very large barn that was basically solid. Perfect for Gites. We diverted our funds and energy into creating Gites. We are in our fourth year of running a Gite and our second is shortly joining the portfolio.
With him indoors focusing on creating the business it was left to me to deal with the other side of our new life...a smallholding.
I have been vegetarian since I was 18. I stopped eating meat as I did not want to be part of the awful exploitation of animals. I did not want an animal to have a miserable life then be killed for me! We would never be self sufficient with meat. We have visited this many times over the years but I cannot have a part in an animal being killed!
I slowly built the veg patch. I had long wanted a poly tunnel. We brought a large greenhouse from England breaking some of the glass on the way. We put down a concrete slab to stand it on and went on to other things. The frame is still there. We have thought of turning it into a shed but it has not gone beyond that. Shelved for the future. The polytunnel was bought last year and again the frame went up fairly quickly. Other things took priority. Finally this Spring we all got together and finished it! Today I have tomatoes, aubergine, peppers, cucumbers and butternut squash growing well! This Autumn I will plan and purchase the seeds for the veg I wish to grow. Some things are not worth the hassle, some just do not succeed.
Let us go back a few years....when we upped sticks and moved here our health care was covered by the U.K. For two years. We had been fully paid up members until the end! This facility has now been stopped! Our plan was that after the two years we would enter the French care system. Wrong! The then ruling King had decided to exclude us! Our French was still very basic then and we did not want to get back into proper employment. We had/have a very large barn that was basically solid. Perfect for Gites. We diverted our funds and energy into creating Gites. We are in our fourth year of running a Gite and our second is shortly joining the portfolio.
With him indoors focusing on creating the business it was left to me to deal with the other side of our new life...a smallholding.
I have been vegetarian since I was 18. I stopped eating meat as I did not want to be part of the awful exploitation of animals. I did not want an animal to have a miserable life then be killed for me! We would never be self sufficient with meat. We have visited this many times over the years but I cannot have a part in an animal being killed!
I slowly built the veg patch. I had long wanted a poly tunnel. We brought a large greenhouse from England breaking some of the glass on the way. We put down a concrete slab to stand it on and went on to other things. The frame is still there. We have thought of turning it into a shed but it has not gone beyond that. Shelved for the future. The polytunnel was bought last year and again the frame went up fairly quickly. Other things took priority. Finally this Spring we all got together and finished it! Today I have tomatoes, aubergine, peppers, cucumbers and butternut squash growing well! This Autumn I will plan and purchase the seeds for the veg I wish to grow. Some things are not worth the hassle, some just do not succeed.
When I first started keeping chickens and ducks I had an incubator. I hatched quite a few ducklings this way and once hatched a batch of chicks. It is hard work raising them, using a heat lamp for several weeks and keeping them safe. The ducklings learnt to swim in the kitchen sink!
For the last few years I have let them all sort it out for themselves. Last year nothing happened. This picture is the one hen that went Broody this year. She was sat on 9 eggs but only this one has hatched. Gradually she has kicked out the unviable eggs. I trusted she knew what she was doing. This one hatched four days ago and mum still has two eggs in the nest. She is now out in the run more so I guess those eggs will not hatch either. Tomorrow I will remove them.
The female goose lays eggs each spring but has never built a nest so I still have just the couple. I keep hoping they will hatch some goslings.
I was very tempted to go to the market and buy a couple of day old chicks to keep this one company but decided against it. Mum and baby seem very happy together. The chick is now growing wing feathers! It is amazing watching how quickly they grow. The broody house and run are in the big chicken run so the rest of the flock are aware of the baby. This will help with integrating when the time comes. For now I will keep them separate until the chick is much bigger.
I will leave them alone to breed as they want as I do not want to exploit them. I love having them around. It has been one of the privileges of living here being able to see these birds hatch and grow.
I currently have 9 hens, 3 cockerels and one chick! Hopefully the chick is female but if it is another cockerel he will stay with me.
I have lost several female ducks to the fox this year. I now have mostly males and a mixture of breeds who will not inter breed. I will leave things as they are for now but will keep an eye out for a group of ducks that will be able to hatch some ducklings.
There have been lots of discussions about having goats, pigs and sheep. As they would never be killed we have decided against it. I would love to have a couple of each as pets but that would involve lots of paperwork and added cost for ear tags, vaccinations etc. there is no provision for having them as pets, it is always assumed you will process them and sell meat!
I constantly have to discipline myself so as not to be over run with chickens and ducks.
I will post more pictures as the chick grows!
For the last few years I have let them all sort it out for themselves. Last year nothing happened. This picture is the one hen that went Broody this year. She was sat on 9 eggs but only this one has hatched. Gradually she has kicked out the unviable eggs. I trusted she knew what she was doing. This one hatched four days ago and mum still has two eggs in the nest. She is now out in the run more so I guess those eggs will not hatch either. Tomorrow I will remove them.
The female goose lays eggs each spring but has never built a nest so I still have just the couple. I keep hoping they will hatch some goslings.
I was very tempted to go to the market and buy a couple of day old chicks to keep this one company but decided against it. Mum and baby seem very happy together. The chick is now growing wing feathers! It is amazing watching how quickly they grow. The broody house and run are in the big chicken run so the rest of the flock are aware of the baby. This will help with integrating when the time comes. For now I will keep them separate until the chick is much bigger.
I will leave them alone to breed as they want as I do not want to exploit them. I love having them around. It has been one of the privileges of living here being able to see these birds hatch and grow.
I currently have 9 hens, 3 cockerels and one chick! Hopefully the chick is female but if it is another cockerel he will stay with me.
I have lost several female ducks to the fox this year. I now have mostly males and a mixture of breeds who will not inter breed. I will leave things as they are for now but will keep an eye out for a group of ducks that will be able to hatch some ducklings.
There have been lots of discussions about having goats, pigs and sheep. As they would never be killed we have decided against it. I would love to have a couple of each as pets but that would involve lots of paperwork and added cost for ear tags, vaccinations etc. there is no provision for having them as pets, it is always assumed you will process them and sell meat!
I constantly have to discipline myself so as not to be over run with chickens and ducks.
I will post more pictures as the chick grows!