Animals-pets
The Country Smallholder
Making sure you put enough nutrition into your dairy goat to support her milk production
Sarah Day, nutritionist for Small Holder Feed offers feeding advice for your dairy goats to help them be happy, healthy and milky animals.
6 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Welcoming the very start of the spring season
Henrietta Balcon makes the most of the new crop rhubarb
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Starting with Pigs - before you start
Linda Aldous outlines what you need to do before anything porcine arrives on your smallholding
3 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Insurance to protect livestock - and your peace of mind
Looking ahead to a busy 2026 for Pedigree Sales, farmers and breeders will be preparing their livestock for the upcoming markets
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Getting Your Electric Fence Spring-Ready: Expert Q&A
As Spring arrives, it’s the perfect time to give your electric fence some attention. Based on questions we discuss regularly here at www.electricfencing.co.uk, here’s a list of the checks you should be carrying out now, and why they matter.
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Check your kit for the busy seasons ahead
Agricultural journalist, and machinery writer Jane Brooks, joins us for her regular look at the world.
4 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Flock together: is now the right time to add more hens?
Andy Hill explains how to integrate birds into a flock without feathers flying
4 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
The secrets behind maximising incubator hatch rates
Buying quality point of lay hens can be an expensive proposition these days (even if you can find a local source of the breed that you want). Incubating fertilised eggs can save a great deal of money and make many more breeds accessible. If you already keep poultry that includes a cockerel, an incubator means that you can hatch their eggs either to increase your flock or to sell. Hugh & Fiona Osborne have been using incubators for many years and have learned that getting a good hatch means attention to detail.
7 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Making choices for your chicks
Victoria Roberts BVSc MRCVS says Natural and Artifical Incubation are not an either/or choice
5 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
An appetite for asparagus
Our Experts answer your questions
1 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
The Pygmy Goat Problem
Matt Huggins says small is beautiful but don't under estimate the care needed for these intelligent goats
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
The importance of small abattoirs to native breeds
Christopher Price, CEO explains why we should be worried and looks at the role of the Rare Breed Survival Trust
5 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
The Almanac - a seasonal guide for 2026
GARDENING BY THE MOON The following is a guide to gardening with the phases of the moon, according to traditional practices. For moon gardening cynics it also works as a guide to the month’s gardening if you disregard the exact dates.
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Eggs are a miracle of design that we should admire
Janice Houghton-Wallace looks at how they are formed and a bird's laying capability
4 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
The hidden world of poultry
This month Paul Donovan concentrates on uncovering the Chicken Gut Microbiome
8 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
A quick look at what's on the market for our chickens
Liz Wright brings news of some exciting innovations for our feathered friends
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Helping wildlife - it's a two- way street!
Helen Moffatt of the RSPB says wildlife will help you too in so many ways
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
How do native and commercial sheep breeds compare when grazing on different types of forage in the Yorkshire Dales?
Tests have been carried out to establish the levels of methane being emitted by sheep living off a natural forage diet
1 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
How an 'unexpectedly enchanting small vineyard was created
Meeting a family enterprise that grew into three businesses in one plus honey and apple harvests
9 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Getting started with competition ploughing
Sue Frith from the Society of Ploughmen explains how you can get involved
4 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Calico Dress Cymru to star at 20th anniversary of Wonderwool Wales in 2026
Wonderwool Wales covers everything from the start to the end of the creative process. Exhibits of sheep, raw and hand dyed fibres, yarn for knitting and crochet, embellishments, equipment, dyes and books can be found alongside superb examples of finished textile art, craft, clothing and home furnishings.
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Making the most of student help during lambing
With lambing season approaching, many smallholders look for extra hands. Farm vet Sharminda Lockwood from Westpoint Farm Vets, part of VetPartners, answers common questions about how best to utilise the support of students during this busy time.
3 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Vivid Vegetables to bring a splash of colour all year round
Lee Senior looks at how to grow the rainbow in your own plot
6 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
It's time to get ready for the season ahead
Claire Waring considers jobs to be done and questions to be asked, as the bees begin to get active
7 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Big, beautiful breeds that you could help to survive
Grant Brereton gets nostalgic but is concerned for the future of large black chickens. Could you be willing to help?
5 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
2025 has broken historical climate records
Met Office figures show it has been both the warmest and sunniest year on record for the UK
1 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
More about Colostrum
Liz Wright checks in with her local farm vet to find out more
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Unlimited fines for dog attacks on farm animals
Tougher police powers as four in five farmers have sheep flock attacked by dogs.
1 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
British Hen Welfare Trust welcomes government commitment to phase out cages for laying hens
But says delivering the promise now matters
2 min |
March 2026
The Country Smallholder
Planning to Grow Something New Can be Exciting
If you're finalising your garden growing plans for 2026, why not plan to add something new, exciting or even exotic? It could add some spice to your cooking or just add a little fun to your garden. Fiona and Hugh Osborne give you some ideas
7 min |