Post by brigidahof on Aug 17, 2021 13:32:08 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
Since quite some time I've been reading along with everyone here on the forum, after reading 'THE BOOK' .
Ten years ago, we moved from a small house in the city in the Netherlands (in Europe) to a small farm in a village just across the border, in Germany. At least, it used to be a farm till about the 1960's, when it was modernised to a large family house, as many farms in the area here are. We now live where once the cows stood in their stable.
We still have a large shed however, a big (vegetable) garden and a bit of pasture (about 1/2 acre own pasture + 1 acre total rent). Up until now, we keep chickens, runner ducks, sheep and a horse.
Our climate is not so good for sun-lovers, but all the better for grass: mild winters with temperatures only a few days or weeks a year below freezing and mild summers with quite some rain (although climate change shows here too: summers of 2019 and 2020 were very dry and hot). Furthermore we are blessed with a terrific soil: a well-drained light loam.
Over the years we have been trying to become ever-more self-sufficient here, with a good result in vegetables and fruit, eggs and meat (lamb). Just for the fun: not from the money-point-of-view or principally, although the fresh food we raise ourselves is much better, healthier and more rewarding than eating food from the store.
Up until recently, we always considered keeping a milking cow as 'a bit too much' for us, although I always enjoy making cheese and yoghurt from bought milk, and the romantic idea of a family milking cow always appealed to us.
But in our family with three children, each child can choose an animal at the age of 10. The two eldest decided for a dog. They now both have their own dog, and are absolute soulmates with their dog.
Our youngest, now 8, has always said he wants a cow for his 10th birthday. With the horse going to a new home this summer, a family cow may very well be the next add to our little smallholding. Up until now, I always proceeded new things with an attitude like 'we'll just do it, we'll see if there will be any problems and solve them as they come, and learn an awful lot just doing.' But with a cow... I don't want to build a stable and then find out I'd much better located it elsewhere, or build a concrete manure heap to find out it is much too small or too big etc.
So, as we are planning on the arrival of our new family member, a lot of questions may rise, and I'm very glad I can either find the answers already here or ask you. You'll hear from me!
Greetings from Germany,
Bram
Since quite some time I've been reading along with everyone here on the forum, after reading 'THE BOOK' .
Ten years ago, we moved from a small house in the city in the Netherlands (in Europe) to a small farm in a village just across the border, in Germany. At least, it used to be a farm till about the 1960's, when it was modernised to a large family house, as many farms in the area here are. We now live where once the cows stood in their stable.
We still have a large shed however, a big (vegetable) garden and a bit of pasture (about 1/2 acre own pasture + 1 acre total rent). Up until now, we keep chickens, runner ducks, sheep and a horse.
Our climate is not so good for sun-lovers, but all the better for grass: mild winters with temperatures only a few days or weeks a year below freezing and mild summers with quite some rain (although climate change shows here too: summers of 2019 and 2020 were very dry and hot). Furthermore we are blessed with a terrific soil: a well-drained light loam.
Over the years we have been trying to become ever-more self-sufficient here, with a good result in vegetables and fruit, eggs and meat (lamb). Just for the fun: not from the money-point-of-view or principally, although the fresh food we raise ourselves is much better, healthier and more rewarding than eating food from the store.
Up until recently, we always considered keeping a milking cow as 'a bit too much' for us, although I always enjoy making cheese and yoghurt from bought milk, and the romantic idea of a family milking cow always appealed to us.
But in our family with three children, each child can choose an animal at the age of 10. The two eldest decided for a dog. They now both have their own dog, and are absolute soulmates with their dog.
Our youngest, now 8, has always said he wants a cow for his 10th birthday. With the horse going to a new home this summer, a family cow may very well be the next add to our little smallholding. Up until now, I always proceeded new things with an attitude like 'we'll just do it, we'll see if there will be any problems and solve them as they come, and learn an awful lot just doing.' But with a cow... I don't want to build a stable and then find out I'd much better located it elsewhere, or build a concrete manure heap to find out it is much too small or too big etc.
So, as we are planning on the arrival of our new family member, a lot of questions may rise, and I'm very glad I can either find the answers already here or ask you. You'll hear from me!
Greetings from Germany,
Bram