Incorporating:
Pool Cottage Smallholding
Welcome to Pool Cottage Smallholding
The site is about who we are and what we do on our smallholding at Pool Cottage in North Shropshire. We are continually developing the smallholding and diversifying in an environmentally responsible manner, while remaining pragmatic. We would like to be self sufficient just like Tom and Barbara, but true self sufficiency is probably just a dream. However, we keep striving! More details about our aims can be found on the about us page, and please feel free to look around. Any feedback or genuine enquiries about our smallholding and Pool Cottage activities are most welcome. We introduce just three of the aspects of the smallholding below, but we embrace so much more, so please take time to look at all the other stuff.
Artisan Pixies
Welcome to the home of the Artisan Pixies, who moved into the Pool Cottage Smallholding just as we retired. The have helped us diversify into Jewellery making, forging (not money!) and wood-turning. Ruth now creates a range of stunning silver jewellery, ranging from elegant necklaces and bangles through to beautiful stone set rings.
Andy is producing hand forged ironmongery including; simple hooks, fire pokers and Celtic iron jewellery. On the lathe he turns locally sourced wood into a plethora of useful objects, such as; bowls, pens, bottle openers and mills.
To find out more on each, click on the button below:
Our animals
At Pool Cottage we keep or have kept a range of animals including:
Oxford Sandy & Black pigs
Shropshire sheep
Savastapol geese
Shropshire Blue chickens
Light Sussex chickens
Welsummer chickens
Ross chickens (table birds)
Aylesbury ducks
Buff Orpington ducks
Kharki Campbell ducks
Indian Runner ducks
Retired Greyhounds
Springer Spaniels
The chickens keep both ourselves and our neighbours stocked with eggs as do the ducks through the summer months. The pigs entertain and are used in producing our range of charcuterie. The sheep have given us some wonderful cuts of meat and allowed us to make a range of lamb sausages and burgers. The geese are the guards and the greyhounds take retirement very seriously! Our Springer Spaniel does the rounds with her Dad checking and feeding all the animals.
Charcuterie
We love food and drink at Pool Cottage and have continually been experimenting with charcuterie and brewing for a number of years. Our creations include:
Pies and pasties
Hams
Bacon (both smoked and un-smoked)
Sausages (so many types)
Pastrami
Burgers
Salt beef
Smokies (a special garlic sausage).
Smoked salmon
Black pudding
Terrines and pate
Air dried Lonza and Coppa
Cider
Beer
Wine
We built and now run our own smokehouse and mobile smoker to produce all our own smoked products in-house. We also have our own pizza oven, for arguably, the best pizza in Shropshire.