Anniversary of 'To Live the dream'

Well its been a year since I left the rat race and big smoke or little smoke of Accrington. Leaving my loving friends after being made redundant I headed off down to Cornwall and started my smallholding. Always loved animals and with a bit of experience of helping on farms and gardening experience the plan to grow my own food and raise my own animals and to become as self sufficient as possible.

A year on and what a year its been.

Cleared some land and landed in nettles

I have raised escapee pigs - certainly a different way to get to know your neighbours when your pigs go to visit them! I have eaten them and sold the meat raw and cooked not at the same time and now have my second lot of pigs

I have brought up 9 orphan lambs - bottle feeding and bruises spring to mind.

I have raised chickens and ducks and sold eggs! Got a cockeral and incubated the eggs to get my own Chicks

Kept bees and increased my colony

Picked fruit made jam and sold it. Grown veg and eaten it

The stardust has grown and now loves the great outdoors along with Toffee - claiming a whole field as hers. 

Done sea fishing and eaten what I have caught. Swimming in the sea, sang in a choir and been a tourist round cornwall. There has been ups and downs - animals have come and gone, some missing some died, some have been hunted. Pests to deal with mice, foxes and magpies. Financial pressures of starting a new business- will never be a millionaire - have a few jobs - a bit of this and a bit of that until my business can support me.  

Wildlife around me include herons, barn owls, badgers and deer, lovely views and remote. Lovely neighbours but not in your face.

I have missed friends and have loved friends and family that have visited and met some very lovely people on the way. I have had some kind help and support. 

If it was last July and I knew then what I knew now would I do it again?? absolutely. 

Despite the hard work, the highs and lows, the winter storms etc i have loved the year living the dream.

Do I continue living the dream? Absolutely - whilst i can pay the bills i will live the dream.