Are you a sheddie?
If the image below strikes your fancy, then you are, dear, you are …
Photo by Mira (on the wall) via Flickr
“Sheddie” is one of those catchy British terms that means, loosely translated, shed enthusiast.
If you are, indeed, a sheddie, then you might also identify as an outpostie, shackie, coopie (I’m just making those up as I go, in case you were wondering).
In England, it seems that there’s a sizeable population of sheddies—enough to support a site called Readersheds, which celebrates every conceivable style, shape, and size of shed from the traditional to the unconventional.
Photo by RobArmstrong2 via Pixabay
Readersheds showcases sheds a-plenty, but its crowning achievement is its annual Shed of the Year competition, which kicks off each year in May.
The man behind Readersheds, known simply as Uncle Wilco, is the head judge and founder of Shed of the Year. A passionate sheddie since his youth, he claims to have made it his mission “to open the eyes of the world to the importance of the shed.”
Photo by Antranias via Pixabay
This year, a panel of judges has selected a shortlist of public shed submissions for each category:
- Unexpected
- Eco Cabin
- Summerhouse Workshops
- Studios Pub/Entertainment
- Budget
- Historic
- Unique
“Now it is up to you to decide on the winners from each one,” they invite. “Take a look at the sheds our panel of experts have selected to represent each category before voting for your favourite. A final judging panel will then pick an overall winner, whose creation will be crowned Shed of the Year 2016, later this Summer on the Channel 4 show Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year.”
Here’s a clip from the 2015 show:
Photo by Efes via Pixabay
Yes, I am a Sheddie and I take it as a badge of honor!! It all started when I was growing up and my Dad had this little house built in the back corner of the yard to keep the tools, lawnmower, my bicycle in Winter etc. It was painted white with a green roof and I claimed it as my place space too. I always wanted a horse so I pretended that this was my barn. Some how I inherited an old bridle and martingale which I kept oiled and hanging up inside. Who knew if possibly that dream of a pony appearing in the backyard would materialize? One had to be ready! Realistically, it was the stall and shed for my stick horse which I would ride about the yard and jump over lawn chairs on their sides . Then I could pretend tie up my little horse, pull of grass and place in a bucket for his dinner and pretend to groom him.
I loved that shed and when I went back to my home two years ago, it was still standing in the backyard and looking just as cute as it did 40+ years ago. There are two elementary aged children living in my old home now and I wonder if they have ever explored the possibilities that this little building might hold?
Today, I sure wish I had enough space in our yard for me to have my own Shed again. This time, it would be a sewing and craft space and all fixed up with vintage stuff. Once a Sheddie, always a Sheddie!
Oh Winnie -what fun memories!
the shed here at my farmette in Amishland, is a recycled tractor trailer ( well the trailer part) the original roll down door is up and stowed curled up in the ceiling. The previous owner put on more traditional doors with the standard black iron hardware. It has a nice sturdy ramp if you want to put your riding mower inside.000000000000000 alas I don’hbbbbbbbblb( oops my new 7 week old kitten, BB king, typing) have one.
I love how the british are so very “twee ” ( british for ever so sweet but slightly kitshty ) about their sheds. On their allotments (small pieces of rented land usually in urban areas, where they plant their gardens), you will see amazingly funky sheds. People virtually live in them as an escape, having tea ( or something stronger) and so forth.
I too am a sheddie, also a coopie as I with the help of my husband built a 12 x 12 pallet building that houses our chickens and ducks but phase 2 will be for me. I want a place of my own to use for my sewing, crafting, and whatever else my heart desires to put in it. I see a rocker and a table for tea. I’ve been lucky enough to find a property (a rental) with acreage and the permission to have at it out in the yard! You meet wonderful people away from the city and they love to share trash which I turn into treasures. Also they are the first people to come to your aide and help you get started with new ideas, farm animals and gardening plans. This is the best part of my life!
I can’t say that I am a sheddie, but I do enjoy looking at others! I never had a shed growing up and still don’t have one to this day. Some of these sheds are absolutely stunning and I would love to have one of them in my yard. I will have to head over and check out the nominations for this year and cast my vote. I love hearing your stories about your sheds and childhood memories!
I don’t have a shed now, since I have a detached garage (could count as a big shed, though, cause it’s full of stuff and the car never goes in it). Growing up I loved hanging out in the shed with my Dad, it’s a sweet memory.
heres a pic of my antique apple tree in bloom and my trailer shed behind, its bigger than it looks in the pic. Oh and i forgot to mention the previous owner did put up nice wooden siding so it doesnt look like a trailer.
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/images/misc/apple-tree-in-bloom-2016.jpg
Gorgeous! Another little glimpse into your wondrous lifestyle.
Thanks MaryJane! As soon as I can figure out how to do the pics from my camera to email I will send you photos of my new little 7 week old kitten, BB King, who I got to keep Earl happy since he was soooo lonely after we lost dear Duke back in March.
Yeah my ” wondrous country lifestyle “- haha- replete with the world’s largest ,most destructive GROUND HOG (or as the locals say in PA German dialect, Grundsau = ground pig)
He has eaten nearly all of my super rare skirret :
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/images/skirret.jpg
and all my about- to -blossom ( ie give seeds) rare PA German Lettuce.:
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/images/rare/evasletNEW.jpg
see for more history on htese reage veggies:
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/rare_seeds.htm
I am beside myself as I have a small seed business that is taking a direct hit . Any suggestions ,fellow farmgirls, will be most welcome. All the common tips are doing zip ! I have tried ” Deer Off “, bowls of ammonia ( which supposedly smells like predeter urine) , the commercial fox urine ( who knew? and how the heck do they get it from those foxes anyway ?) and hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper powder, all to no avail. Tonight I built some Rube Goldberg style cages over the plants in true desperation.
Yes, life here in wondrous Amishland sometimes comes with its trials and tribulations.
It’s always something. I have days when condo living calls my name:) I recently lost a bunch of chickens and my favorite ever rooster to an early morning coyote that I saw sulking around–first time I’ve had that kind of predator pressure in 20 years. How cool about the lettuce you grow. Damn ground hog. My father was an extraordinary gardener. He didn’t mess around with competitors. He would have tried to trap it, put it down inside a garbage can inside it’s cage next to his truck and then run a hose from his exhaust down into the can. You can either run a wildlife preserve or be a grower of food but rarely both.
thank you MaryJane ! I needed that touch of humor about “dispatching” groundhogs your dad’s way. Oh my ,coyotes ! akkkk! !I am so sorry you lost your chickens and favorite rooster- that hurts.
Oh I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot Phil the groundhog (you know- from the movie ” groundhog Day”?) but I sold my custom shotgun ( an engagement gift from my ex-hubbie- how romantic ) I hired a ” critter control” guy for an unseemly amount today in desperation . I have my wonderful fix it guy Bill coming tomorrow to build more Rube Goldberg style defenses also. see Bill:
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/images/misc/bill-greenhouse-2016.jpg
thanks again MaryJane for your understanding. Hopefully now my gardens can get back to normal.