Introducing me and my homestead in France !

Hi Everyone,

I am Alex, married to a Welsh lady, and dad of 3 little girls, leaving in a small farm house between a prairie and a forest. So far, not bad for our Ingalls family re-enactment.

We have been here for 4 years now, doing up the house (a 350 years old (or so) stone house) and doing the garden, planting some trees, raising chickens, rabbits and pigs (kune kune, we dispatched / butchered our first one this weekend). We are also homeschooling and I am working full time, so things are not going as fast as we would like !

The chickens coop was already there, and the pigs are staying in one of the outbuildings. I have attached pictures of one of the rabbit movable tractor I made (for some reason which must have something to do with my poor IT skills, I can't paste the pictures into the text of this post, sorry).

I'm adding a screenshot of our land (1.1 hectare). things are also slow because I can't make a decision on how to use the land ! if you have any advice please don't hesitate, but it's hard to say from just an aerial picture
North Field and South field are used by a neighbour (he gives us some money for taking the hay in one and putting his milking cow a few weeks per year in the other), but I could take it back whenever I can think of a use for it (greenhouse and rows of potatoes etc . ? planting some super-willows for our Esse woodburner?)

We have split part of South Field for the pigs' fields. I am now considering using [i]pig field 1[/i] to increase our veg patch (greenhouse + rows of potatoes, beetroots and pumpkins/squash for the pigs) as well as adding a pond. There would be a good rain catchment there (+ water from all the guttering of the house) and if we decide on doing a grey water system (that's "phyto-épuration" in French) it could go in there too.
So I might have to change the fences for the pig again, which would be a pain, with it being done already and the pigsty being at a perfect location as it is. Oh, well, another day another[strike] mistake[/strike] learning.

I might pop some more pictures of the veg patch, house, pigs etc if I find the time and if you fancy having a look at them !

urgh can't get the aerial view to load, sorry

Alex,
That looks like a homestead you can be proud of. Lots of potential with all that open space. I like the idea of a greenhouse ( I wish I had one). Liked your pictures too, post more of them when you can.

Hi Alex,

Nice to know Permies are spreading in France. I am unfortunately a bit far away from you, all the way down in the Pyrenees. You seem to have a lot on your hands what with your project, restoring the house, 3 little girls and home schooling!!

Anyway, just wanted to say Hi, keep in touch and if I can help with anything French, don't hesitate, you never know, I might know the answer (or a man who does ).

thanks a lot Olga and Karen !

it seems that I manage to get the pictures on the 1st post after all, and we end up with 2 identical massive aerial view on the page.... sorry.
I will try to put recent pictures when I find the chance. There are some old ones on my wife's blog (which has been put on hold for a while now, unfortunately) : https://ourblythehouse.wordpress.com

We finished making sausage and headcheese yesterday, so now on the list of things to do there's DIY on the house and preparing the garden - as well as learning to make our own cheese !

Alex, we are looking for some kune kune piglets, in 47 but will travel. Are you able to help at all?. Kind regards Rod

Hi Rod,
can' help at the moment I'm afraid, but I have friends who could in La Manche. I wil lsend you a personnal message with their phone number.

Hi Alex
How are you getting on with the crazy weather this year ?

David

Hi David,
here it's been very dry compared to Paris/East of France. Last time we had rain was about 3 weeks ago I think... It's been very hot the last few days, double digging raised beds with a 1 year old srapped on my back is hard work.
I built a greenhouse which is about 7 metres by 5 metres. It's resting against a barn, South facing with plastic corregated roof and wooden structure. I hope it will stand and protect our 36 tomatoes plants....
Oh, and we have 3 baby chicks !
Busy working on an extension to the house now, and fighting the system against that new law against homeschooling that they've announced yesterday...
what about you ? have you been busy ?

Very busy with all sorts off stuff cluick on the link below
Latest yesterday I found some Mulburrys growing in a local village square I now have a cutting hoping they will grow and since I know where they are I might "find" another this winter should it fail .

David