Hi from Niedersachsen (Germany)

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Hi from Niedersachsen (Germany)

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kevin.vinke

Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1304
Location: Niedersachsen, Germany

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 06 4:51 pm Post subject: Hi from Niedersachsen (Germany)

Hi all,
thought I'd introduce myself.
We've been following the River Cottage series from the beginning. At first it was wouldn't that be nice followed by only buying well produced meat and then my wife lost her job was offered a transfer to Germany and we landed in a little village of 65 souls (including us boosting the population

). Very friendly folks who appreciate it when newcommers join in with village life..firebrigade, winter walks and big parties with lots of beer, going into the woods to get wood, burning the last collected wood and then cooking Met (a well seasoned minced pork wrapped in newspaper) in the embers.
My wife of course works but it means that I can be here when the kids (Alexander nearly 6 and Ellen just 9) come out of school about 1 (they start at 7) and it means I should be able to get our little project off the ground.
After a little negotiating unfortunately we weren't able to get the whole field behind our house (10,000m2) so we have to make do with 900m2 where I hope to have a chicken/duck run and raise our fruit and veg intensively.
Any other animals will have to wait though we have discussed the possibility of renting a section of field wood for raising a couple of weeners spring to autumn.
Has to be said though that everyone here does something whether chickens, ducks, geese or as one neighbour whose family take a week off to process 3 pigs and a steer.
Merry Christmas to you all,

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 06 4:52 pm Post subject:
Welcome! Sounds like you've got a lovely opportunity there

Azura Skye

Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 2199
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 06 5:00 pm Post subject:
Welcome - sounds like a nice area : )

doctoral

Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 697
Location: Now in Surrey ... I need a good avatar

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 06 6:30 pm Post subject:
Another one assimilated .. Hi Kevin & Welcome The Germans know their mushrooms, too, although the foraging section has dried up a bit since the frosts ...

fenwoman

Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 509
Location: Tydd St giles

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 07 9:31 pm Post subject:
nice to hear from you. I spent most of my teenage and early 20's in a small town called Nienburg in Niedersachsen and my parents lived in a place called Liebenau.

kevin.vinke

Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1304
Location: Niedersachsen, Germany

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 07 10:16 am Post subject:

We are about 100km further south on the edge of the Solingen in a village called Denkiehausen. Nice place with nice people.
One downside though is you can't do anything without a schien (certificate) and that costs money. Even to use a chainsaw in the woods costs 180� to do the course and to do any kind of hunting you need a full certicate which can cost up to �5000 so no shooting bunnys.

Thanks for the nice welcomes

Kevin

fenwoman

Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 509
Location: Tydd St giles

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 07 11:02 am Post subject:

kevin.vinke wrote:

Kevin

isn't it 'schein'? ie pronounce ee, ei pronounce eye
as in Nienburg, Wien or eier and leider

I must admit I loved living over there. Being half German had summat to do with it I suppose. Would love to go back but thanks to all the beasts I keep I can't go anywhere. poo. Got invited to stay with family in law in Turin and brother in the Dordogne but here I sits in the muddy fens and twiddles me thumbs. Verdammt nochmahl.

kevin.vinke

Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1304
Location: Niedersachsen, Germany

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 07 12:06 pm Post subject:

You'll have to forgive my German (especially the spelling) I have to be creative at times. I'm Dutch originaly (moved at 9) so it can all get a bit creative, I know I'm to lazy to use the dictionary lol
Know what you mean about animals we've had to conceed that after our Summer holiday this year to visit our friends in Northern Ireland three weeks away will be next to impossible.
Interesting country though so long weekends are planned.

jan66

Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 4

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 07 9:28 am Post subject:
Hey, your introduction could have been mine. We too watched River Cottage, and moved to Niedersachsen. I enjoyed reading your posts, lost of recognition there (the Firebrigade, the celebrations with lots of alcohol, the birthday party decorations for years with a 0 etc). We are in Ostfriesland, between Leer and Aurich so still a fair way away from Solingen.

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 07 9:56 am Post subject:
Wilkommen (But that is the extent of my German!) We are in France hoping to do a similar sort of thing to you - chickens/ducks/couple of sheep and lots of fruit and veg - the veg patch is started, some fruit bushes are waiting to go in and we at least know where we want to put the henhouse!!

Andrea

Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 07 11:28 am Post subject:

kevin.vinke wrote:

You sound like my OH who is Dutch but lives here in Portugal & is assumed to be British by the locals as we speak English at home (I don't speak Dutch). Poor man can barely remember his own language when he speaks to his Mum on the phone

kevin.vinke

Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1304
Location: Niedersachsen, Germany

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 07 6:44 pm Post subject:

Hi,
well a lot of water has passed under the bridge and quite a bit of beer

There was quite a delay on getting the small bit of land which we wanted to use but I got the go ahead at the beginning of September.
The polytunnel is up and I planted a few bits and peices but mainly it�s storing my shed while I get the foundations built (it�s been so wet I can�t shift the cement and stuff up to where I�m building it..
All the beds are layed out with timber surrounds and the winter onions and garlic are planted.
I plan to build the chicken / ducks house over the winter so that we can get them in the spring.
In two weeks I get to take part in Schlachten with some neighbours and hope to be able to take part in the whole process from the start and finish up with half a pig.
I spent today helping neighbours with some pine wood they bought after the storms in January. A mobile band saw came along and cut it all up to order. Unfortunately it was pouring with rain and sleeting off and on.
The kids are just back from St.Martins�lantern fest where they go singing around all the houses and get loads of sweets.
We finaly got the dog we promised the kids a Weimeraner. A beautifull dog but very strong willed and energetic.

That�s the nice thing about this forum lots of people trying to do the same thing.
Btw for those of us in Germany missing a few home essentials try these folks https://www.greatbritishfood.de/ very quick and reasonably priced delivery Frey Bentos steak and kidney pies

cheers,
kevin

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