MUD, POO & PORKERS | Black Orchard

The Down to Earth Guide to Starting Smallholding with Animals

Come and join Stephen and Sue on their smallholding near Carmarthen, and get a real feel for how to start a smallholding with animals and what it is really like. This is not a course for just cuddling piglets (although there may well be some of that), but will take you through how to find your smallholding and what to look for when viewing, how to choose and prepare for your first livestock with the associated legalities, basic animal husbandry with practical emphasis on chickens, pigs and cattle, and how you might make your smallholding bring in a small income.

Three weaners enjoying examing the contents of a wheelbarrowful of straw and poo which they have just knocked over

A comprehensive farm walk and other practical activities such as working with the livestock and looking at machinery will bring the theory to life, and there will be plenty of opportunity to meet and interact with our animals.

A summer meadow with a far-reaching view. In the foregraound are cattle and pig paddocks are behind

The day long course will take you through what to consider when choosing your smallholding, things to look out for when viewing, the legalities of owning land and livestock, everything you need to consider when choosing your animals, plus ways of making a small income from your holding.

Topics include:

Finding Your Smallholding

Legalities

Choosing your Livestock

Organisations

Starting Out

Basic Animal Husbandry

Basic Medical Care

Managing Your Land

Making it Pay

If you want to move to a smallholding in Wales and get livestock, then this is the course for you.

As well as the standard Black Orchard provisions of elevenses, a delicious lunch made with our own pork, cake for tea and tea or coffee throughout the day, the course includes a professionally printed, comprehensive and illustrated course handbook.

£99 per person or £170 per couple*, places limited to four individuals or three couples.

The course runs from 1000 to around 1600

Or, for a real taster of smallholding, join us for the

Mud, Poo & Porkers Experience

Mud, Poo & Porkers can be expanded into the “Mud, Poo and Porkers Experience”. This includes the course on the Saturday, plus, on the Sunday, spending the day working alongside us on farm jobs which could include such tasks as collecting eggs, clearing arks, driving the tractor or using our working horse. This is the real smallholding experience, and will take place in all weathers.

The Mud, Poo and Porkers Experience is limited to one couple, so you can get the very most out of the day.

A woman spreads wood chip with a fork, helped by many chickens

We cannot provide accommodation, but there is are many options nearby.

The Mud, Poo & Porkers Experience costs £300 for a couple, including both the Course on the Saturday and the Experience on the Sunday

Both days include hot drinks, a home-made lunch and afternoon tea and cake

A man throws straw into an ark. One pig is in the way and another is "helping"

Dates

This course is run on demand, so to book, please contact us here

Please note, this course will run whatever the weather, other than in the event of a severe weather warning, so dress appropriately (wellies are recommended unless in high summer). You might want to bring a change of clothes in case of rain / mud / farm smells.

Please see our Terms and Conditions here

* For the purposes of the course a couple is defined as two people either from the same household or who will be keeping animals together under one CPH number.

A man ours water over a large sow sitting in a wallow.