lovely calm winters days

Pigs behaving themselves and staying where they have been put so was able to get on with smallholding jobs today. Started digging over veg bed lovely soil which has been fertilised by the Chickens and ducks. Thanks my poultry friends for that. Blackberry roots are us though!! need digging up. Lots of jobs to do like getting rid of the overgrowth from last couple of years and rescuing the decent plants, thinning out willow, collecting wood to dry out for woodburner, Turning over soil, placing electric fence and general field management so we get the best of the field whilst improving the field for next year.

Living the dream.......................The best thing ever or a regret??

Another xmas nearly over. A lovely one at that with family love from a far, family at home and some lovely old friends. A time to reflect on the last year. From being in a job with uncertainty and lots of stress to living the dream. Do I regret what I did?? Its had its ups and downs, worries and woes, steep learning curves thats just life. I wake up and look through my bedroom window and feel blessed. As Dave my Step Dad put it  how could I object to that. Great spotted woodpecker to Blue tit to sheep and to cows. Pigs have been a challenge. Chickens and ducks - over run by male ducks. I still have a learning process and stress of killing my first lot of meat! Working for myself is brill but has its stresses and strains,  I got to spend xmas with family, and made loads of friends. Joined a choir and sang in public, something i thought I would never do. I have swam in the sea, Taken the odd photo or two, walked some lovely views, tried to sell goods at market too.  Now would I recommend living your dream???

Absolutely - I will have no regrets when I get old. Lets hope the business makes me a living, Not into making a fortune or being the next lord sugar all I want to do is carry on and pay my simple living. To anyone reading hope you had a great xmas and good luck in the new year. Make 2014 a happy year. If your not living your dream try and make it happen!

Power cut ...............................Prepared or not prepared!!

What a start to the day a power cut! Suddenly realised I wasnt prepared for power cuts. I  couldnt use net to get the number to call for my electricity distributor,  both iphone and home phone  dead despite being plugged in just before bed last night. Must have been down most of the night. I could have a cup of tea though as kettle is aga powered :) Candles and touch battereries quickly added to my shopping list and a mental note charge phones up at different times!!  Power restored horay.

Animals are very soggy but fed, My mission today is to see how many times I can be dry!! Slight storm going on out there. I was going to cut some holly today for xmas day. I think not!!

Pigs outwitting the human ........................................i dont think so

Well i wish i could say its been fun these last few days!! More a challenge. Everything I tried to stop the pigs escaping but keep them in the large field has failed.  I have to laugh at their determination and intelligence but pigs you wont beat the human. You may have won a couple of battles but you wont win the war. Hehe. Today I have move them  back into the pig netting as fencing doesnt stop them despite getting a shock, they still run through it. So 50m fencing it is then pigs!!
So inbetween the rain showers the pigs have moved, fencing up, water trough inplace, screw down the sty lid , straw in sty and job done. Rain please stop for 30 mins so i can finish the job!!

Then its time to get ready for Christmas and getting some new photographs for this blog.

Soggy Smallhoding

Bit soggy in the smallholding. Despite moving the chickens and ducks! Time of year me thinks. Pigs are naughty keeping them in their pen is a challenge. Shame if I have to go back to a small pen for them but its looking more likely as they dont seem to bother re electric shock they get from current fencing;

Xmas rush

Well its that time of year been working hard making and creating and selling. Hand made wares from knitted characters to my hand knitted scarves along side my delicious food. I forgot to photograph my scarves before selling them otherwise they would be on the net ( a steep learning curve). They are flying off the stall for a good price as they are beautiful and I have run out of stock. Tomorrow time to head to the smoke to stock up on the special wool to knit them. Have some wool ordered on ebay but you know xmas post need some to sell tuesday. You can guess what I am doing monday evening. Hard work this self employment lark but well worth it.

Friday the 13th - Mayhem

Friday the 13th struck the Smallholding today. I decide to take a stall on Bideford Market and got all my Homemade wares ready to sell. This am I went to feed the Animals as normal and all was fine, fences working and set off to market.

Escapology is the name of the game for the pigs. They decided they wanted a walk think they where going to shops to buy my xmas pressy personally! They got through two fenced fields and into the car park. Thanks to my very kind neighbours who guided them back to their field until I could drive home. I left my stall with some very kind stallholders and raced back to rescue the pigs.

Home to find pigs had knocked over the bee hive!! Put the bee hive back together extended the electric fence to cover the fence that they had escaped from. I  rushed back to market!

Anyway bee inspection done on my return and all seems well in the bee hive fingers crossed. Pigs now under lock and key. All the animals mucked out in bed for the night. Then it started to pour down with rain! Could have been worse could have been raining when rescuing the animals.

So all is now calm and well again in the smallholding land!

winter smells

You can tell its cold - you go outside in the country to a bonfire smell had to check house wasnt on fire first time I smelt it then I realised- everyone has woodburners!!

I have just secured a three day market pitch - really looking forward to it. Get myself well known in one place and start building my business further. Networking and getting myself known

The chickens and ducks loving their new home.  The pic below looks a bit crowded but its feeding time they all in same place waiting for food!  They do have at least 50 metres to romp about in

Next stage of the smallholding operation - to plan the veg growing

Busy week with xmas markets and setting up a market in the local town. Today next stage of smallholding. Moved the Ducks and chickens into the big field nice fresh grass for them to play in.

It was an experience I just managed to stop myself going face down in the mud! Ducks escaped when trying to round them up but they never really escaped far and finally worked out where I wanted them. Pigs just watched in amusement. Pigs are just loving their pad.

I am excited now as where the ducks and chickens have been is now a patch of earth. I can see my edible garden in the space. Defiantly recommend this no dig method complete with manure to get through grass and weeds.

Looking forward to turning the soil over and getting stuck in when the season allows.

Crafting

Been creative on the smallholding - making xmas decorations. I have a couple of tree ideas to come but these are my first three.