Hello from Jersey

Hello everyone

Id like to introduce myself on the site as im sure I'll be using this as an invaluable resource in the years to come.

My name is Stuart and my wife is Jayne

Our plan is to move out to NZ after paying off our house in Jersey CI (a small island between England and France) in a good few years.

We definatly love the idea of a life style block and have actually been looking into this plan for a year or so.

We are heading out for a holiday/reccy trip over xmas 2011 for 6 weeks and plan to, amoung other things, do a farm stay on a similar setup to what we plan on doing.

If any one can suggest any places we could look at trying as a farm stay that would be wonderful.

What we'd like is a place maybe concentrating on pigs, hens, a few sheep, maybe alpacas, bees and a home cow, along with the self suffiecent type set up of the house and with all the vegs and fruit being grow too.

Thanks for reading
regards
stu

Hi Stu and welcome to lsb

We moved out here nearly 20 years ago and don't regret it By the time you're here for your holiday we should have sorted out our new block and you're welcome to come for a look

You really should be thinking about goats though...

Cheers
Kate

Hi Stu,
You picked a nice time to visit NZ, hope the summer is good for you over the 6 weeks.
Plenty of farm stays, some catering to the self sufficient lifestyle as well.
www.tourism.net.nz/accommodation/farmstays/

Depends where you are thinking of going in NZ, South Island- North Island- smaller island (like Jersey) it's all good[]

If you like the look of a particular area, ask around on this forum for more information from locals, because a trip over summer may not give a full representation of what it is like year round.

Watch out for the Goat Mafia[:0]

Welcome jerseystu, I am sure there is, or are, a couple on here from CI.
You have made a great decision, one you will not regret.....
and you will find you will NEED goats [}] an integral part of a lifestyle block and our way of life. []

Hello Stu, wherever you go, make sure you have a good look at the gorse, and know that it will probably be a big part of your life, unless you head for the really cold bits of the country, where I've seen it still used as hedging!

My cousin currently lives on Guernsey. How long have you been on Jersey?

Hi Jerseystu.... yes, you do need to consider goats, milking ones.... they are just THE business. Easier to manage than a cow and their milk is gorgeous. Ok so I'm biased as a lot of goat people are LOL. They provide you with cuddles and love and although they probably need more hoof trimming than a cow.... well, they are just so worth the effort. You will need more than one though or they will go in search of a friend.

There are plenty of goat people here so you won't be groping in the dark learning about them. []

Yakut

Goats? Of course Goats! What else? You wouldn't want to have a Jersey cow, would you? [)]

Welcome to the forum. Should you be interested in the Far North, the Top of New Zealand let me know. We would be happy to show you around. We even have friends with cows! []

Cheers

Peter

As gorse will be a part of your life, as Isla pointed out, you definately will need goats [}]

Well goats definatley seem to be very popular here, we did initially think about goats but as we are in the very early stages of planning any help like this is very much appriciated.

Isla, you said your cousin lives in Guernsey, my wife is from Guernsey her family names are dawson/blundell.(and i worked over there for a few years too and may kow them!)

Over the coming months im sure you folks are going to be hearing from us more and more,hopefully with not too stupid questions, please be patient with us eh!!!

Thanks for the help so far and all the best

stu

Do not listen to them( goat people) bring a cow from there with you they are the bestesss As for questions, as spoook has on her signature somes it up

Ah Yeah, just read that!! too true

I was once asked the question "Is an egg fertile before or after it is laid" :eek:

I had visions of our rooster racing about with a tiny hand held or should that be 'claw held' drill and some little drill bits...... hmmmmmm and it wasn't asked by a 'townie'. [:0]
Oh and I'm not suggesting that someone from town wouldn't know but you would expect someone who lives rurally and has had a couple of chooks to have a grasp on the hows and wherefores wouldn't you?

You would also kind hope that after having children.. they'd know what a cervix is especially if they were the one who actually gave birth..... :rolleyes:

Yakut

If you end up in the waikato the damn collymachons are as much of a problem as the gorse
A la perchoine from a sarnian refugee