Sláinte from the west of Ireland

[Camile]

Hi Everyone ...

I have been checking your forum for a few months now .. and I thought that would be rude not to present myself so here I am ..

My name is Camile ... altough I'm french, I'm living in a lovely little thatched cottage in County Galway, in the west of ireland, on around 0.8 acre ..

in a small hamlet of about 12 houses .. and to be honest .. I'm loving it ! I wouldn't go back to the city whatsoever ! even tough I would like to be even more secluded .. I have to admit that having a few neighbours is a great thing ... especially the farmers around me that are always giving me hay and all .. in return of a few eggs ..

Here is a small presentation of the family:

I'm living with my girlfriend ... Melanie ..

3 cats, Molly, Shiva and Poko (even tough one of them has been missing for more than 3 weeks)

Meg the Border collie:

4 hens and the dwarf Rooster:

The Geese, Babylon and Heather:

The Bunnys, Robert and Popeye:

And last but not least, Yannou, the Billy Kid less than 3 months old .... wich will soon have a lamb as company because for now he thinks I'm the buck and follows me everywhere ... he loves staying in front of the fire place .. and is always checking what I'm doing ! worst than the dog I tell you !

They are all pets and wouldn't want to eat any of them .. but I'm getting into the idea of raising a few chicks to have me own chicken on the table ... same for the rabbits .. but at least I have proper eggs everyday .. and goose eggs are brilliant for baking and all ...

I prepared a couple of raised beds (9) and the standard veggie patch to be able to grow most of the veggies we want .. and hopefully the weather will pick up and allow me to plant them outside .. we also planting blackcurrent, redcurrent and raspberry to do lovely jam ...

I fenced the veggie patch instead of fencing the animals .. because veggies are easier to keep in one spot than a blo£$"£$dy goat !

I'm starting to go on wild food foraging but mainly for the rabbits at the moment .. exept for the dandelion salad the odd time .. so I might annoy you with a few pics from time to time to make sure them thinks are eatable ... and also because I'm keen on photography so if you want pics of the house and animal .. just ask and I'll post them ...

I'm also really interested in home brewing and all ... and will hopefully soon do some nettle wine or beer ... because that's about the only thing the goat doesn't touch !

I would love to be completly self sufficient ... but so far, I can only be selfsufficientish so that why I'm here ... trying to gain the knowledge to become self sufficient ... and hopefully be able to share the few bit of knowledge that I have .. and my dream would be to have a pet farm/organic farm and giving training on organic farm and animal husbandry ..

So that's it for now because most of you will be asleep by now reading this annoying post ! and I have so many things to learn from this forum .. .

Have fun ..
Camile

[Lou8]

Hi Camile,
I am new here too and hoping to learn.
I would love to see pictures of your place and animals.
I love the idea of you having a goat in front of the fire.... in fact I'm quite envious.

I have a border collie X lurcher called Che - the fireside is reserved for him here!

Look forward to getting to know you.
Lou.

[Camile]

Hi Lou !

Nice to meet you .. isn't it a great forum ! thanks to Andy and Wombat for that ... and everyone else who contributes ! a great crowd !

So here are the pics ..

That's the cottage (roughly 300 years old), the mushroom shape is the traditional style from the area:



For the fire place .. you could always make room for two:


But he really loves it there .. especially after a long walk in the adjoining fields:


Then there is Meg again, isn't she lovely in that morning myst:


Then the chicks (Fiona, Mathilde and Colette) would love to come inside too, therefor they knock at the door:


Here is Augustine, from who I'm expecting her first egg anyday now:


And here is Regis, the dwarf roosteR:


Then we have Babylon and Heather (in the bath):


And here is what Heather is preparing, even tough I don't have a gender, but they were with one about 2 months ago so I hope that will work:


Here are the bunnies:
Robert:

Popeye:


And last but not least, the cats:
Molly (just after doing the whitewash):


Shiva:


And Poko who's gone missing but I have hopes that he'll be back:


And here is myself sitting on a load of turf, and we will "harvest" ourselves this year ... It's going to be tough but worth it as nothing beats the white smoke from the turf .. and the smell ... hummmm ... :


So that's it for now ....

And there should be a "photo" section for us to share them ... because I have many more of them, including a goat house made of pallets, hen house and so on ...

Camile

[Andy Hamilton]

Hi Camile and welcome to the forum. I can see why you love it there so much it looks idilic.

[hedgewitch]

Hello and welcome to the forum - what beautiful pictures!
Your animals are gorgeous and your little farm is like a picture postcard.

[gunners71uk]

hi welcome you have a good set up there do you make your own wine.
or a good rough cider guiness tastes better in ireland........

[shiney]

Hellloooo and welcome.

Fantastic pictures of your place and animals! I particularly like the bunny rabbits.

8)

[Millymollymandy]

Salut Camile et bienvenue! I love your photos. The photo with the cat and the geranium on the windowsill looks almost Greek (just need blue windows instead of red!).

[Lou8]

Wow those photos would inspire anyone to move to the country. That's the sort of place I always dreamed about.
Especially the goat and the dog snuggling together in front of the fire.
Looks wonderful.

[Muddypause]

I am really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really envious of this.

No, really I am.

Really really really.

Andy, can we have a rule forbidding photos like this, please. I just can't take the torment.

<deep breath, gritted teath> Congratulations on what looks to be such a wonderful life.

[Sandy]

OMG Camile, your place is gorgeous . Love all the pics, please post more! Can I come live with you too? I don't eat much and can sleep by the fire if you don't have much room

[Shelle]

totally agree ... all awesome pics ... and Yannou and Meg ... what can i say ... i love them already

Camile (and Melanie) you sure have made yourself a lovely place to call home.

[Camile]

Hello everyone ..

Thanks for the warm welcome ...

Now you understand why I fell in love with the place the 1st time I saw it ! and there isn't much that would get me out of there .... I think death will be the only way .. and even tough .. when that happens .. I want to rest underneath the veggie patch so I can feed them for an extra while !

Sorry Muddypause ... but you are more than welcome to come and visit so at least you can enjoy it too ! and there are plenty of spots like us .. you just have to be lucky ! some for you Sandy .. but indeed you will have to share the fireplace .. or a tent in the field .. because the only "downpoint" is that it's the low class farmer cottage ... so it's basically 1 bedroom, 1 living room, 1 kitchenette and the loft (best place in the house, directly underneath the thatch).

Gunners .. for the wine .. I've never done any but I have some netles in the back field that I will try making wine out of it .. because I just love the idea of home brew .. and some of the recipes seems pretty easy .. so I'll give it a go ..

So here are a few extras pics and my little paradise ..

Happy August:


But nothing should stop you for the BBQ or eating outside:


This is the inside:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f340/ ... ed8541.jpg

Table, cabinet and shelve have been handmade by the father of the old bachelor that used to live there .. with oak from the bog ...

I love the thick walls, almost 80cm for the inside walls, and roughly a meter for the inside one


Here is the Hen House that I made .... I always collect my eggs in the nest box provided .. very handy ..



And that's the goat house only made with recycled pallets and plastic "Feed" bags for insulation:


Here is the veggie patch from last year (first time ever I grew veggies):


And if you have cats .. don't forget to plant Catnip as it's like Cali for us ..


I should stop with the pictures for now ... but I still have to take a few shots of the Rabbit Hutch and the fence for the veggie patch .. and so on ...

Thanks again for this wonderful forum and I won't be long before asking questions !

Camile

[Wombat]

G'Day Camile and welcome to the site! I loved the photos, you certainly have a beautiful set up there, I am very envious!

Nev

[Mr. Trench]

Formidable! Bonjour Camile, avez-vous une salle pour moi? Je pourrais vous aider dans les champs... plus, je suis très experimenté avec les poules!

Bienvenu... Andy