Wannabe Farmer!

Ok, the title of my blog is slightly misleading, but I am thinking big....the title of the blog should be 'An English Wannabe Farmer in France'....

Follow my trials and tribulations whilst trying to register as a farmer in France, but please keep in mind that it might not actually happen, because that is the way things are in France. It might not happen for a number of reasons, not least because I have absolutely no farming qualifications and I have no experience of farming, but why should that hold me back?  In the UK I would be considered a 'smallholder', but they don't seem to have the same concept in France, so I am told, but I will be doing more research, and will report back on progress.

Earlier this year my partner and I bought 12.5 hectares of previously agricultural land, but now in a sad and sorry state, with the land came a grange (barn) converted into a house without planning permission, oh and did I mention it has no mains electricity? There are also two ruins and another grange that is so inaccessible that even the animals groan when I mention popping down to it!

Just to give you an insight into the current situation, I have very recently, as in within the last 4 weeks acquired the following livestock;

5 goats
5 sheep
2 pigs

These are in addition to the 4 chickens, 2 dogs, 1 cat and too numerous to mention mice that we already have, I should just let you know that the mice came with the house, part of the deal so to speak ;-)

Do you have experience of working as a smallholder/farmer in France? I would love to hear about your experiences.