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10 Years


Ten years ago the Stickler family left the UK travelling over the channel in convoy with one puppy, three guinea pigs and three rats. A truck load of stuff and a Fiat Brava (still going) crammed full for a new life in south west France.


 We fell in love with the view and a small village, Najac in the Aveyron. No rush hours, no more stress and no more keeping up with the Jone's. A time to connect with the land and a slower pace of life.



We brought a working farm with potential to have a couple of gites. We were not intentionally wanting a farm but a bit of land was on our wish list to have a few animals and a veggie garden. Farmer J still had his business in the UK where he flew back to during the week and spent weekends converting the milking barn into gites.


With a corner of the barn falling down, a septic tank that left its position in the ground to roll down the hill an eccentric architect and a lot of stone moving the gites were built. Farmer J wound up his business to be here full time. The kids survived school and a new language was learnt for all.

Cows were brought and breed, sheep brought and breed and then sold with pigs following. We started the process of making the farm organic and after four years gained organic status.





 






 Some days are full on hay making, tree felling for fence posts, sausage making, mucking out and gite cleaning with farm maintenance and a bit of weeding in between and some days are relaxing, a Sunday must.




A whole lot of other animals joined, pet pigs, dogs, donkeys, chickens and ducks with a kitten thrown in.
We have love and sometimes not so lovely weather some of which brings problems with it.

 A new veggie patch was put in and continues to grow. Each year we become that little bit more self sufficient. The kids grew and left for university, coming back now and again. The gites are busy and our beef , pork and chicken sells out fast. Life is good, different each day with challenges along the way.

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