Smallholding Courses and
The BIG Weekender
Are you thinking of starting with livestock? Perhaps as pets or aiming to be more self sufficient and welfare conscious with your meat. Maybe you're seeking 'the good life' and wonder where to begin. We can guide you through it. Set in the beautiful Welsh hills near Llandovery, Happy Valley offers day courses and weekend experiences in all things smallholding. Whether you're a dreamer or just starting out, there's something for everyone.
"Had a great day on the introduction to smallholdings course - learnt so much and came away with lots of ideas. Would recommend it to anyone else whether you are a complete novice like me or already keeping animals and want tips or advice!" Alice - Yorkshire
Smallholding for Beginners - £75 per person
Your day will involve a broad spectrum of topics for the budding smallholder. We'll explore the basic care of several species such as sheep, goats, pigs and poultry, and also the legalities of keeping livestock. You'll have a guided tour of our farm and meet the furry and feathered residents of Happy Valley. A varied day which will leave you buzzing with ideas.
"Thanks to Laura and Steve for a wonderful day. Very informative and instructional (goat course) and a pleasure from the point of view of seeing all your happy animals, your lovely site and surroundings - with fantastic views too. (And felt safe due to your Covid measures/practices that didn't hinder at all" Sean - Carmarthenshire
Guide to Goats - £75 per person
We'll guide you through some of the different breeds and the variation between heritage, fibre, milk or meat breeds. Best practice of husbandry, environment, feeding and common ailments will be covered. Legalities such as tagging, movement licences and registering your holding will be explored. We'll discuss breeding and kidding, if you're lucky you may even see some of our own kiddings (dependant on time of year). You'll also be given the opportunity to hoof trim or milk following a demonstration.
"Had a fabulous day at Happy Valley learning all about goats with Laura and Steve! Had a go at milking, hoof trimming and tagging (which I am very nervous about) and learnt so many interesting and useful things about looking after goats and life on the smallholding. Thank you Happy Valley for a really enjoyable day." Anna - Powys
"Laura and Steve, thank you so much for today. It was very informative and helpful and absolutely wonderful to see your lovely smallholding" - Katie, Carmarthenshire
The BIG Weekender - £95 per person (min of 2 people)
This weekend is very hands on, perfect for those wanting to becoming smallholders, are new to smallholding, or those that just want a different, active weekend away! You will experience a selection of essential smallholding tasks over the two days whether it be fencing, tending to the vegetable patch, rounding up the sheep, mucking out, medicating livestock or collecting the eggs, the variety is vast. You'll see our set up, meet the residents and are encouraged to ask as many questions as you like about all things smallholding! There is no classroom type content with the big weekender, it's all about experiencing the day to day tasks of the smallholder.
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This weekend does not include an overnight stay, however there are several lovely local hotels and B&B's within a 15 minute drive in the nearby town of Llandovery.
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Please note: If the dates we have arranged don't suit you, feel free to contact us as we may be able to offer alternative dates for a minimum of two participants.
"We would like to thank you again for a very enjoyable weekend. It was a pleasure to meet you both and share your smallholding for the weekend. It has given us a lot to think about in a positive way. We wish you success and happiness in the future" - Morag and Martyn, Caerphilly
The BIG Weekender (Glamping) - £130 per person (min of 2)
Why not really immerse yourselves in smallholding life and stay here too! Ok, there's no hot tub, games room or mains electric, but with the Brecon Beacon's designated dark sky area just a stone's throw away, the view by day and the stars by night make for an unforgettable experience.
Your weekend will follow a similar structure to the BIG Weekender, however your party will not be joined by others. This weekend is more of a one on one experience for two people. You'll stay in our (new for 2021!) glamping bell tent with it's luxurious full size bed, kitchen area, fire pit, wash facilities and cassette toilet. As this weekend is just for you, feel free to let us know if there is a task in particular that you'd like to cover. Of course you don't have to stay on site, if you'd like the private weekend but want to stay locally, we're more than happy to help recommend suitable accommodation.
Private BIG Weekender
