Sallygarden Smallholding - The Forum For Sustainable Living

Hi there,

We're in the process of building a house near Carrigallen, Co Leitrim.

We have about 3.5 acres with a stream running along one boundary (with woods on the other side). We're aiming to grow our own - as much as we can, so we'll be getting ourselves a polytunnel and sorting our some veg beds asap.

We'll also get a few laying hens and maybe even some ducks to keep the slugs at bay.

We have our foundations in at the moment and the house 'arrives ' on a lorry in early March. Then we get busy turning the shell into a home.

I'm sure I'll have many questions to ask along the way. Already I'm wondering what size tunnel to get (there are only two of us - but I'd like to grow as much of our veg as possible) and realising the enormity of 'getting the veg beds ready'. I haven't even decided where to put them yet.
One step at a time is sensible .. but I have been known to let my enthusiasm run away with me.

Anyway, thats us - Ferris and Sam .. and Sally the dog (and the two cats).

P.S. I have recently started a blog following our build and veg growing experiences at www.adventuresinafield.blogspot.com

welcome Ferris.
Two year ago i got my tunnel ( 13X25) and it is big enough for 4 of us.
Last year got the hen and this year we are going for pigs.
One piece of advice I would give is plan you area well so that as you get bigger all the dufferent areas fall into place as I had to move the hens run due to bad planning, sorry due to a nosey fox.


Mcnamara

Thanks Mcnamara.

That was the size of tunnel that I was thinking about and that I'd heard was a good size for general domestic use.

Our tunnel is 40 x 21ft. It feeds 4 hungry folk, plus plenty for freezing for winter use, and more for selling. Most prunings go to the pigs.