The Road to Ladybird Farm

Ever since we met, we talked about growing food, and keeping livestock. We bought our first house together, and cultivated a small vegetable plot, including mature apple and plum trees, and a grape vine, under glass. We then took on an allotment, and grew a wider variety of vegetables. In  1996, with 2 small children, we moved to a former vicarage, with about 1/3 acre of garden, a mature apple and plum orchard, and a handful of chickens inherited from the previous owners. Here we were able to hone our fruit and vegetable growing skills, with varying degrees of success.

Once the children had both left for university, we could see a day when we would be able to take on some acres and run a smallholding. We've been looking for a property since Master W left in 2013. We've seen a beautiful house, with much less land than was advertised; a property with over 30 acres, but no front door; a Dales longhouse which was vastly overpriced; a bastle house where the owners didn't really want to move and several others. We'd seen Ladybird Farm and not been sure it was for us, so mulled it over for a few weeks. We then decided that it would fit our plans, went back for a second look and had an offer accepted. That was back in June 2015.

It's been a long process, but on 11 February, we completed the purchase and we collected the keys the following day.

On Friday we spent the morning reacquainting ourselves with the house, and discovering new things, some good, some not so. We've met several sets of neighbours, and have invitations for tea, beer and supper. We've been out surveying the land, and planting snowdrops that we brought from our Yorkshire garden. We have lists and plans, and can't wait to get started.