skarp
New Magnie
Posts: 14
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Post by skarp on Dec 3, 2008 2:43:31 GMT 1
Hello folks, This is a great forum!
I've read many posts that have been of particular interest to me......gardening, crofting etc.
It's nice to be in the company of like minded souls.
Bye for now, Adam
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jps
Peerie Magnie
Posts: 84
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Post by jps on Dec 3, 2008 11:17:00 GMT 1
Hi Adam
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Post by maree on Dec 3, 2008 17:06:21 GMT 1
Hello from me too Adam. I'm glad that you're finding the forum interesting and look forward to your posts. We're quite a friendly bunch!! ;D
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ox
I'm a Magnie!
Posts: 194
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Post by ox on Dec 3, 2008 20:53:28 GMT 1
Welcome Adam you will find some interesting subjects on this forum but watch out for that Maree if you step out of line she will pin you to the wall with a pitchfork gggggg
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Post by benjiesmum on Dec 3, 2008 21:05:25 GMT 1
Hello there Adam. Nice that you have joined the forum. It's very nice here. Lots of interesting posts about all kinds of things. Look forward to seeing some of your posts soon. ;D ;D ;D
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Post by aitch on Dec 3, 2008 22:05:51 GMT 1
Hi' Adam - enjoy
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skarp
New Magnie
Posts: 14
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Post by skarp on Dec 4, 2008 0:43:18 GMT 1
Hello ladies and gents!
Jps, Maree, Ox, Benjiesmum, Aitch, Thank you all for such a warm welcome! ;D Pitchforks and all!
Here's a little bit about me:
I'm located on a small widndswept island off the south of Australia.
Here I fish, hunt, tan furs and make leather goods and horse harness.
I breed chooks and ducks for meat and eggs
We keep a dozen coloured sheep for fibre, furs and meat.
There is a highland cow for milk and an abnoxious little bull calf.
We grow fruit and vegetables and always have food to spare.
I work greenwood with the axe and adze, and haul firewood in an ancient tipping dray with my welsh cob gelding, Frodo.
Next year I plan on moving to Shetland to live a quiet, honest life of self supporting, food growing and handcrafts. I still don't know HOW though! haha
Viewing the photographs on this forum, of members sheep, tomatoes, strawberries etc, warms my heart. I've always found it very difficult to meet people with these humble interests.
Do any of you keep geese or goats? or use a pony for pack carrying or plough hauling?
Chores call me away and I must oblige.
Have a splendid day, everyone,
Adam.
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Post by Fifi on Dec 4, 2008 22:29:35 GMT 1
What a lovely post, Adam! Welcome from me too. You sound as though you'd fit right in here, although the weather would be every so slightly different from Oz! We've got a few chookies and grow veg but just in our garden, not a croft. You sound like a man of many talents! Regarding leather, there's a very talented chap here who makes high quality leather goods including saddlery - some on my website <see sig at bottom> and he also has his own website showing some of his techniques - www.journeyman-leather.co.uk/. Interesting about your woodwork and horse. My next door neighbour is a recently retired farrier and blacksmith from Yorkshire. Very talented, fantastic handmade tools, although he rarely has the time to make them nowadays - www.brucewilcockforgings.com/. I bet you and he would have some good yarns! He used to have a couple of huge Clydesdales and various other horses over the years and used to go out in his pony and trap. Good luck with your quest to get to Shetland and hope to see you here.
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Post by malcolm on Dec 5, 2008 0:00:56 GMT 1
Hi Adam, Welcome to the Northmavine forum. I Hope you make good use of the place and make a few new friends along the way
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Post by benjiesmum on Dec 5, 2008 20:07:59 GMT 1
Hi Adam! Sounds an interesting life you lead on your windswept island down under. Looking forward to seeing some photographs of where you live.
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Post by bod on Dec 5, 2008 21:40:18 GMT 1
Hi Adam, really nice summary of your life, sounds interesting and lots of fun. Look forward to seeing where you live.
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skarp
New Magnie
Posts: 14
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Post by skarp on Dec 6, 2008 5:13:56 GMT 1
Hello everyone! Fiona, Malcolm and Bod....Thanking you for your warm welcomes. Fiona, the weather here can be awfully dry and hot...... and I'm next to useless in such weather. I prefer snow! It's quite blustery down here in Bass Strait and I love it when the wind howls and the seas are angered. A hot dry spell can give way to 90mph winds in a matter of minutes. Hardly a dull moment. The growing season is long, the winters are warm, the coldest nights only being 5 degrees below. I had a look at your website, Fiona, and I love it. The local crafts delight the eyes. You've done a brilliant job. I love the photo of you and Charlotte, fine looking bird.....the hen too! I visit the Journeyman Leather website frequently. Ian makes some beautiful tack. I'm particularly interested in pack saddles and Ian has recently added such an article to his catalogue. I've added Bruce's website to "favourites". You're so right, he's a very talented fellow. His anchors are fantastic. He'd, without doubt, be a very handy chap to know. I don't have any photo's of where I live. Up until a few months ago we lived without electricity and running water. We've since moved into a conventional house in town to work and save some extra cash in readiness for the great leap north! I have made a website for my good friend Arne. I lived with Arne for a few months, helping him out. Arne's home is built from driftwood, whalebones and ship framing. Arne and I are both sailors first, farmers second. The sea is in our blood. This will give you an idea of where I live: www.flindersislandproperty.infoAnyway.... I must fly. Take it easy, Adam.
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Post by maree on Dec 6, 2008 13:34:32 GMT 1
Hi Adam If you like angry seas, then you'd love Shetland! I completely agree that raging seas are beautiful. You've probably seen some of the photos on the forum of the waves in our area and it can be breathtaking.
The website you've made for your friend Arne is great and I especially like the photos of his "shack"! I also looked at the Flinders Islands Council website and note that there are around 900 people in the islands. Northmavine is not an island - although the strip of land that connects us to the Mainland of Shetland is only around 100m wide - we have a population of 841 according to the last census in 2001. Realistically the populaiton is probably less than that now unfortunately.
We'd always welcome new residents, so good luck with your plans to get here! It sounds like you would have much in common with many folk here Adam.
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Post by Fifi on Dec 6, 2008 18:27:23 GMT 1
Adam, thanks for your kind words. Amazing that you had already been looking at the Journeyman Leather website. Arne's place is also amazing! What a place! Although he wants to return to the sea, he must be sad to leave it.
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skarp
New Magnie
Posts: 14
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Post by skarp on Dec 8, 2008 5:14:54 GMT 1
Hello Maree, Yes, I can't wait to witness the seas of Shetland tortured by a winter gale. I've seen many photo's on the forum, of wind and wave. Thanks to all the photographers out there.. Indeed rough water is an awesome thing, escpecially when viewed from a cliff top or a wooden, open boat.
Flinders has a population of around 580, the population has been steadily decreasing for 20 years or so. The island once had around 1500 people and two badminton teams!!
For me, the less people the better. The quieter the better, the more pristine, the better.
This strip of land that you refer to, Maree, I think I may have seen a photo of it......is this Mavis Grind? It looks like the perfect location to build a stone wall, to seperate the republic of Northmavine from the rest of Shetland!
Thank you all for the friendly banter! May peace settle upon thee and thine.
Adam.
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