Want to be featured as a Homestead Highlight? I would love to hear about your experience. For more information follow the link to the information page and share your own homestead here at the Backyard Farming Connection!
Today I welcome Janie to this space (make sure you stop over and get a free copy of her wonderful Egg Project book)!
* * *
Hey
everyone, I’m Janie from Hedgecombers.com
I’m
a food blogger & self sufficient wannabe that lives on 30 acres in south
west England.
How long have you been
backyard farming?
I
grew up on my family’s smallholding and from a very young age was used to getting
my hands dirty. If there was ever a pig to gut or a chicken to pluck I was
always front of the queue to help!
I
traveled overseas for a few years in my early 20’s and after a relationship
break up, finally moved back to the farm in my early 30’s. I’m 40 next month
(Eek!) and as I can’t have children - I get my maternal kick from my critters.
What got you started?
I
swore off meat for 8 years as a teenager when I discovered how mass produced
livestock was reared and treated. I remember being repulsed at the way large
scale ‘farmers’ treated the entire journey of their animals, and wanted no part
of it.
Moving
back to the farm meant I could take full responsibility for the meat I ate, by
rearing my own. My dad passed away in January of this year, so I have taken on
his role of growing our veggies too.
What does your backyard farm look like?
The farmhouse I grew up in is just beautiful. The oldest part of
it is 12th century and it is drenched in history. How I wish those
walls could talk!
My parents converted the original stone farm buildings into
rental cottages, and Jonny & I live in one of those. The buildings are
surrounded by 30 acres of our own land, so it is quiet and private even though
we live in a touristy area.
We have a really old
orchard next to the farmhouse with cooking & cider apples and my parents
planted another one around 25 years ago with sweet desert apples. They also dug
a lake with an island which is where my ducks live. We have a large allotment
area for us and another for the tenants and each cottage has a plot in a giant
poly tunnel. We have a smaller (much tattier one!) for the family – if you ever
need me, I’ll be in there!
Where is it?
We are on the
south coast of Cornwall, so we get the warmest
weather the UK
can offer, although we do of course get a lot
of rain! Our winters are mild, only occasionally do we get any snow and it
(sadly) rarely settles.
What has been your biggest success and biggest mistake?
Biggest
success, boy I’m not sure I’ve had one. OK, well I was an acupuncturist for 10
years and gave it up when my Dad first became ill. I had trouble dealing with
other people’s problems and felt that I had lost my empathy. I also hated the
50 mile drive I was doing 3 or 4 times a week, so I closed the business down
and took on a couple of jobs in local shops. I buckled down and cleared my
debts (which I am hugely proud of!) and have since been working to turn my blog
into a business.
Although I am
as poor as a church mouse, I have the absolute BEST lifestyle in the world! My
day is my own. I spend time with the animals, in the kitchen creating, cooking
and photographing recipes, weeding, planting or harvesting in the poly tunnel.
So long as I can pay the household bills every month I really don’t need much else.
Sure it’d be nice to splash out on a new lens for my camera or not have to
worry when the car needs some work doing, but any stress caused by lack of
funds is instantly negated by looking out of a window!
So the long
winded answer to your question is, my biggest success lies in accepting I need
very little more than the land can give me.
As for the
mistakes, I’ve made SO many and unfortunately when you make a mistake with an
animal it can ultimately have pretty sad consequences.
I guess my
biggest mistake was initially keeping the ducks in pens overnight. Not only is
clearing ducks pens out a nightmare (think constantly wet, muddy & very
poopy), they are so much safer now. If they see/sense/smell a fox they get onto
the water or island and are immediately safe. I no longer clip their wings, so
if they need to fly away from danger they can.
I still lose
a couple every year because it seems the only way a new or young bird learns the
danger of a fox is for them to see another bird getting killed.
What plans do you have for the future?
Where
do I start! I’ve just written a book with the help of my readers and am so in
love with the process I’ve already started on the next one!
We
planted a nuttery this year and I can’t wait till we start picking our own
nuts. Jonny has cleaned and set up Dad’s old bee hives so we are hoping to
attract a couple of swarms soon.
If anyone would like a free copy of
Project Egg, an egg busting cookbook filled with recipes that use 3 or more
eggs, visit this link to download your copy. You’ll even find a recipe from the
lovely Gretchen in it!
Hey Gretchen thanks for letting me join in with your Homestead Highlight, it was such fun!
ReplyDeleteJanie x
Oh how I adore Janie!!! I was so excited when I saw this post pop up in my reader. I've been following her blog for a while now and it is one of my all-time favorites. I enjoyed hearing more about her homestead and I love the line "my biggest success lies in accepting I need very little more than the land can give me." How amazing is that? :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place you live Janie. I enjoyed reading about you and look forward to learning more about you by following your future blog posts. You are such an inspiration learning to live on what the land gives you.
ReplyDeleteOh what a gorgeous picture Janie has described of their farm. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePlease join us again Thursday at:
The HomeAcre Hop
~Ann