Sheep and goodbye 2014

Winters with us frosty mornings. Ice to be cleared from animal water troughs and duck pond in a morning. Today was a lovely morning for working on the smallholding. Not too cold and not too windy. Managed to get a lot of digging done for the vegetables I am planning this year. Spot of tidying that was well over due.

I also took the opportunity to photograph my first lot of orphan lambs now they are older. I think I have done a good job at raising the lambs. As i was gardening I reflected on the year. 

What a year its been there been highs theres been lows theres been success and their has been failure. One of the worse was loosing Francis the Drake to the fox. After 6 years of breeding him it was sad. There are only two ducks left and 8 chickens left after fox attacks. Time to rethink chicken and duck pen to reduce the chances.

2 more pigs raised bless them uprooting and helping dig next years veg patch before they ended up in the freezer.

I have met some lovely people this year who I hope will be friends for some time. With the help of them and family all in all its been a lovely year. 

I cant wait for 2015 lets hope its going to be a good one. Happy New Year all the best in 2015  

  

Breaking ice - cold but lovely

What a lovely day cold had to break the ice in the animal water troughs- fence half built - that should stop those sheep and any future sheep from escaping. It was a lovely day to be on the smallholding working.

Nine sheep happily munching in the field, ducks and chickens after having to prize the door open happily waddling around.

Stardust keeping us all in order and playing happily in the field - mousing one suspects.

2nd xmas

well i have managed a second xmas here on the smallholding. Now low on animals sheep going in Jan. Plans for next year - yes I have some. Onwards and upwards one hopes.

Thankyou pigs

This is a tribute to my last pigs. I picked up my pork today from Evergreen Farm who kindly took them to slaughter and butchered them for me. I only took half a pig for myself this time. Too costly for me to have them vac pac just so I can sell. The aim was to know where my meat comes from and pay for it with the other pigs.

I got a mixture of cubbed pork, bacon and a few little joints. I had my first tasting at lunc time very yummy. Thankyou ladies for your pork. You had a great life and you can tell with the meat.

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Sheep - Doing fine nibbling away the weather with their woolly coats doesnt seem to bother them.

Ducks and Chickens - The fox has taken a few of them even with electric fence so going to have to consider the fos proofing a little more.

Bees - Busy Hibernating

SO december has been about selling my sauces, spices and preserves. Having my stuff in wroes in Bude in the pop up shop all december has been a good showcase so heres hoping the new business will pick up and go from strenght to strenght. I am liking that people love my product and come back for more.

Lucky day

What a day 

Had a great day trading as kts kitchen at Vintage, Retro & Handcrafted Fair - Port Isaac Village Hall. Great sales, Lovely People and For the first time in my life I came second in the raffle. Wow a hamper of goodies which I will really enjoy. I have decided port Issac is very steep loading and unloading of car was a challenge. Worked off a few calories. If only I had had cake!! Well worth the trip though.

Came home to nine sheep in the field!! My neighboring farm had hedge cut in preparation for a new fence and um this created a few holes in the hedge and yes my three naughty sheep found them easily. They didnt want to come home after chasing said sheep them round the field a few times they were left to be rounded up later. Got home tonight to all of the sheep in my field. So in the moon light in account of my touch batteries dying on me mid field I repaired the holes. Well in the dark I think I have we will see in the morning!!!

Now making stock for tomorrows market I will be well chuffed if I have a repeat of today minus the hills hehe.

Cornwall Life

December 2014 page 29 - Two page article about me and my smallholding and KT's Kitchen Produce. I am happy with the article. Was a shock to see a full page photo of me in a magazine. Thats something I can say has never happened to me before. I hope the readers find it interesting. When I get asn electronic link I will edit this blog.

Bye Bye Pigs

As my second lot of pigs went today it was a sad moment but my freezer will be full of bacon and pork to keep me going for the coming year I do feel bad that they trusted me and followed me straight into the trailer. This time I am not taking them to the slaughter myself a local farm who butchers meat and sells has bought the pigs from me. I get some meat back and payment for pigs. It hasnt made a profit but I know where my meat has come from and can continue the satisfactory feeling that the girls whilst here had the best life possible.

Only naughty sheep, Ducks, chickens and bees for the winter months!!

Next round of the sheep escapology war goes to me!!

I got home this evening to a full compliment of sheep!! No escapees!! That was after rounding them up again this am from next door and putting yet another barricade in the way!! lets see how long before they hatch another plan!!

Very muddy in the field now and pigs bless them their last night at the smallholding.  

Outwitted by sheep!

Yes the little horrors! Well three of them anyway. I fill a hole in the fence they find another one. Always the same three sheep. The other 6 are very well behaved. I have a ringleader sheep and the other two follow!! The pigs are content in staying put

If they arent escaping they love to get tangled up in whatever they can!!

Still love them to bits even if on a saturday night after a long day i was untangling a sheeps legs from the fence.

Tomorrow - lets hope the weather is good as soon as its light to go hole hunting - then onto a market!!!

What a peaceful place i live - My chaotic life certainly makes up for it!!!  Never dull and still always smiling.

The pigs are content to stay put although they wont be here after monday!!!

Pigs meet ponies

Nextdoor farm has ponies. The sheep decided to escape and have a day out on nextdoors farm. The sneaked through a hole they have found. I went to get the sheep back and the pigs followed me. The sheep were easy to get back i said home and pointed at the hedge and they did as i asked!!! That will be a first.

The pigs well as i got them pig food meet the ponies from nextdoor. Ponies chased pigs back in to field!!

The hole is all blocked off now and all my animals back home!!

What Katie did next...............

Thats the only title I could think of today.

Pigs bless them - done a lovely job of digging up the weeds in next years veg patch. Digging up weed roots in the main field.

Today the wind blew down the duck/chicken fence - Ducks and chickens all over place. I decided to try to get them back in the coop. The pigs decided to help me only they chased the chickens and ducks.

So I decided feed would do the job - I walked up the lane to the feed shed turned round to find 6 ducks, 10 chickens and two pigs following me. I got the feed and the said line up followed me back to the field  and got them all back where they should be!! Soo comical

Sheep well they are just in the hedge quite literally eating away the leaves.

Aga and boiler not working - plumber been boiler working aga not playing!!

Pigs have a few more jobs before they leave

Day of Rest or not as the case maybe

Rain glorious rain- not!!

The pigs bless them are very busy digging up the blackberry roots in the secret garden and dont seem to care. Excellent works girls keep it up just leave the blackcurrants and raspberries alone as you have done and keep munching.

Sheep were hiding in the pig sty out of the rain this morning - shame I had to go find them in the rain!! They have wooly coats to keep them dry yes you guest it I got soaked!

Looks like the Ducks have been mud wrestling and the chickens are going to need wellington boots!

Bees seem to be hibernating

Cats dont wont to go out as much.

Field is starting to look boggy

All the evidence is there it looks likes winters on its way!!

Advertising and marketing

The last few days have been about advertising and marketing. I re-evaluated my current markets and have changed a few. I have new deli orders  so all change ready for xmas rush

Willow

Willow willow every where in the secret garden and I mean everywhere.


I have started to thin it out this year as it needs a lot of attention to get it back to how it should be.

I have had a go at basket making and have now the base of a basket and am going to make some xmas decorations with the bits I have cut off.

Real fun experimenting with it and several different types i have discovered too!!

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Creations

Have collected Driftwood and sea glass from local beach and have beeswax.

Three creations are in the making

My driftwood xmas tree has a base and its first branch.

Sea Glass - well thats still in the design stage

Bees wax - the wick has arrived and thanks to Jane and Kelly finding some glass containers and the ones I got Project candles are going to be in progress this evening. Watch this space for pictures

Foraging

Today is about foraging

Just done a civilised walk on the beach - driftwood for my driftwood xmas tree and sea glass for a little craft project I am planning.

A little lunch and then berry picking. I may have discovered a use for the abundance of sloes which doesnt involved gin!! Dont worry already made next years slow gin!!

Making the most of the land

This am I thinned some of the willow out on the smallholding. My neighbour will be pleased with the view i created her. In my shed drying I have Driftwood, Willow and logs!!

Today I also made a bar of beewax to see if i could. It worked well. I have loads from when I extracted my honey. I feel some candles coming soon!!

With my collection of sea glass I can feel on these cold winter nights some crafty creations happening!!  

All change

When I got home I found two pigs in the chicken and duck coup!!

Ducks and Chickens all over the smallholding!!

Sheep in the electric fence!!
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A sheep acting dead!!

With a shake of a bucket, a check on a sheep and a bit of untangling all is well again now!!
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All in a day at katies smallholding!!

Time to enjoy last years fruits

I have just poured the first glass of last years home made wine. Have to say its drinkable!! must remember to get some on the go for next year!!

Identity Crisis - and latest pics of the smallholding

I dont know a kind neighbour farmer came and topped my field and a sheep wants to be a chicken! That gratitude for you!! Yes I found the sheep in the chicken coup

Best of Pals

The Naughty Pig 

The new look 

Follow the leader who was biting my wellies

Lay in

I decided to have a lay in this morning and got up at 8am - to the animals disgust!!!

Stardust decided at 7.30am that i had had enough sleep and kept patting me with that right paw of hers!!!

She and the other moggies got fed and water so i went to the pigs!! They saw me and decoded they didnt want to wait for me anymore and couldnt get out anywhere so they decided to take the field gate off its hinges!!

Once fed they have no wish to get out  - Think if they can take a gate off they are heavy enough now for bacon!!!

Autumn is definately here

Awoken by the wind - so glad I tied down the bee hives last night.

However the pig sty wasn't as lucky!! Completely flipped the sty over nextdoor neighbour has just helped flip it back. So we are all back to being present and correct. I wont mention the sheep sty which is in a serious need of a re build. No rush for that though as sheep don't use it.

getting back on the saddle so to speak.....

Um bee hive needed mending and with weather forecast of wind and lots of it there was nothing more to be done but be a beekeeper!!!

I put on three layers of clothes wellies and bee suit and three pares of gloves and went in.

Bees now tied down and bee hive fixed and phew no more stings Shoulkd be able to leave them alone now for winter other then a quick feeding.

Pigs meet the bees

Sorry to all my fb friends already posted this on fb but as my blog is my diary just capturing the moment. what a morning - pigs escape to get to me filling feed bucket knocked the bees over. Bees attacked me and the pigs - no bee suit - never ran so fast into a shower in my life - red from head to toe with hives from multiple bee stings - now that hurt. All sorted now pigs fine, bee hive back upright and i am starting to feel a little better. oh well could have been worse i guess! Thanks to all my fb friends for commenting their support was really welcomed.

Using gluts

Busy using all my glut up -

last night boiled up fruit and left over night for the liquid to drain.

No prodding poking or pressing just the good old fashioned natural process. This morning I have apple and mint Jelly. Apple and Blackberry Jelly and Redcurrent Jelly.

Now I am on to chutneys the first being Spicy Tomato and Apple Chutney its simple delicious

who would of thought.............

Well one of my pigs wants to keep the poorly sheep warm and snuggles - shame I didnt have the camera.

My young chickens have been rejected by the rest of the chickens in the coop so they have their own home and free range if I am in.

Guess what my young chickens get up to

They

chase cats!!
chase next doors dog off!!
try their hardest to get in my house!!
Try to sleep on the shed roof!!

All interesting in the smallholding field

Poorly sheep

The poorly sheep is looking a bit brighter this am. All sheared and munching away in the field with her friends

Sheep

Today I learnt about fly strike. One of my sheep was showing some early signs of fly strike this pm. My very kind Sheep farmers who have been great at teaching me about keeping sheep and helping me to ensure the sheep get a happy and healthy life came to the rescue. All sheep have been treated I have been so lucky with their help and generosity. No market for me tomorrow have to observe the sheep make sure she is ok.

I was very pleased to hear when I was told I have looked after them very well. I was discussing their fate and with sheep prices at present I was advised to keep them till feb. So there will be sheep antics on my blog till feb. Then next year I have just agreed to be taking in orphan sheep again. I think I better invest in a proper multi lamb bottle feeder.

The new cockerel um he is becoming a problem as he has such a personality. Might have to try to invest in another chicken pen so I can keep him. Will I ever eat my own chicken!! At this rate NOT as I keep putting off the deed.

Lol just seen a funny sight stardust appeared at the window followed by three chickens!! No chickens you arent coming in the house!! Didnt quite get the window shot but this is stardust living in harmony with the farm animals!!

gone to pot

Jumping pigs, Sheep getting stuck, Ducks in the chicken house and having to buy eggs!! Whats that all about?? and its not full moon. I am not mentioning that the aga wont work!!

oh dear Pigs can fly

I just found my pig jumping over the electric fence to get to me!! Her sister wont jump it so think we are ok they dont like to be parted. Pig wig is enjoying chasing sheep round the field. Not sure sheep feel the same way. Luckily pig wig is happy in the field so no attempt to escape out of the big field. Was a strange sight though seeing pig jump the fence they usually walk through it!!

Operation Honey is underway

Well all suited and booted I robbed my bees hive watched u tube used the apple press to use the cut crush and strain method for extracting Honey. So I now have honey and very tasty it is too!!

The honey is busy straining into the honey bucket as we speak then it can be bottled and will be for sale.

fruits all coming along nicely

Well thats for western power who chopped azll the trees down so they dont interfer with cables. Tress look a right mess. However they did leave all the logs. Get them all chopped up and dried and excellent wood burner fuel.

I am watching the Quince, Apples medlers, Hazelnuts and Damsons and sloes all developing going to be a super harvest. The blackberries are still looking good. I feel sunday ios going to be a playing on the smallholding day.

Honey to harvest, blackberries to pick, logs to chop and chickens and ducks to muck out.

seems a while since i wrote a blog. Here goes.

We have baby chicks growing. I have 3 male chicks who are getting to the right weight. Can I cull them to eat them that is the question???

Bees they have honey i have a bucket with bee tap. The next challenge is getting the honey to the jar.

Sheep are happily growing and  love their field until the pigs get out then the pigs chase the sheep and all hell breaks loose. Until you shake a bucket of food then the pigs happily follow me back to their pen.

Chickens and Ducks well other then mr fox having a few and 2 baby chicks dying they seem very happy.

Stardust is still loving her field and I stress here field!! She is keeping the mice population down around the veg patch and animal feed store. The cats disappeared this summer when I had guests but have soon reappeared when they left.

The garden  full of weeds but getting a few crops and tomatos doing well in the pop up green house.

So all busy as ever but bliss down on the smallholding.

New life on the smallholding

Four Chickens hatched yesterday/today - three look very well the fourth had egg shell stuck to it. a bit of a clean and its well away.

The young chickens are doing well and the hop along chicken is now using its poorly leg so all is well in the chicken coup.

The pigs are getting bigger and the sheep are too.

Looking forward to a visit from Nina and Franki and families on sunday - I think its called glamping as they are putting a tent up in back garden!

Summer is here - water water water!

The heat has got us meaning water water and more water. Animals need more, plants need more and I guess so do I. Had a fab week with Joanne, Matt and Eden, Shame I couldnt spend more time with them but business in its infancy and all that. Glad they still had a fantastic holiday.

Tourist are here and stock is selling, Eggs in the farm shop and home made puddings seem to be going well there. Markets - the usual Sauces and Spice mixes and Infused rapseed oil. Web site not up to date - Can I have more hours in a day please!!

Animals - they are all well and being ruined. My sheep go in a shelter when it rains!! Ruined what do they need a coat for. Pigs are behaving. Ducks have decided they want to live in the hen house and the hens have chosen the house that is set up for both hens and ducks rather then the proper hen house. They are laying eggs and raining revenue to pay to feed all the animals so whatever my lady chickens want they can have. :)

So laze days in cornwall dont exist when you live in Cornwall in the summer its go go go!!

Healthy lifestyle

Something healthy about smallholding living. Had a health check yesterday. Cholestrol 2.3, fat mass ideal range, muscle mass - ideal range. bmi ideal range and everything else ticking away as it should! Cant believe it. 0.7 % chance of a heart attack, diabetes, stroke or Kidney problems in the next 10 years! So somthing to be said about raising and growing your own food.

Catching up with best friend ever

Today a lovely day. My Best friend in the world is here to visit. Shame i had stuff to do today as they arrived. The next few days quality time will be spend with Jo, Matt and Eden.

Honey anyone?

Just did a Hive inspection and last years hive is bulging with honey had to add another super. Had to take a little off to taste the very first honey I have ever made. Its rather nice!! So next challenge is getting it from hive to jar. Sounds easy! The the challenge will be getting the label to match the law. Thanks to the bee association documentation thing might be ok with that one.

Other news we have a poorly chicken. It managed to dislocate its leg. Its now in the recovery shed last look chicken had started to use the leg again. We have more eggs in the incubator for more chicks.

ongoings down on the smallholding

Its been a busy week down on the smallholding. Picking fruit and watering plants. I have tomatoes, raspberries, blackcurrants, strawberries and today i had my first blackberry. I have a large amount of blackberries so will be making a range of blackberry related products for my market stall. I started with a summer fruit desert sauce today which i have to say went down really well.

Pigs well they are just being pigs the sheep are now scared of the pigs. Sheep are doing ok other than the little black sheep who seems to be stunned. She also keeps escaping from the rest of the sheep to my vegetable patch. However she doesnt seem to like the vegetables she is just eating the weeds. Clever Lamb. think she is going to end up a pet as she will never get to the right weight. so might have to have a lamb naming session.

Chickens and ducks. mr fox got in and has killed a few chickens grr!! Feathers everywhere!! The fox took the bodies away so must be feeding babies somewhere. Not pleasant to find missing chickens but thats life in nature.

Stardust still loving the great outdoors and is never in!! She does come home for a bit of affection and food and then she is off out again. Toffee isnt much better. Great to see two happy cats. Wont mention Trifle who is old and I am sure senile as she sleeps on the edge of the bath and falls off and never learns that its perhaps not the best idea to sleep on the side of the bath!

Anniversary of 'To Live the dream'

Well its been a year since I left the rat race and big smoke or little smoke of Accrington. Leaving my loving friends after being made redundant I headed off down to Cornwall and started my smallholding. Always loved animals and with a bit of experience of helping on farms and gardening experience the plan to grow my own food and raise my own animals and to become as self sufficient as possible.

A year on and what a year its been.

Cleared some land and landed in nettles

I have raised escapee pigs - certainly a different way to get to know your neighbours when your pigs go to visit them! I have eaten them and sold the meat raw and cooked not at the same time and now have my second lot of pigs

I have brought up 9 orphan lambs - bottle feeding and bruises spring to mind.

I have raised chickens and ducks and sold eggs! Got a cockeral and incubated the eggs to get my own Chicks

Kept bees and increased my colony

Picked fruit made jam and sold it. Grown veg and eaten it

The stardust has grown and now loves the great outdoors along with Toffee - claiming a whole field as hers. 

Done sea fishing and eaten what I have caught. Swimming in the sea, sang in a choir and been a tourist round cornwall. There has been ups and downs - animals have come and gone, some missing some died, some have been hunted. Pests to deal with mice, foxes and magpies. Financial pressures of starting a new business- will never be a millionaire - have a few jobs - a bit of this and a bit of that until my business can support me.  

Wildlife around me include herons, barn owls, badgers and deer, lovely views and remote. Lovely neighbours but not in your face.

I have missed friends and have loved friends and family that have visited and met some very lovely people on the way. I have had some kind help and support. 

If it was last July and I knew then what I knew now would I do it again?? absolutely. 

Despite the hard work, the highs and lows, the winter storms etc i have loved the year living the dream.

Do I continue living the dream? Absolutely - whilst i can pay the bills i will live the dream. 

  

lost sheep

The problem with having long grass and a wood at the end of your 3 and a half ache plot is lambs get lost very easy!! Not to mention losing cats.

Today when rattling the feed buckets no lambs. I had to go looking for sheep in the field to feed them! They cant need the extra feed if they are not waiting for it!!

Coming up to a year of the new life

Its 6 days away from me being here for a year! Its flown by. Time to reflect me thinks over the next few days and decide what i have learnt, what i will do better, where I am and the people I have met. Where do I go from here. I think I know the answer to the question would I do it all again!! The main question I will be asking is is it sustainable?? I will reveal my findings on the anniversary of the new life. :)

Down on the veg plot

Well my first crop of spuds are ready and also the raspberries and strawberries. I ate the strawberries before the photo!!

I must have a word with myself. I started off very good all rows labelled and everything on the veg plot and now its just got things where ever there is space. I say things as I cant remember what they are!! Oophs I will soon find out when they grow.

tough life in a field for animals

Well what can I say found the Chicken egg stealer - Magpies!! Found one nicking eggs from the duck house!!

Lambs - I have lost a lamb. The suspect is Mr Fox. Lamb just vanished in the night no signs of anything. Sorry Nicholas but it was whitety. I am missing whitety he was such a character!!

Barn Owl - has been using my field to hunt in great to watch must get the camera sorted. Lost battery charger for camera not good as limited to small camera at moment.

The there is the slugs - been collecting them in a bucket and giving them chickens. When you throw slugs into chicken coup its like british bulldog (remember that as kids!) chicken steals the slug for itself and runs as fast as it can!! if its fast it gets to eat the slug if its slow another chicken will steal it. Very entertaining!!

So tough life being an animal in a field

photos of the smallholding

First harvest of the year

Spinach and Broad Beans - I see a broad bean and spinach risotto coming on ............................

Water. Water Water

All this lovely weather down on the smallholding is brill. Buckets and buckets of water required for pigs, ducks, chickens, sheep and the plants. Not complaining weather god up there as i am happy to water. I wont mention i need more water too - in the form of swimming in the sea!!

I need to take my camera out me thinks to update you on the animals! They are all doing well.

The wildlife is spectacular - The barn owl passes every day now what a lovely sight. Dont know if i mentioned the fox in my last blog!!

Markets - well you may have noticed on my web page my new edition of the four fruits marmalade went down very well today I sold the whole batch. After people tasted it they jsut wanted it. I am still on cloud nine as to the response i got from the public re the taste.

Busy making another batch as I type!!

duck duvet

What a busy time, selling, growing and animal rearing.

Sheep well they are every sheep for themselves - They broke my chair i use to sit in whilst they feed. They are all greedy and getting big and watching feet and bums. feet fro strip and bums for fly strike! They are stupid as at first kept getting tangled in chickens electric fence!!

Chickens - Whilst I was sitting feeding the lambs a juvenile fox entered the field and was making his way to the chicken enclosure. saw me and ran off. Not good news. cute fox but if there is a juvenile there is a family. extra chicken/duck patrol has been called for.

Ducks - had a duckling got stuck in the fence and a chicken pecked it. I rescued it and put it with the baby chicks. I just wish i had my camera that day as when I came to do a check the chicks where all in a line under the ducks feathers. They had sacked the broader!!

The pigs are now used to coming for food and seem to be getting on well.

Bees are doing bee things and creating honey nicely. cant wait to taste the honey

Gardening well crops are in need a bit of weeding - crop growing seems to get bottom priority which is a shame. I have pods on my broad beans though so they are coming on. I cant believe that I missed the elder flowering in my front garden!! I was looking forward to making elder flower wine!!

Family visit

I have just really enjoyed having Nephews, Brother, Nephews Cousin and Dave Step dad. What will; I do without the Nephews who did a fantastic job of feeding the animals whilst I watched. I Laughed a lot watching.

There was no sheep worrying from young people, more like young people worrying from sheep!!

Piglets started to come alive and chickens and ducks - a disappointment for nephews egg collecting.

Feeding Family we did very well pigs in various forms from the small holding and fresh mackerel we caught from the sea - we ate very healthy and certainly knew where most of food came from.

You might see more white face sheep photos as he became Nicholas, my nephews friend and will have to keep Nicholas updated!

Wrestling Sheep

Well today the large male sheep needed some antibiotic spray between his toes. Um Now thats an interesting concept how to catch a sheep and then spray in between his toes. Caught him and flipped him over so could handle him ended in lying in sheep poo and him on top of me nice and comfy.  His toes are now sprayed blue and my fingers are Sprayed blue but Job done!! That should sort him out!

The new piglets!! So well behaved.

The attempt to swim in the sea today - walking in the sea a big wave got me and knocked me over the places pebbles get!! lovely to be in the sea though wasnt too cold either so think plenty more dips to come. 

The lambs