Tiny Living APRIL - The Tiny House and Green Living Inspiration Place!

When Less is More

ISSN 2631-326X

APRIL 2020

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APRIL 2020

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Contents 03 10

A Place called Swallowtail Hill … Page Did You Know That... … Page

14 Things to try when you’re bored crazy that are practically free! … Page

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On the cover, a charming Swallowtail Hill Farm cottage.

Read more about them on Page 3.

Published by: Tiny Living Productions Ltd Editor: Pamela Palongue Design by: Gilmour Graphics Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk

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A Place Called

Humanity and nature are tied to each other in lockstep; the health and prosperity of each, interdependent upon the other. As the land prospers, so does its people.

Unfortunately, in the last century, we’ve accelerated the dizzying pace of this dance, to a point where nature is an afterthought, often to the detriment of the environment and ourselves.

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Thirty years ago, Christopher Broadbent, like many urban dwellers, desired a weekend getaway in the countryside. He found his bolthole in the lovely rural landscape of East Sussex.

But more than just a weekend cottage, he found a passion for the landscape and began acquiring neighbouring properties as they became available. Ordinarily, this might be the death knell for natural surroundings, as many individuals

would seize upon the investment opportunity for development. But Christopher’s plans were quite different.

His deep appreciation of the land had inspired him to read lots of books on traditional land management – methods used centuries ago when landowners saw their role as one of a caretaker, responsible for the living, evolving landscape.

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A lot of the process was trial and error, but the lovely result was a mix of natural habitats that flourish in tandem with people. Flower rich meadows were planted and ponds and water courses were installed. These diverse areas are a great support to native wildlife and insects, especially bees. One of the largest factors in the declining bird and small mammal population has been the loss of

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hedgerows. To help in reversing this trend, hedgerows were laid and the woodland forests were re-managed. All of this has helped to support this wonderful natural environment that’s come to be called Swallowtail Hill Farm.

Fifteen years ago, Christopher and Sarah were married at the farm, and she too fell in love with the natural landscape. Convinced that these

peaceful, restorative surroundings could bring mental and physical benefits to people, Sarah set about creating small, sustainable dwellings for visitors.

People spend more time talking and communicating with each other, reading a good book (the printed kind) and just enjoying the trees and wildlife.

Sarah explains, “There is such huge benefit in slowing down. The reason our strapline is ‘Remember when…’ is because it’s the most common remark in our guest books. Our guests allow time to move at a more dignified pace, and sometimes sitting still and watching a clear night sky is about as cathartic as you can get.”

Swallowtail Hill Farm is a unique view of what the landscape might have looked like in the 17th century. The woodland area, Dean Wood, has been managed in the same way for at least the last 500 years. Basic crops such as sweet chestnut trees and oaks have been cut back to encourage growth for centuries. This process is known as coppicing, and Sarah and Christopher practice this on a rotational basis, so that there are various stages of regrowth in the woodland, providing a diversity of habitats for wildlife in the canopy and on the ground. The wood that is cut away is used for practical needs such as fence posts, firewood and other repurposing.

a way, the conservation “ Iofnthe land enables the conservation of people’s equilibrium, a re-balancing and re-tuning.

”

Guided by old maps of the area, they’ve installed several kilometres of hedgerow, which produce a bounty of edible berries that are eaten fresh or distilled into preserves.

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What was grassland when Christopher first acquired the land, has now been restored to wild flower meadows. This would have been a familiar landscape to the inhabitants of 500 years ago, who would have been very familiar with the herbs and flowers currently growing there, many of which are edible and some which are medicinal. The resident

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bees make delicious honey from this delightful mix of grasses and flowers. In late August, the wildflower meadow is turned into haylage, which is then fed to neighbouring dairy herds. The dairy cows seem to prefer the rather scruffy-looking wild flower meadow hay to the homogeneous rye grass hay.

Sarah and Christopher also grow lots of fruits and vegetables, and keep chickens that lay fresh eggs.

The cottages for guests are charming and beautiful in their simplicity and sustainability. The two oldest, known as the Meadowkeeper’s Cottage and the Woodcutter’s Cottage were crafted by a local father and son, who immediately understood the ‘message’ of what Swallowtail Hill was all about.

Sarah and Christopher designed the cottages

themselves, and a couple of abandoned farm trailers were sourced for the ‘foundation’ of the structures. The gingerbread look of them was fashioned from 100% reclaimed timber which was locally sourced, hand split, with shaved beams and rafters. The flooring was made from reclaimed planking. There was great attention to the details as tiles were used to mimic the brick of the 1780s period. The beds in the cottages were made from salvaged pieces of ash, yew, oak and chestnut.

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The newest cottage to be added is the Roundhouse. It’s unusual round shape was chosen to create a truly unique and interesting accommodation. It sits neatly beneath an ancient oak tree in the woods. Though the walls are made from corrugated tin, the cottage is quite toasty with natural sheep’s wool insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling.

The round shape is not only unusual, it’s comforting, as curved shapes tend to feel softer and cosier.

Some of the most amazing transformations have happened with visitors to the farm. Children who arrive with trepidation about the absence of their electronic devices, are within minutes, running through fields, marvelling at this ‘new’ landscape, building dens, pond dipping and building a fire with Dad. Children aren’t the only ones to have a transformative experience! Urban dwellers sometimes arrive without much knowledge

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of country life, which can be quickly remedied with a pair of wellies and a bit of fire lighting instruction. People often leave with a deeper appreciation of nature and each other.

There is great continuity and solace in the steadiness of the past. Although we seem almost inexplicably linked to our electronic devices, it’s important and comforting to remember that we’re all human beings first.

And reconnecting with nature and each other can be a perfect way to ‘recharge’ our batteries.

Christopher Broadbent works in sustainability and serves as a trustee with a number of conservation charities. Sarah Broadbent has committed to sustainability in the building and maintaining of Swallowtail Hill Farm since its inception. Swallowtail will be accepting bookings for 1st June, 2020 onward.

For more information, please visit the site at www.swallowtailhill.com

SPRING PRINT

Are you living in a tiny house, a narrowboat, a studio or other small space? Your story can help inspire others to follow their dreams!

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SPRING 2020

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Well-read dogs agree: Tiny Living UK is fun and inspirational!

DISCLAIMER: The above survey was conducted by dachshunds

with questionable math skills and skewed scientific methods.

- according to the Canal & River Trust, 26% of the UK’s 33,000 boats are used as primary residences?

- thousands of people in the UK are already embracing small-space living in studio flats, student accommodations, and small terraced houses?

- there are over 80 shepherd hut building companies in the UK? - prices for a well-designed tiny house fitted with kitchen and bath starts at £26,000?

- according to Popular Science, human beings are hard-wired to like tiny things? www.popsci.com/why-do-we-think-tiny-things-are-cute

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14 Things to try when you’re bored crazy that are practically free!

There’s a lot of talk about working at home these days, but it’s just as important to play at home. It’s a basic need to find joy in simple pleasures. It’s the little things that make life worth living in the first place. There is still so much beauty in the world, and nature is our faithful reminder that life continues.

1. Study a new language!

A second language is a great benefit in the workplace, and will come in handy on future travels. You can choose a culture you admire and have wanted to learn more about, and take online lessons. Duolingo is a great site for this. Try practicing with your dog or cat. They’re very patient and will be non-judgmental of your really bad accent. Fish are even better to work with, since it will seem like they’re ignoring you entirely.

2. Meditate!

One of the most often heard excuses for not meditating is the lack of time. In reality, most experts agree that even 5 minutes of meditation is helpful. It’s a tremendous way to relieve stress and focus on positive things. You can meditate on good health, kindness, or that tiny house that you’re wanting to build. There are lots of great instructional videos on YouTube to get you started.

3. Watch reruns of James Corden’s Crosswalk Musicals on YouTube!

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These comedy sketches feature major stars from around the world, and it’s impossible to be in a bad mood after watching them! When you finish them, try watching Carpool Karaoke, another great collection of comedy sketches with lots of cool music.

4. Drink more grape juice!

Grape juice has just as much vitamin C as orange juice, and more antioxidants! -Not the fizzy grapey stuff, the real 100% juice variety. And besides – drinking grape juice is just fun.

5. Rearrange the furniture!

You know how you’re always saying that your bed would work better on the other wall, and that your giant fake moose head would look better hanging in the living room? Okay, well maybe not those things exactly…but changing the furniture can give a room a fresh new look and help it to work more efficiently. For obvious reasons, try to avoid going to the bathroom in the middle of the night for a while.

6. Get some sun!

If you have a small garden space or a balcony, make sure you take advantage of all that free sun. It has lots of essential vitamin D. -No garden or balcony? Even just sitting by an open window will help you get your vitamins and increase serotonin which will help your mood.

7. Make a list of your favourite songs and inspirational videos!

A great film currently available on Netflix is “The Pursuit of Happyness” about Chris Gardner who went from being a homeless single dad to owning his own multi-million dollar company.

Another great source of inspiration is the audition of Susan Boyle, who came from a small town in Scotland and against the odds became the next big vocal sensation with her amazing voice! You cannot watch it without crying – in a good way.

8. Watch travel videos!

You may not be able to take an expensive vacation to the Riviera, but you can certainly visit there online. It’s a great escape for a couple of hours, and it can give you some different scenery to look at besides those four walls.

9. Take charge of how much news you watch!

It may be important to be informed, but don’t let yourself be inundated with negative news by default. Set a conscious limit to how much news you listen/read/watch (for example, 30 minutes once a day) and avoid watching the first thing each morning, or at night before bed. Don’t be drawn

in by clickbait headlines after you close out your email! Be Updated, NOT inundated!

10. Try doing something creative!

If you have a set of paints, or even just some pencils or pens, you might try doing some sketches. -Or maybe try a few lines of poetry.

No one has to see your art or read your poetry.

It’s more about expressing yourself, and getting those pent up emotions out. -And if they’re really good, you can always hang them on your refrigerator for all the world to see.

11. Read a good book!

Remember books? There’s something very comforting in the tangible-ness (is that a word? I’m not sure) of curling up with a good book. There are no ads popping up in the corners and no bright backlight to strain your eyes.

No one’s going to be tracking which page you lingered on the longest for marketing purposes.

So pour yourself a nice cup of tea, and escape into another time and place.

12. Plan a trip for the future!

We may not be able to travel just now, but we will be able to again. It doesn’t have to be a big trip, just a weekend getaway to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. Planning for the future is a great reminder that there will be better times and that they are coming.

13. Watch nature!

If you have a window with a view, you may have squirrels in your garden, or birds that visit your windowsill on a regular basis. It’s great to take time to really notice the natural world around you.

It reminds us that we’re not alone on this planet and that we’re all connected.

14. Clean above the door frames!

Okay, no one ever talks about this, but what about all that dust that collects on the top of the door frame? It’s not like you would ever see it, but it could randomly fall down on peoples’ heads as they’re walking through the door, and it really should be cleaned. -I’m sorry. It just needed to be said.

Stay strong and live happy! - Pamela

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