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Testimonials :
Ian Barnet: Self sufficiency
John, Judy and Alys: Dog Training
Samantha Gearings: Self Sufficiency
Being a former student of Fiona Foster, I had already found great benefit from her teaching as her vast knowledge of animal husbandry and dog training inspired me to work hard and further my career in livestock management and agriculture.
As a budding environmentalist and agriculturalist, I wanted to add to my already expanding knowledge of managing livestock and crop management, so I contacted the I.T.C.A.S centre and booked a weeks course.
I learnt sheep husbandry including: herding, feeding and medicating the sheep along with clipping of the sheep’s hooves and cleaning out the barn, performed to a specific standard. I also had to ensure the sheep‘s feed was carefully measured and medication administered accurately. Preparing the Polly Tunnel ready for this years sowing, included clearing of the old food crops, and ground preparation.
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A proud Sam and...
her first home made Sausages
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Sam with a Refuge dog Poppy
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On a daily basis I covered feeding and watering of the poultry along with collecting the ducks and chicken eggs. The behaviour elements of the course were integrated throughout the week and I became adapt at recognising changes in behaviour.
Part of the weeks course also involved making my own ’homemade’ pork sausages to sell in the on-site shop, this was extremely fun and messy!
Fiona and Alan made me feel very welcome and there is a close teaching relationship between yourself and your tutor. This proved very helpful in making the information, easy to take in and digest. This gave me extreme confidence as I felt reassured after finishing the course I will go home with all the necessary information to start my own small holding or work in a similar field.
Samantha GearingsSix months ago I was faced with the daunting prospect of emigrating to France to start a new life which would involve being to a large extent self sufficient. Not knowing a great deal about the subject I was left with two options: 1) Jump in at the deep end & learn by trial. Or 2) Find myself a course that would cover the subject areas that I planned to take on.
After scouring the 'net’ for such a course I quickly realised that this wasn't going to be an easy task. Some courses have rigid itineraries that where only partly relevant, many involve only one small subject area & others where only held at certain times of the year.
A quick email to Fiona & Alan at Self Sufficiency 4u was rewarded with a reply asking me what I wanted to learn. My answer was followed up with many additional suggestions & ideas. From this a bespoke but flexible itinerary was drawn up.
The course itself lived up to all the hype & much, much, more. I learned everything I wanted to & many things that I hadn't even considered applicable beforehand. Equally as important I enjoyed every second of it. Fiona & Alan are extremely enthusiastic about their subject & this can be seen in the way that they operate their farm. This is the proof of the pudding & demonstrates that all of the practices that I was being taught where 100% relevant & utilised in their own enterprise.
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