Month: February 2016

Due to the dismal weather I had planned some editing of the website but after a couple of hours faffing about I had to get in touch with the online help only to find that there was a technical difficulty at their end, at least it was not me just being thick and unable to perform simple editing tasks! 

That left me with a few hours to find something to do, sort out the freezers, too cold out there was my thinking, sort out my wardrobe and get rid of anything I no longer wear, well I tidied it and decided that I ‘might’ wear it one day, you know how it is ladies. So instead I made a cuppa and decided to blog 😃

Apart from the usual routine jobs that need doing everyday, I do lots of little jobs that are just as important but don’t really get a mention. This week for instance I have tested the soil PH levels, it dosent take long but is hugely important. The main one I needed to test was the blueberry trough as one of the bushes died for no apparent reason last year, the soil tested at 5.5 (acid) and so the soil was not the reason it died, at this point in time I still have no idea what caused it, too wet, too dry, who knows. Having decided the soil was fine I planted up two new bushes to replace the old one and hopefully they will fruit this year. I also mixed up and sprayed Bordeaux Mixture onto my apricot tree, this was moved the year before and now has some canker on the trunk, hopefully it will cure it but I have my doubts. The fruits are still edible but they don’t look very pleasing with marks on the skin so although I use them I am unable to sell them. I cut back the Autumn raspberry canes, knocked in any loose support poles on the fruit trees, riddled a couple  of barrows of compost on put it on the beds, wrote on the new egg board and put it out, and weeded the poly tunnel in preparation for planting. I have searched in vain for the eggs that the hens that live in the tree have laid, as soon as you find their hidey hole they move it somewhere else. The last lot I found under some ground cover in the poly tunnel,  30 + eggs! Again, although they tested fresh with the water method, we can use them ourselves but I won’t risk selling them to the public. I have found plenty of goose eggs this week though 😃 hidden at the bottom of a pretty large nest they have built in their hut.  We picked up four new laying ducks at the weekend to keep the duck egg costumes supplied, a new batch of hens for selling and I set the humane trap to try and catch whatever it is that is living in the ceiling, the other traps didn’t work as ‘it’ just kept nibbling away at the bait until it was gone. The humane one didn’t bring forth anything either so I have resorted to poison, not ideal but the damn thing keeps us awake every night. 

As well as the little jobs of course some bigger ones have been getting underway, after weeding the poly tunnel I then sowed, beetroot, lettuce, spinach, spring onions, carrots, dwarf beans and peas as well as radish, traditional French breakfast and Black radish as a novelty. Hubby as usual has been busy, this time he is building a bunny run, to house the five ladies that are currently sharing with the chickens, it’s coming on really well and I have included photos of work in progress.

The broad bean seeds I planted are just beginning to sprout and the seed potatoes are chitting nicely, it’s tempting to go full steam ahead but I know from experience that patience is key and that everything will grow just as quickly once the weather and ground warm up a little more. In the meantime there is the website to update, the freezer to sort out and I really ought to sort that wardrobe out properly 😝 

   
    
   

Happy pancake day, one of our milestone days here on the farm and probably our favourite! 

It’s a good job we have things to look forward too as the weather has been shocking to say the least, the constant rain had resulted in a lake in the paddocks, even the hay barn flooded which is only the second time since we have been here. On the upside the winds that came with it didn’t cause any damage apart from lots of twig debris all over the place. It’s a shame about the rain as the ground had begun to dry up beautifully, almost a pleasure to walk around in, ah well at least it should get drier, quicker from now on, fingers crossed. 

Hubby and eldest daughters partner spent Sunday working on the tractor, putting new engine mount brackets in place, we discovered that the old ones had sheared in half and at some point in its history had already been welded back together. Luckily we had the tractor in under cover so that made life easier for them, they were rewarded at the end of the day with roast beef and all the trimmings a good payment I reckon 😀 

We bought new Quail and they have been readily laying and I have even had two goose eggs, hopefully more will follow. 

When you work on your own, self motivation is important, though hard, especially when the weather is crap! As I wrote in a previous blog I have been trying to get something useful done outside every day, however the weather put paid to that over the past few days, but I have managed to tidy and organise the greenhouse, get some more broad bean seeds in, no sign of them sprouting yet though. I have also set the seed potatoes out to chit and today I have lined and filled a super duper new strawberry trough that hubby built and planted the strawberry plants in it. It’s waist height so hopefully I don’t have to scrabble around on the ground picking the fruit, that’s the plan lol. I have also cleared an area of existing fencing in readiness for the new rabbit run to be built, they are still living in the chicken run at the moment and I don’t think the new arrival hens that we picked up at the weekend are too impressed with their room mates 😝

I let the ducks and the geese out to free range today, the horses are in for the third day running because it’s so wet so I thought it an ideal time for them to have a roam about and get some extra nutrition from worms and weeds! The geese are getting more aggressive as they often do this time of year, that’s why they are normally confined to their quarters as they tend to terrorise everything and everyone on the yard, eventually when mating gets serious they will even have a go at me so you have to keep your wits about you or end up with a nasty nip on the back of the leg, trying to make a fast getaway is even harder in the slippery mud!! 

The workload will begin to crank up from here on in as long as the weather permits so hopefully there will be more to write about as long as I can keep motivated and it’s surprising how the glimpse of sunshine can help. In the meantime enjoy your pancakes, lemon & sugar, or banana and choc spread, we even have salted caramel sauce this year, what’s your favourite? 

Have a great week 😋