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livestock
We've spent some time pondering what to do with our fields. Just ignoring them is not viable, as they will be a bramble fest if we did that. We have decided to make a vegetable plot, a chicken run and an orchard, but that still leaves at least an acre of land.
We are now considering keeping pigs, and have ear marked the land to use for that, and given that our place came with pig housing, albeit built for more intensive systems, it seems obvious to use it. But as for the fields.. well the need to be grazed.
Grazing animals, well there are cows.. but actually they are not as safe as people think, and we want to be able to walk the fields without a worry.... goats - oh how I love goats milk and products, but there is that whole fencing issue..sheep - I have a little knowledge of sheep, as my parents keep them, enough to know it's not just a matter of 'sticking a few sheep in that will keep your grass down'. So we started with sheep .
So - having made the brave decision to keep animals there are a few practical things to think about. Being registered with a local vets that cope with farm animals - transport, all the legal paperwork etc, and of course the general care of your livestock.