Being able to respond to unexpected accidents on the smallholding is crucial

Hugh & Fiona Osborne describe how they have responded to a major setback to their smallholder plans. It may help you plan your response, should the worst happen.

AN UNEXPECTED ACCIDENT

We started 2024 with big plans to increase our growing space, to undertake some building renovations on the barns and redecorate the house. As January began, we laid the foundations to deliver the work before the weather warmed up. That was until the 26th January, when disaster struck.

I (Fiona) was in the field burning our pile of hedge cuttings from getting the hedge "Spring ready". I turned and tripped, falling over. This was such a simple accident and happens to lots of people every day, but on this occasion, the worst happened. As I fell, I felt my bones crunch and crack in my left leg and I knew they were broken. At the time I thought it was my ankle.

Unfortunately, I was on the smallholding on my own, but thankfully I had my phone with me. I immediately called Hugh simply saying "I've broken my ankle. I need help", before dragging myself across the wet grass away from the bonfire pile.

Hugh was in town at the time taking his elderly mother for a hearing test and it would have taken 40 minutes for him to get back to the car and get to me, so he sprang into action. We have very few neighbours where we live, but those we have are great friends, sharing resources and trading skills. Hugh called one such neighbour, Nick saying "Fiona has fallen and I'm in town. She needs someone with her until I can get there". Nick didn't hesitate. There was no "I'm just in the middle of something" or "Are you sure she won't be, OK?", he simply said "I'm on it". He dropped everything and rushed to help me. Five minutes later he was calling 999 after finding me going into shock, lying on the grass.