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Event diary
Meetings
Apologies for the lack of a web site for a few days. For historical reasons we were not informed of the expiry of our hosting. We are now set up with a new web host which despite all the instant electronic communications technology still took a few days. Please let us know if you find any problems with the site. Re-establishing the mail system will take a little longer so please bear with us if you get a rejected response. 2012 Meetings 28^th May 2012 Monday - Visit to Stockley Farm For our final meeting of the year we have arranged a visit to Stockley Farm on the Arley Estate. The Farm manager John Walton has agreed to allow us a peek behind the scenes of this well-known organic farm. Many of you may already have visited the open to the public experience but this visit should allow you to gain a more in-depth view of the workings of the farm, Stockley is also very involved in educational visits for schools across the county. We will meet in the farmyard. Numbers are limited so please contact Jane Hulse either by e-mail or telephone after 7pm 01829 781343 for a place (on or before 21^st May), Charge for the visit is £5 per person Directions M6 from the north -junction 20, turn right at the round about heading for Warrington. Follow signs for Stockley Farm Park and Arley Hall and gardens. M6 from the south -junction 19, take 1st exit off heading for Northwich, keep in right hand lane and take first turning right alongside the Windmill pub. Follow signs for Stockley Farm Park and Arley Hall and Gardens. M56 from Chester: Exit at junction 10, follow signs for Arley Hall and Gardens. M56 to junction 7 continue on the A556 through 2 sets of traffic lights to the roundabout for the M6 (junction 19) take the 2nd exit off for Northwich but keep in the right hand lane and take the first turning right signed STOCKLEY FARM and ARLEY HALL AND GARDENS. http://www.stockleyfarm.co.uk/ Postcode: CW9 6LZ All meetings 7:30 for 8:00 at Reaseheath see Lectures tab Association Events 13 May Reaseheath Family Open Day We have a marquee at the open day so come along as see a variety of exhibitors related to smallholders. There is a charge for entry unless you want to volunteer to support us in the marquee. Reaseheath have lots of activities and events organised during the day . 9 June (Saturday). The postponed visit to Ian Clarke’s smallholding to see how he grows veg and manages his box scheme. Starting at 10:30 as before let Gill (01928 788380) know if you are attending and to get directions. 30 June (Saturday) Summer Barbeque 5:00pm. Come and meet your fellow members to put the world to rights over a drink and a bite to eat. You provide the meat and drink we provide the salad stuff and a hot barbeque. In the event of normal summer weather we are under cover. Location is Gill’s farm in Kingsley nr Frodsham. Phone a committee member for directions if needed. Previous Meetings January 2012 - Ask the Vet. Colin Baxter cover a wide range of topics accompanied by some horrific slides of the problems that we can find as smallholders. Smallenberg virus was covered along with similar vector spread diseases. 27 February - Sheep Nerys from ADAS gave one of her usual excellent presentations on sheep and the latest thinking on sheep care as well as specific advice on foot care. One of the most controversial aspects is the advice not to trim feet on a regular basis. Despite the skepticism on this topic from many farmers comprehensive trails have proved it to be very effective advice. See gate for a fuller description of her presentation. 26 March - Growing Veg Ian Clarke from Reaseheath gave an excellent presentation on growing veg on a small commercial scale and the business implications including the benefits and disadvantage of organic production and registration. Even those just producing for home use learnt a lot about getting the best yields. He has also agreed to a visit to his holding on Saturday 9 June. Numbers are limited for the visit so contact Gill Murty or put your name on the list at the meetings. April 30th Aren't Chickens Great Michelle Scott of Garden Poultry in Kingsley gave a presentation on Chickens and on the trials and tribulations of setting up a poultry business. Michele bought the smallholding a year ago and re-established the poultry business. Covering the history of chickens their behavior and reasons for the current chicken shortage (EU regulations on cage size) she also covered the sometimes humorous learning curve of setting up a chicken business.

Event diary

Meetings

Apologies for the lack of a web site for a few days. For historical reasons we were not informed of the expiry of our hosting. We are now set up with a new web host which despite all the instant electronic communications technology still took a few days. Please let us know if you find any problems with the site. Re-establishing the mail system will take a little longer so please bear with us if you get a rejected response.

2012 Meetings

28^th May 2012 Monday - Visit to Stockley Farm

For our final meeting of the year we have arranged a visit to Stockley Farm on the Arley Estate.

The Farm manager John Walton has agreed to allow us a peek behind the scenes of this well-known organic farm. Many of you may already have visited the open to the public experience but this visit should allow you to gain a more in-depth view of the workings of the farm, Stockley is also very involved in educational visits for schools across the county.

We will meet in the farmyard. Numbers are limited so please contact Jane Hulse either by e-mail or telephone after 7pm 01829 781343
for a place (on or before 21^st May), Charge for the visit is £5 per person

Directions

M6 from the north -junction 20, turn right at the round about heading for Warrington. Follow signs for Stockley Farm Park and Arley Hall and gardens.

M6 from the south -junction 19, take 1st exit off heading for Northwich, keep in right hand lane and take first turning right alongside the Windmill pub. Follow signs for Stockley Farm Park and Arley Hall and Gardens.

M56 from Chester: Exit at junction 10, follow signs for Arley Hall and Gardens.

M56 to junction 7 continue on the A556 through 2 sets of traffic lights to the roundabout for the M6 (junction 19) take the 2nd exit off for Northwich but keep in the right hand lane and take the first turning right signed STOCKLEY FARM and ARLEY HALL AND GARDENS.

http://www.stockleyfarm.co.uk/

Postcode: CW9 6LZ

All meetings 7:30 for 8:00 at Reaseheath see Lectures tab

Association Events

13 May Reaseheath Family Open Day
We have a marquee at the open day so come along as see a variety of exhibitors related to smallholders. There is a charge for entry unless you want to volunteer to support us in the marquee. Reaseheath have lots of activities and events organised during the day .

9 June (Saturday). The postponed visit to Ian Clarke’s smallholding to see how he grows veg and manages his box scheme. Starting at 10:30 as before let Gill (01928 788380) know if you are attending and to get directions.

30 June (Saturday) Summer Barbeque 5:00pm. Come and meet your fellow members to put the world to rights over a drink and a bite to eat. You provide the meat and drink we provide the salad stuff and a hot barbeque. In the event of normal summer weather we are under cover. Location is Gill’s farm in Kingsley nr Frodsham. Phone a committee member for directions if needed.

Previous Meetings

January 2012 - Ask the Vet.
Colin Baxter cover a wide range of topics accompanied by some horrific slides of the problems that we can find as smallholders. Smallenberg virus was covered along with similar vector spread diseases.

27 February - Sheep
Nerys from ADAS gave one of her usual excellent presentations on sheep and the latest thinking on sheep care as well as specific advice on foot care. One of the most controversial aspects is the advice not to trim feet on a regular basis. Despite the skepticism on this topic from many farmers comprehensive trails have proved it to be very effective advice. See gate for a fuller description of her presentation.

26 March - Growing Veg
Ian Clarke from Reaseheath gave an excellent presentation on growing veg on a small commercial scale and the business implications including the benefits and disadvantage of organic production and registration. Even those just producing for home use learnt a lot about getting the best yields. He has also agreed to a visit to his holding on Saturday 9 June. Numbers are limited for the visit so contact Gill Murty or put your name on the list at the meetings.

April 30th Aren't Chickens Great
Michelle Scott of Garden Poultry in Kingsley gave a presentation on Chickens and on the trials and tribulations of setting up a poultry business. Michele bought the smallholding a year ago and re-established the poultry business. Covering the history of chickens their behavior and reasons for the current chicken shortage (EU regulations on cage size) she also covered the sometimes humorous learning curve of setting up a chicken business.

Welcome to the Cheshire Smallholders website.

We are a dynamic and enthusiastic group of small-scale and hobby farmers, horse enthusiasts and countryside lovers. The livestock interests of our members include sheep, goats, pigs and cattle, chickens, ducks and geese, Many also keep horses and ponies, and a few llamas and alpacas. Other interests include bees, and fruit and vegetable cultivation.

See the Lectures page for details of how to get to Reaseheath College.