Sunday 18 August 2013

The Smallholders Sale


I always feel sorry for the animals and birds at a sale, big softy that I am.  Where will they end up and who with.  Will they be much loved pets, given the chance to run free range and breed, or will they just end up fattened up for a couple of weeks and then turned into sausages or lamb chops.
 
 
But this is a nice Smallholders sale, the animals are well looked after while they are there, and it's small enough not to stress them out more than necessary.  We have been supporting this sale since it started a couple of years ago and we have bought and sold very successfully here.
 
The Kunes Kunes above were gorgeous and it was soooo tempting, but we resisted, in a couple of years we will be back in the piggy business and then we can get some and anyway it's specifically written into our lease that we cannot have pigs here.
 

 
The goats were lovely ...

 
... all different colours and breeds and absolutely beautiful, again one day in the future we will have some of our own

 
But some things were just destined to come home with us.  One snip of the wire ...

 
and Ebony and her babies were ours.

 
The Hylines said "thank you for buying us" by presenting us with an egg, and by the time we got home there was another in the cage.
 
Everyone has now made it through the night, the little chicks have filled their hungry little tummies and Mum is patiently watching over them while we set to and re-organise Chicken World. Later they will run on grass and feel the sun on their little backs and they'll be able to settle down in their very own cosy little house and run, so Mum can take a huge sigh of relief and relax a little bit.
 
 It's quiet over in Chicken World with no big cockerel crowing in the morning sun, and no geese honking at imaginary or real threats,  the hens are already discovering that running down the ramp into the morning sunshine is so much more pleasant when you don't get grabbed by your wings on the way down.
 
Time for us to get on, it's a lovely sunny day here and we intend to make the most of it, a little bit of work and then a nice long doggy walk, the girls were good yesterday waiting patiently at home while we were at the sale, the least we can do is take them out in the sun and let them run along the banks of the Thames.
 
Hope you have a good day yourselves, what are you up too?
 
Oh and by the way, can I just say a very big welcome to my new Followers, it was lovely this morning to get up and see that I had got to a magic 600.  Thank you to ALL of you who take the time to follow this Blog, you are all most welcome in our lives.
 
Sue xx

19 comments:

  1. COngratulations on the additions to your family, Im sure they will settle into their lovely new hone soon :o)
    All the animals in your pics look in good condition and those piggies are just lovely.

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  2. I'd have found it hard to resist those piggies.... And I have no animals at the moment (not even pets!) and no plans to get any in the near future!

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    1. It's very, very hard to resist Kunes Kunes especially when they reminded me so much of my three, Tinka, Tayla and Gypsey and this litter were in lovely condition.

      http://ournewlifeinthecountry.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/tinka-tayla-and-gypseythe-kune-kunes.html

      Unfortunately it's written into our lease here that we can't keep pigs of any shape or size, or I might have been doubly tempted.

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  3. Congratulations, I think I would rather like a goat if I had the space.

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  4. Where was this smallholders sale exactly as it looks good?

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    1. It is really good, there is usually a good mix of animals and dead stock (houses, fencing, trailers etc) and loads of chickens, geese etc. It's in the Thame Auction Mart, the next one is the Christmas Smallholders Sale at the beginning of December.

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  5. Animals everywhere-my kind of place. Those pigs are soooo cute.

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  6. Lovely to see your new additions Sue. Was wondering how the juicing is going too? x

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    1. Really well, but with some totally cheat days at the moment, I will update the Blog about it, sorry, we've been soooooo busy.

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  7. Oh goodness, I think I'd be bringing quite a bit home from there - bigger softie than you!

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    1. Awww, there's no harm in it is there, it's just that we're on the cusp of moving and it will entail lots of travelling and being away for long weekends while we decorate, so I have to be firm and not buy anything that can't be left easily.

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  8. I am one of those new followers and I look forward to following your adventures.

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    1. You are very welcome, thank you for signing up to be a Follower, it's nice to see the numbers rise occasionally and know I'm not talking to myself :-)

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  9. I love the goats!
    I'm so looking forward to following your adventures over the next few months! :)

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  10. Hi Sue, lovely new hens. I won a give away of some soap from you which I have just started using. It is absolutely lovely, thank-you so much. Have you stopped soap making for good or will you start again in the new house? really looking forward to seeing what you do in your new home.

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  11. Sue, it all sounds absolutely blissful, I am so envious! I think I would be quite dangerous at a smallholder's sale. It must be lovely going out to see how your newcomers are settling in, and getting to know them. The little chickies are adorable. It's all quite exciting at the moment I think!

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  12. Those little Kune Kune pigs are just too darling! We raise two pigs every summer and they are getting really big, bigger than any other pair we have raised. I should not say
    "we," though. Hubby does all of the work. I stay away from the pig area because I do not want to know them. I feel very sad knowing what we are going to do with them. But.....I certainly do enjoy the results!
    Now....chicken raising is entirely another matter. I delight in the chicks so much. We have to order them by internet and they are delivered by the mail lady!
    For some reason we have never had a successful setting by a hen. Maybe our roosters are not "up to snuff?" We do witness them "trying," though!

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  13. I'm certain you will have little piggies again and so much more.

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  14. Yes, I am a new follower, too. But maybe you already knew that?

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