Another Hi from Yorkshire

[leedarkwood]

Hi

Been lurking around for a while so better come out into the open. I see that the previous poster is also living on the edge of a Yorkshire moor, we are in sight of the Pennine way here, near Huddersfield. We have been living on our 7 acres for the last 25 years ish, half is wood, and the rest rough pasture. Due to the dreaded work word, we have not had many animals for the last few years, but we now work from home selling books, so have poultry and also some shetlands arriving next week. We have a quarter acre veg garden, rather over grown, and a lot of fruit. In the past we have kept pigs, goats and cows. Nice site, enjoy reading your articles and posts.

Lee

[Andy Hamilton]

Aye up Lee

I wondered how long it would take for you to post Glad that you have. How is the clearance work comming on had any more rouge trees?

Welcome to the forum.

[leedarkwood]

Well we did get a little red in the face cutting that one down with the two handed saw!

Progress being made on a few fronts, but not in the garden yet. Too much to do inside, and the barn made a determined attempt to fall down at the weekend, leading to a log rustling expedition to obtain suitable timber to prop it back up again! Quite scary really. Have to get some proper lintels in later in year. Some idiot in the past had cut a doorway through and used a ONE inch thick piece of wood to hold the huge stone wall up. Lots of wholesale clearing of junk going on, and bits of the house that I haven't seen for years are slowly emerging.
Downloaded some very interesting factsheets from CAT the other day, it was pay to view but worthwhile. So there is at least three or four new projects there. First one is a willow and bark greywater processer.

Where did you get the GREAT emoticons? Love the flame throwing demons.

Lee

[leedarkwood]

Update. We may be looking for a person who wants to try the countrylife for a period of up to a year or maybe longer if we really get on, but in the short term it would be an excellent opportunity for anyone wanting to try the country life, maybe renting out their own place in the meantime? Or we could look at weekends and holidays for someone tied to a job, but it would be better if they were not too far off I guess. Would suit slightly mad, meat-eating, book loving person wanting to grow veg, and play with woods and fields, sheep, chickens etc, must like dogs and cats without significantly adding to our overall total, (i.e. room for maybe one more?) and accommodation would be fairly basic. On the plus side, let's see, it is peaceful, I cook good food, there is an open fire to prod, we can teach you how to run a bookshop, and there is lots of mud. There is not a plus, but I just thought I should mention it. Oh there is room for a horse maybe, but no stable. Contact us if you would like to discuss it.


Lee

[sunpuppy]

If it was just me, I'd be there like a shot - but unfortunately I have a not-quite-as-selfsuffcientish partner who would take a lot of convincing! Oh, and not forgetting the two dogs of course.

Ah well, I can dream, can't I......?

[diver]

What a brilliant idea....I'd love to but I am now past my prime anda small female so probably would not much help, also I have an old cat and now I have two allotments....but I will ask younger, slightly mad, fit friends...and good luck....why not try and get a helper from abroad, they could learn English as well as enjoying the work

[leedarkwood]

I have thought about someone from abroad, but where would I start? So many people here say they want to find a place out of the city but can't afford it or worry that if they made the move they wouldn't know where to start. Surely I can find someone eventually here. We are very flexible.

Lee

[Wombat]

G'day Lee,

I'm about as "abroad" as you'll get

But I think I might have a few problems with logistics (like getting to work). I must admit that it does sound tempting, though

Nev

[Sue]

Oh my word - a chance to learn about chickens and to know yet more about my beloved books. Always keen to learn, I guess I should work on my own veggie patch rather than someone else's but as mine is a few square feet yours sounds like it has more scope.
I wonder if in addition to your full time worker you would be open to the idea of a Yorkshire bird and her mad lurcher (OK better leave her at home) helping out with some stuff on odd Staurdays or Sundays or odd days off in summer? May even bring a teenager to work out their angst on the potato patch??
I am only close by so a jaunt up a dual carriageway should do it?
I am (fairly) fit have my own (very trendy flowery) wellies and always have a book in my bag although its an ambition to write one (have drafted 3 pages so I am officially a writer!)
think about it............
In the meanwhile hope your lintels are holding up

[leedarkwood]

We would be only too pleased. Does mad lucher chase sheep? That might (would) be a problem, might have to stay in yard etc. Right now I am shattered after two night shifts and a few very intense days, so why not give us a phone call sometime nearer the weekend? Maybe you could come up for a meal and a chat and look round the place? It is a bit of a dump, but it is a bit of a dump attached to seven acres!

01484 84242
Lee

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Lee

Not sure if you saw on Pat Gadiners site http://pages.britishlibrary.net/patgardiner/ - that a student from Sweden wants to work on a smallholding for three months over the summer.

[leedarkwood]

My experience of Swedes and all scandinarians is that they do have a high expectation of tidy clean houses! They probably polish the pig sties! No, seriously, I think they are probably looking for more animals and such than we have got. But I will pass it on to some folk on ACL.

How is uni?

Lee

[Andy Hamilton]

My experience of Swedes and all scandinarians is that they do have a high expectation of tidy clean houses! They probably polish the pig sties! No, seriously, I think they are probably looking for more animals and such than we have got. But I will pass it on to some folk on ACL.

How is uni?

Lee

fair enough.
Uni is ok at the moment a presentation for evolutionary psychology tomorrow on polygomy, quite interesting really.

[Sue]

well happy red nose day guys!

Only been off this web page for a couple of days and you've rebuilt the place! Lots of new places to nosey around now - thanks
Lee, I will ring, thanks so much!!!!
By the way one thing I can promise is that polishing pig sties is not going to be a problem - I have enough on finding a duster at home. Although now I can use the excuse that dust is "green" and those nasty Mr Sheens are bad for me (I do like saunas - is that bad?)

I saw a tapestry years ago that basically said the dust will still be there when you are old and greybut your kids won't be - used it as a mantra even since
Chat soon - thanks again - look forward to getting a visit sorted too I hope
ps.
By the way to those who might care to know I did make pasta and it was lovely (lasagne) now just need to find a cheap pasta hanger upper (maybe a metal coat hanger on the cupboard handle) Any one any other ideas - I'm sure the John Lewis version is a luxury too far

[leedarkwood]

My favourite saying is 'they will never write 'she was tidy' on your gravestone!' Here you could hand the pasta on the kitchen creel, I believe that they used to do that with oatcakes.

Lee