Pigs

Well pig arc rebuilt electric fence in place just need to re treat the wood on arc and all set for pigs. 

Found out my chicken who keeps escaping has a nest of eggs on the lane. Collected the eggs and moved the duck and chicken house. Hopefully that will stop any escape artists. 

Polytunnel looking productive. Just need to make sauces and plant spuds and all sorted for now.......

Productive day

Planting 

Planted three fruit trees just in time before the rain. Sat in the polytunnel listening to the rain pattering on the roof whilst I Sowed more seeds. Even sneaked in sowing Sweet Peas. I know not edible but I have a fence space to cover and I do lol sweet peas. Watered everything in polytunnel. Discovered a leak that's one way to fill the watering can up!! 

Rescued my sheep not sure how but she got herself on her back and couldn't get up. Rolled her slightly and she got up no problem. She has been fine ever since. 

Brought ingredients to make more sauces for Bude farmers market Friday.

Looking forward to getting outside in my new planting area tomorrow to plant spuds

Houdini Chicken

I have an escapee chicken. she just wants to free range completely. Keep blocking her in she finds a way to get out. I give up! she only wonders around the smallholding and always back at bed time so no biggy other than mr fox! Just have to pray she doesn't come across the fox when out. Will have to monitor. The others more then content to stay put.

Excellent Farmers Market Friday at Bude selling my Spices, sauces and preserves. Also included willow charcoal I created and Felting wool from my sheep. Weather was excellent. Sauces changed at Tintagel shop to new fresh ones.

Seeds growing well in the polytunnel. Chilli seeds just starting to germinate yippee. All going to plan on veg front.

Bees on order so will have bees again this year and next week 5 days just on the land shame its going to rain but have plans so weather I don't care. Just means I need me waterproofs on!! I dare say the kittens will wimp out of supervising duties though as they have discovered they don't like the wet stuff!!

Time for the egg incubator

Felt really tired for a few days then it struck a Stinking cold. Again! However too much to do!! 

Chicken eggs in the incubator 20 days from now hopefully hatching chicks if my cockerel has lead in his pencil. 12th April is due date. 

Blackberries all chopped down what a difference in the landscape! Plenty of space for veg growing. 

All ready for this seasons farmers markets and season. Makes so much difference having a decent sized car! 

Plants potted on didn't finish job ran out of steam! 

Terminator

And I don't mean the kittens! How they do give it a good try. 

From this to this

Killing blackberries! The shoulder aches now it's going to hurt in the morning. 

Below is start of two of the new raised beds made out of willow. 

The sheep are getting fat so are the kittens. Kittens still mischief makers and loving the great outdoors. Won't mention ninja getting stuck up a tree when next doors cat chased him up there. 

Making a willow raised bed

Very success first attempt at making a willow raised bed

Take a patch of ground

 A pile of logs that have been kindly cut to the right length by a chain saw

Hammer the posts into the ground

Take some willow whips

Weave them around the posts

Alternate the weave

Carry on weaving

 Keep going

Chop the tops off the posts and you have a raised bed

Glad to see spring is here with lambs in the field up the lane. Loads of bunny rabbits running across the lane.

Despite the very bad wind creating a hole in the new polytunnel when the door blew off the seedlings are all coming through and the temperature is 26 degree. Luckily the polytunnel is fixable and still can use it.

Seeds

Bit of a boring one this unless you like seeds. But need to record what I plant. Make a change to know the varieties. So In the polytunnel this week

Lovage

Aubergine - patio mix

Melon - edonis

Cabbage surprise

Spinach - cello

Chamomile

Pumpkin - jack be little

Golden berry - pineapple

Swizz chard - bright yello

Onion - bunching summer isle

Radish - French breakfast

Celery - Victoria

Garlic chives

Dill

Pea - ambassador

Okra - burgundy

Pea - canoe

Fenugreek 

Lettuce - Beltran

Lettuce -cut and come again

Celeriac - album

Celery - Latham Galaxy

French beans

Runner beans  - scarlet empire

Broad bean - stereo

Spring onion - White Lisbon

Caraway 

The chilli - pepper range

Jalapeño chilli

Sweet Pepper summer salad

Bhut jolokia chilli - extreme heat

7 pod chilli - extreme heat

Trinidad scorpion butch chilli - extreme heat 

Pepper - chilli shake

Let's see how we get on. Fenugreek is an interesting one you grow it like cress on kitchen roll. Ready in 5 days apparently 

Kittens first adventure outdoors

Lovely day so decided it was time to let the new kittens out in the garden. Ninja loved it, Truffle was a little shy. Ninja kept shouting her to follow so she did. Oh yes first port of call was to meet the ducks and chickens!! The Ducks and Chickens not threatened at all and carried on their business. Even when Ninja and Truffle went into their enclosure!!

After meeting the Ducks and Chickens it was time for a climbing mission

Then it was time to talk to the birds and Ninja straight up a tree!!

After a good old explore a game of Hokey Cokey in out in out two tired little Kittens fell asleep!! Must have been the fresh air that did it!

Other news on the smallholding started to make Medlar Jelly. Added about a kg of Medlers from the garden that had been frozen to a pan with apples and lemon Juice and boiled till soft. Took off heat and now straining the medlers through a muselin bag.  Leave to strain for a good few hours over a pan.

Poly tunnel went to check on the Poly tunnel 23 degrees in there soon be the tropics!! Cant wait for the seeds to germinate. Time to be patient. I feel some salad leaves growing coming on. Note to self don't forget to but the potatoes and onion sets next week.

First planting of the year in the poly tunnel

Poly tunnel now has plants. Spent the afternoon in the polytunnel sowing first seeds of the season. Loads of space in there and felt good to be in there at 19 degree whilst the wind was howling outside. We were desperate to be decadent  to christen the poly tunnel and have wine and the BBQ but resisted as there was just not enough yellow stuff in the sky.

Warm enough that is until we needed to venture out to water the seeds the wind nearly took the door off and the water was too cold!!

Despite that it was a successful planting sessions. This years chilli's are on the go. Googled the worlds hottest chilli and yes I am attempting to grow it so watch out in September for the hottest chilli sauce made from home grown chilli's. Other herbs that will be on offer this year that aren't available along with other herbs for tea's such as chamomile.

After an afternoon planting walked back into the house to find this> 

I take it they are all pals now!! Aww. Daisy wanted a piece of the action and joined in.