SilverWood Ireland

  Looking around me, I'm constantly blown away by just how much is going on!  Arts events, food fairs, small festivals and community bashes are so plentiful it's hard to choose which ones to go to!  If you don't believe me, check out Mark Graham's brilliant blog A Year of Festivals in Ireland. Mark set himself the challenge of attending at least 3 festivals in Ireland every week for a year... and even through the winter, he's had no problem finding things to go to.
  As an event organiser myself, I sometimes wonder if people realise what goes on behind the scenes.  Because for every little event, there is a team of trusty sloggers (usually volunteers) who pull it all together.  They book the bands, the stalls, the food.  They sort out the venues, the advertising and the insurance.  They pick up the litter afterwards!  And of course, somehow, they find the money to make it all happen.
  Organisations like the Arts Council and Failte Ireland give a huge amount of support in grant aid, and there are plenty of cracking good times that would never happen without them.  But getting a grant doesn't mean that your worries are instantly over... because you have to spend the money up front BEFORE they give you the grant  (and notta lotta people know that).
  Up until a couple of years ago, no problem, because if you had a letter guaranteeing that you would be getting your grant, banks would happily give you a bridging loan to get the ball rolling.  But in 'the current climate', that's all changed.  Organisations are being turned away because guarantee or not, the banks aren't lending to ANYBODY. This isn't only affecting events, but community projects and small enterprises too.  So if you want to make amazing things happen, but you don't happen to have a huge stash of cash in the bank, what are you going to do?
  For a lot of projects, the answer has been CROWD-FUNDING.  It's a relatively new idea, especially here in Ireland, but listen up because it's set to be the next big thing.  So what exactly is crowd-funding?  Also known as crowd financing or crowd sourced capital, it's a simple enough idea... instead of looking for a big donation from a single sponsor, you pull in lots of small donations from a wide network of sponsors.  It has a long-standing tradition among charities... if you've ever put 20 cents into a donations box, then you've already been part of a crowd-funding campaign.  But that's old school. 
   There are now lots of internet sites where you can launch your own funding campaign, most notably Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Sponsume and in Ireland FundIt.  Anyone can become a member of these sites, and setting up a campaign is simple... similar to setting up a Facebook page.  You describe your project and your goals, set a fundraising target, and try to set up a good selection of rewards to encourage people to donate. You also need to set a closing date for donations.  Once you have your campaign in place, the word is spread through your social networks... Facebook, Twitter etc.  When people visit your campaign, they can make a secure donation (usually via Paypal) from as little as €5 to well, as much as you like!  You set the limits. 
  Once you get to your deadline date, sites differ a little.  Some, such as FundIt, have an all-or-nothing approach, so if you don't reach your target amount by your deadline date, then you get nothing.  No money is taken from your sponsors, and you're back to the old drawing board.  If you choose a site like this, it's really important to set a very achievable target.
  Other sites let you keep whatever you raise, even if you don't reach your target.  Sponsume runs this way, which is why I chose it for my latest campaign (why yes, of course you can make a donation, see my campaign HERE ).  The only setback is that you are committed to delivering your rewards, even if you get nowhere near your target... so be careful what you offer.
  Crowd-funding has helped to make arts, education, food and aid projects happen all around the world.  Some people use it to fund entire projects, others as the first step.  And of course, not every project makes it.  Browse around the sites to see what works, because as government funding begins to dry up, this really is the future.  
  The Irish site, FundIt, is only 10 months old and has already drawn in half a million Euro in donations.  If you could get your hands on a share of that, what would you do with it?

  I got a query this week from a woman who's just got some goats... lucky lady!  Goats really are among the nicest animals on the planet, and I must say I'm missing mine (she's on an extended holiday... more of that later).
  Now, with these newly acquired goats, everything is working out fine, they're healthy and happy and seem to like the chickens... all good so far.  But, they came without tags or papers, and the woman in question isn't sure how to get a herd number, or whether she has to.

  So, the short answer is YES.  If you want to keep cattle, sheep, goats or pigs and use the meat, sell the milk or sell off surplus young, you MUST have a herd number.  You also need a flock number for poultry, if you have more than 50 birds.  This is a good thing, because it's all about traceability, helping to prevent disease in animals and, sometimes, humans. It also allows the local vetrinary department to keep track of animals, and make certain that they are being kept in suitable conditions.  It is illegal to buy or sell livestock without a herd number, you cannot sell meat or milk from an untagged animal, and no butcher will touch an untagged animal- they would lose their license if they did.  

  Goats are a tricky one, as it is only fairly recently (within the last 3 years) that they have had to be tagged, so people are used to being able to trade them as pets.  There is also still a scattered population of wild goats.  So while things are very clear-cut with cattle and sheep, goats are a bit of a grey area.

  I came upon this myself last year, as I moved house (having worked on a farm) and brought my goats with me.  I duly applied for a herd number, but when the inspector showed up he was very sorry, but he couldn't give me one as I didn't have enough land.  You need more than an acre to qualify.  There was, however, no mention of me getting rid of the goats... the inspector just went away and left me to it.  They were now, essentially, pets.

  That was all fine, until September came.  I had parted with one nanny at that stage, but couldn't be without dear old Roux, who is one of my best friends.  But in September, she started coming on heat and INSISTED that we do something about it!  Now, I have a dilemma.  Roux has gone on an extended 'dirty weekend' with the local Billy, but how can I take her back with kids on the way?  I can't sell the milk, or the kids, or use the kids for meat.  So for now, the honeymoon continues until I can find a solution!

  So what ARE the criteria for getting a herd number.  Well first, you'll need a 'recognised holding', and that will need to be more than an acre.  You'll also need to show that you have separate housing and facilities from neighbouring herds. You can download the full list of requirements below.  You will need to provide deeds to a holding that you own, or a leasing agreement if you're renting.

  If you fulfill the criteria, you need to fill in a form ER1, which you can find HERE  The form is very simple, and you just send it in to your local District Veterinary Officer... you'll find a list of them on the same link. You'll then get a visit from the inspector, which is very simple too, and after that they'll send you your number and books of movement papers with instructions.  You will need to fill in these papers if you move an animal off your holding, either to another farm or to the butcher... it's just a couple of lines.  

   And that's it.  It's free of charge too.  All added up, it's only about an hours work and you'll be free to relax and enjoy the company of your wonderful animals :)

  It's hard to believe that just 8 years ago I'd never used a computer... because these days, I'm never off the bloomin' thing!  But despite it's ability to devour the hours, I love my laptop to bits, because right now I'd be nowhere without it.    
  As a single mum, finding time and/or money to get my projects off the ground is pretty tough.  But, with my trusty computer to hand, I can work whenever and wherever it suits me, and I can do all my organising and advertising for free.  And, although I was reluctant to "do the Facebook thing" at first, I have to say that these days the social media are the sharpest tools I have at my disposal.  And I don't just use it for myself, but for all the small businesses, community groups and charities that I work with. 
  For some, sites like Facebook and Twitter can be hard to find your way around... so that's why I've started providing informal Social Media Training sessions.  If you are running a community project, or starting a small enterprise on a low budget, then you really should consider using the social networks to promote your work.
  If you've already tried looking at newspaper, magazine and radio advertising, you'll know that it's scarily expensive... it's sobering to realise just how much of government funding gets channelled through advertising budgets.  And, the cost is always a risk, as they are broad platforms and you might not be reaching the right people. 
  Your social networks allow you to spread the word for free, to really develop a personality for your project, and to target people who will actually be interested in what you're doing!  All you need is a few basic skills to learn how best to use your chosen networks, and a bit of mindful "Social Netiquette".
  So learn to love your social networks.... come and join us for one of our twice-monthly sessions day at the excellent Sheelagh na Gig bookstore, Cloughjordan, and learn your way around them.  You can even learn how to develop and publish your own websites for free, with no mindboggling computer language!  Be sure to bring your laptop, buy a cup of delicious hot chocolate from Liz on your way in, and get ready to start networking!  Sessions cost just €4.00 for 2 1/2 hrs, including free internet access.