Batten down the hatches

The pigs have now got about an ache of land to roam around in which they have been enjoying for a couple of days. The forcast of a storm last night, the hatches where battened down so to speak and everything tied down or put in shed. After a concerned night and must admit a sleepless night and a dread of a field and animal check this am.

Got out of bed to a blue sky so at least any storm clear up in the dry me thought. First thing i noticed as i approached the animals field was the pigs where with the chicken coops. The pigs were actually lined up next to the animal feed shed they had escaped due to debris on their fence but instead of making a run for it just wanted breakfast!!

Soon sorted my words where pig wigs breakfast and they followed me back to where they belonged. They then happily munched their food before i managed to sort the fence so they wondered down the field and found the woods at the bottom of the field. i decided to finish sorting the fence for their pen. after the pen was sorted i wondered down to the wood they followed me back again to their pen. so well behaved my pigs!! so they are now happily in their massive new pen again. Chickens and ducks wet and soggy pen but not too water logged.

Keep trying to get them mucked out this morning and every time i do the heavens open.

The bees - the main hive with the bees is safe but the spare one was on its side and that was it. I am so glad i did all the dead tree removals over the last few months. I think i have noticed one fallen tree out there but middle of field so no problems there.

Upshot is i dont have much fencing to complete and pigs can have the whole 3 ache field!

After a soggy morning weather i need a 30 min window of no rain to muck out the chickens and ducks please??

Wellies - Praying I dont slip in the mud in the pig pen

Today after a night of heavy rain. Mud, mud and more mud and loads of puddles. The poor pigs are knee deep in the stuff. Its so slippery when i walk in the pig pen in wellies. I am waiting to fall on my bum in the mud!! I have a frog in my outhouse, I was stood next to my wellies I will need to find it to let it escape.

Some more fencing complete so getting closer to my goal of sheep and goats next spring. 

Chickens still playing musical beds and ducks well trained shout bed as I walk in the field and then go in their duck house!!.

More puddings made today for market tomorrow 

Stardust doesnt like the window or door shut behind her when she goes out. She will have to learn to get used to it as its getting too cold to leave window open. She is a teenager for sure. Jumping on the other cats and me! She is proving to be a good mouse hunter.

Behaving ducks

What can I say - Ducks behaving - I walk in the field at night and shout bed and they go in the duck house!! The thought of a  landing net to catch them obviously doesn't suit them. I am so glad they know if they dont go to bed the consequences are landing net to protect them from the fox.

The little babies - Ducks and Chickens are doing well I must card them to see male or female. Its kinda weird as Francis the drake doesnt like the newbie Ducks but the baby ducks that he has fathered he protects.

Oh its coming on

Well Autumn is here and i tried out the underfloor heating - wow lovely to walk on warm floor. Stardust is fast asleep on the warmed floor - i guess that says it all. That cat is ruined - she wont go out if its wet or cold!!  However other cats just wont go out so she does better than them. I need to start throwing cats outside. Not literally.

Well market today was good. I cant wait to make a fortune at market but  will settle to paying the old bills. I can claim to have regular customers now. I also decided to cook soup and Ratatouille on the stall today. Cant get fresher then that and it worked so I think fresh soup and a savoury dish along side my puddings at Holsworthy market. Which means cookery demonstration every week!

Ducks and Chickens doing well - Chickens laying again, hink its time ducks laid again

Pigs are just been pigs

Smallholding ................To live the dream: fresh water or puddle

Smallholding ................To live the dream: fresh water or puddle: The puddle was created by me emptying the duck pond and filling it with fresh water. Did the duck go and play in the fresh water?............

fresh water or puddle

The puddle was created by me emptying the duck pond and filling it with fresh water. Did the duck go and play in the fresh water?....................Did they hell they went for the puddle!

Productive day on the smallholding today. Started by accepting my straw delivery very early and the usual feeding. Built a 50 meter fence, Strimmed for a few hours, and cleared a large area and moved the compost heap. Nothing like pushing air into the compost heap by moving it.

Pigs got a treat as i needed to fence at the side of their pen i had to move the pen slightly so they got to eat loads of nettles. With their new top quality straw the pigs had a god day.

I also fixed my gates they now close properly!

Ducks gave me the run around at bed time. Its amazing how get the landing net out and let them see it they soon go to bed!!

Came home cooked my supper and here i am! Give me an hour and I will be giving it zzzzzzzz's

Clean trousers and pigs!!

No chance of that happening!! They are lovely but they mowed their electric fence down today by throwing mud at it. They didnt go anywhere and stayed in their pen. All sorted they are back to a fence pen. Ducks and chickens still bomb across the field to meet me when they see me coming. Its such a delight when they do it. Going to have to do a bit of carding the baby chicks this weekend. um cockerel or hen. do I get chicken for the pot (the boys) or egg layers (the girls). I am keeping one cockerel.

Straw delivery tomorrow - 6 months worth. yipee i dont have to put straw in my car which is a nightmare to clean.

Autumn is here the leaves are falling off the trees slowly and the weather is cooling. Cats reluctant to go out.
Playing with my dehydrator to dry foods out to store them and making christmas cakes and puddings for sale.

Worked out a postage system so can post xmas puddings and xmas cakes and have some orders so busy times to come.

Naughty Pigs

I am sure pigs have a bet on! Can we make the human owner fall in the mud? They are trying their hardest to leg me over. two new Ducks after two nights of having to use the landing net to get ducks to bed now respond to "ducks bed"

new banner

well i have collected my new banner and I am liking it.

Christmas Puddings and update

All about Christmas Puddings in the cookery department at the moment. I have used a vacuum sealer to create the packaging and keep the puds air tight till Christmas. At the market everyone that tasted it bought one. Off to a car boot tomorrow to get rid of the rest. I now have the packaging to post. Doing a test post to a kind volunteer so that I can check they post ok if they do then I will be offering these puddings via post. Watch this space if you fancy a tasty xmas pud this year.

Animal update - the baby chicks and ducks are looking more like adults. The chickens have started to lay more yippee. They all come running when I go into the field which is brilliant. 

Pigs are being pigs -  with the rain we have had parts of their pen are puddles but they seem to like it. 

Went to Boscastle food festival today and watched a demonstration on herbal remedies which was really interesting and the other was a basket making demonstration. Research is needed as to the type of willow I have - hope its suitable to make baskets as i plan to have a go at learning to make a basket.