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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 8:42 am Post subject: Bodger Cottage HQ ?

Just how outlandish an idea is that ?

If you look through the various magazines and other publications you will see that there are various expensive courses being run on subjects that people born in the country simply taken for granted . Things like how to look after chickens or how to do a spot of butchery for example ?
I understand that many people are born and bred townies who might find these sort of things to be quite alien but I was wondering if there was anyway folk could share their knowledge in such a way that wouldn't neccessarily involve breaking the bank.

Its something that I've been contemplating for quite a while . I'd be prepared to do it for the company and a bit of cider money. What do you think ?

I'm not really an expert in anything but off the top of my head I reckon I could offer at least an experience of the following.
Sausage and cider making, hot and cold smoking, sea fishing, poultry keeping , lamping for rabbits and one or two more things. I even have a friend who does home butchery and the like.

What do you think ? Could there be any milage in it ? I'm sure that there are other people who might be prepared to share their knowledge in a similar way.

Tradbritfowlco

Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 526

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 9:35 am Post subject:
I think its all the regs that put people off doing it - health and safety etc, and that sprobably what makes it so expensive! Probly if there was no money changing hands and you were just having a good time with your 'friends' you'd be OK though!

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 9:51 am Post subject:
Thats the sort of thing that I'm thinking of. Possibly a network of friendly get togethers that people can actually afford .

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 9:53 am Post subject:

bodger wrote:

Thats the sort of thing that I'm thinking of. Possibly a network of friendly get togethers that people can actually afford .

I think it's a great idea!

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 9:57 am Post subject:

You also need to think about whether you (and anyone else doing this) is good at putting the information across and teaching people how to do something.

Not saying that you're not, but being able to do something and being able to show someone else how to do it are two different skills.

(I suspect you are, Bodger, as your advice-type posts are always clear and informative, but it's worth thinking about.)

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 9:57 am Post subject:
I think it's a good idea---there is definitely a need for reasonably priced courses and alot of people must be like my B.H. and me we know how to do somethings because we've done/do them but there are other things we would like to learn about and are happy to pay a reasonable amount to be shown-- but either don't know where or prices can be prohibitive.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:06 am Post subject:

I'm glad that a little bit of interest is being shown and HW you are a real smoothy

Something as simple as catching eels and then hot smoking them and then combinining it with another activity might be a good one. I'm sure there is a lot of talent out there.
Geography might be a problem but with a forum of this size it would not be insurmountable. I was really impressed by how many people turned up for the Aber get together.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:06 am Post subject:
From my very limited experience many people seem to go on courses just for something to do rather than learn much. I tend to learn far more by helping people do something. The best 'course' I've been on was rabbiting with Pricey and chums which was free.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:13 am Post subject:

bodger wrote:

I'm glad that a little bit of interest is being shown and HW you are a real smoothy

Tart!

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:18 am Post subject:
the most recent course we went on was fruit tree pruning which i found really useful---learnt alot more than i ever had from a book---very often even if you think you "know" about something you learn an awful lot more from someone who has real experience in that area.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45670
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:20 am Post subject:
Agree with TD and Lottie. There's a huge value in courses but it's also hugely useful to just "be" with someone that's actually doing it in real life. Go for it Bodge

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:21 am Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

bodger wrote:

I'm glad that a little bit of interest is being shown and HW you are a real smoothy

Tart!

I've missed you M-J!

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:22 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Agree with TD and Lottie. There's a huge value in courses but it's also hugely useful to just "be" with someone that's actually doing it in real life. Go for it Bodge

I agree with being with someone, but it can be difficult to find someone who knows what you want to learn. So I think there's mileage in this idea.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:23 am Post subject:
Bodger, are there any smallholding clubs near you as many seem to run courses quite cheaply along the lines of what you say.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 07 10:26 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Agree with TD and Lottie. There's a huge value in courses but it's also hugely useful to just "be" with someone that's actually doing it in real life. Go for it Bodge

Its an invite for everyone to join in. If you feel that you could pass some experience on to people, then run it. The bonus apart from meeting like minded people would be that it would make you tidy your place up and clear some of the rubbish.

. I'd certainly have to do some spring cleaning.

I started a smallholding society on the Lleyn about 18 years ago. It lingered for quite a few years and then folded.
There would be a new crop of smallholders now as people have both moved in and moved on. Of course any get togethers need not be farming connected.

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