Hi my name is Karen,

I am mum to a 17 year old who has wanted to be a farmer since before he could walk. To that end he has been studying agriculture since year 7 (in NSW). Unforunately though I am a single mum so he has lacked that "country" jack of all trades training so many country kids get (and need) to manage a farm. He also has special needs that I don't think will stop him achieving his dream but it may slow him down a little and mean that we may need to modify a few things. 

In order to help him achieve his dream I recently bought him a small farm (6 acres) in Tasmania. My idea is that it is sufficient for him to "learn" about farming and small enough for the two of us to manage. If it all works then he can expand later on. His greatest love is chickens, and he is hoping to specialise in those, but we have already added half a dozen meat sheep (wiltshire), a house cow and a couple of goats that we are running for a neighbour. He will continue studying ag 2 days a week but unfortunately that means I have to drive him across (an hour each way) and I am not looking forward to that when its snowing!!! The rest of his lessons will be done via correspondence.

We love it here and the locals have been fantastic, but as always everyone has differing thoughts on what we should be doing and how it should be done  

We have been here 3 months now and have had our ups and downs (eg quolls killing chickens, workmen not doing work they were paid to, finding tradesmen is hard as well etc) but things are finally settling a little as we learn. I am hoping that through the Farmstyle forums I can get some basic advice and help. I stumbled across the site while looking at how we might be able to set up a float valve on the cows water trough (we have a well, tap and hose and the "trough" is an old bathtub) just so we don't worry while we are out that they have drunk the bathtub dry.

I look foward to meeting everyone............