Good Pub Guide Swadlincote Ski Centre and ... - Reflect Magazine

27
An increasing number of people are quitting
the rat race and choosing to live a simpler
existence in the country, away from the
frustrating traffic jams and bustling crowds
often experienced in the city. Life in the
beautiful English countryside provides us
with a more relaxing and tranquil way of life,
without the city worries of crime and noise,
as well as giving our lungs a break from the
constant smog of pollution.
Whether you buy a delightful stone cottage in the heart
of a small village or a secluded farmhouse away from
everything, life in the country offers a peaceful, relaxed
and laid-back lifestyle.
Part of this new lifestyle which many of us crave includes
taking control over what you feed your family and with a
huge back garden, or even a paddock to make the most
of, a move to the country is the perfect opportunity to
start a smallholding.
The easiest way to begin, is by growing your own
vegetables; from tomatoes and potatoes to courgettes
and sweetcorn, and even a herb garden, the possibilities
for growing your own food are endless.
If you’d like to add some animals, one of the most
rewarding are chickens. Buy birds from a reputable
breeder, buy good quality housing to protect your birds
against dangers, such as foxes, and finally, ensure you
feed them a balanced diet and you’ll be rewarded with
fresh eggs every morning and happy, thriving birds.
You could go one step further by investing in the array
of different livestock that are suitable for smallholdings...
The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species,
originally from South America, developed from the wild
vicuña. They resemble a sheep in appearance, but are
larger and have a long erect neck. Traditionally, alpacas
were kept in herds that grazed on the level heights of
the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia,
and northern Chile throughout the year. Alpacas have
been domesticated for thousands of years and are now
growing in popularity in this country, as people seek
their slice of rural heaven.
Although alpacas were traditionally farmed for their
meat in their native lands, this isn’t the case in this
country. Alpaca farms across the UK farm the animal
for its fibre. Alpaca fibre is warmer and lighter in
weight than sheep’s wool. It is soft and luxurious,
however, as with all fleece-producing animals, quality
varies from animal to animal. The fibre comes in more
than 22 natural colours and an annual shearing will
produce between 1-6lb (0.8kg-2.8kg) of very fine fibre,
depending on the individual animal – top stud males
can reach annual shear weights of 6kg.
Pigs are another excellent choice for smallholders as
they are not at risk from predators, as chickens are, and
they can easily be penned. As porkers can be ready for
the butcher at just six-months-old, you’ll be enjoying
sizzling bacon and succulent joints of pork before you
know it. There are many different breeds you can choose
to rear, including the Berkshire, British Saddleback,
Gloucestershire Old Spots and the Mangalitza.
Another great option for maintaining any spare land
you have is by keeping sheep. Sheep are not only a
great way to avoid mowing a large area of grass, they’re
also a great way to provide an extra income for your
family. Sheep produce good quality wool, which can
be sold; sheep are known to be prolific milk and cheese
producers and they can be sold for their meat. If you’ve
never owned sheep before, the Gotland breed is ideal
as they not only produce beautiful fleeces (ideal for
spinning or felting) but they’re also easy to lamb (lambs
grow fast and are active from birth) and have a hardy
and adaptive nature.
The wide open spaces, combined with the lack of traffic and
the chance to ‘fend for yourself’, allow your family to reap
the numerous benefits of country life.
Enjoying The Good Life At
Over Hall Farm
The concept of growing and rearing your own
food isn’t a new one, but with food prices steadily
increasing and organic food in particular amongst
the most expensive, it’s time to enjoy a slice of the
good life.
One family who have fully embraced this ethos
are the Rigbys, whose smallholding has steadily
transformed itself into farm over the last 40 years,
as owner, Jean, explains: “We moved into Over
Hall in the early 1970s and it all just grew from
there. We started with a few chickens, so that we
could take advantage of their eggs, and then the
geese, who make excellent burglar alarms, and
ducks arrived. The latter consist of various breeds,
including Indian runners and Aylesbury ducks.”
After getting to grips with caring for their foul, the
family introduced sheep to Over Hall Farm, in
particular the rare breed Jacobs, a small piebald
type, and the North Ronaldsay, who originate from
the northernmost Orkney Isle of the same name.
Both breeds produce meat with distinct flavour,
whilst the former’s woolly coat has also proved to
be of great use, as Jean explains: “I didn’t want the
wool to go to waste, so I kept it and sent it off to be
spun – it’s great for knitting with.”
Next came the Saddleback and Berkshire pigs,
who the family describe as easy to care for, and
beautiful peacocks, before the latest additions – a
Highland fold – arrived just last year. The cattle
have proved to be a major talking point in the
Rigbys’ quiet village of Bretherton, near Preston in
Lancashire, and will be bred for both their meat and
hides.
Jean says: “We rear the cows, sheep and pigs for
their meat, which is really appreciated locally; it’s all
organic and the animals are very well reared. Our
beef, lamb and pork has proved to be quite popular
and we have a very friendly local butcher who does
our sausages for us, whilst the village pub will be
using one of our pigs for their hog roast in August
and occasionally have joints from us too.”
For the Rigby family, their slice of the good life just
keeps on growing, Jean adds: “We have quite a
wide variety of animals here and whilst we enjoy
consuming the produce we make, it’s an interesting
hobby more than anything – I’m a country woman
born and bred.”
To find out more about Over Hall Farm or any of
its residents, call Jean on 07795 663322 or email
jean_rigby@btinternet.com