new arrivals

To solve my no egg situation i purchased 4 new chickens at holsworthy poultry auction today. The Auctioneer commented on what a good buy which made me smile.

Got them home and have had 4 eggs  - so back to selling eggs tomorrow me thinks. i cleared more of my field today and discovered what could be sloes or damsons. Not on a thorny bush so I believe after asking my friends on backyard and garden farming, smallholding and farmstead they are damsons.

The Rain

I never thought i liked the rain but it makes me do the business stuff that needs to be done. Today has been about updating web site, costing for the two farmers markets I am planning for next week and thoughts towards my menu service for the locals. Costings, profit margins etc all done for farmers market. Time for test cooking. Plan is to get some photos for the web site to advertise the menu service.

With blackberries coming all over the place the main theme for my desserts will be blackberries. I am experimenting making blackberry leathers and dehydrating blackberries. Plans to experiment with dried blackberries to make cereal bars. I have devised a recipe myself but just need dried blackberries to go in it. Bottom of the simmering oven in the aga apparently does it. We will see.

On other notes nearly at the end of the field for clearing dead trees and fencing for the sheep and goats.

Pigs doing really well. They have worked out that when i take the red clip off the fence, the fence isn't electric. They have been watch me at feeding times and then tested it today by touching fence and didn't get a shock. The pig soon realised though after feeding time if it touche the fence it gets a shock.

Chickens and Ducks - still no eggs they are in molt, which they do at their age and can take a couple of months however it looks like a hard molt so hopefully will be over soon. Not sure why two new point of lay are not laying. I have a demand for eggs and no eggs this calls for drastic action i feel a poultry auction coming on in the morning for point of lay chickens and another female aylesbury if possible.

Baby chicks and ducklings - growing and eating loads getting into chick ad duckling mischief.

Nettles revenge

All happening down on the smallholding.

Yesterday I uncovered the alleged wooden swing that was in the secret garden it was covered in about 4ft of blackberries! Not ready for sitting on yet as still has loads of blackberries around it but nearly there!

The holiday makers next door came with deck chairs and sat and watched the ducks and chickens.

We started today with the nettles I have been cutting down having their revenge. Whilst clearing the fence of dead trees I went to pull a dead tree off the fence which came away faster then I was expecting and i fell backward right in to a patch of nettles. Truly not recommended it hurts. However didnt half motivate me to carry on and cut some more nettles down. After carrying on I managed to discover an electric fence system praying it works as it will come very much useful.

Great news - my business plan was signed off by the new enterprise scheme I have signed up to. Great news as I get a business mentor and support till January. Until the business plan was signed off I wasnt allowed to trade other then the test trades - for market research purposes. I now start trading tomorrow - yipee. Loads of ideas now buzzing round my head. Loads of organising so that I can set up at farmers markets and thought as to what I can now sell from my honesty box. Tonight however Cath my neighbour

is coming round I think she will just have to help me celebrate!

Pigs - I have finally screwed down the lid on the sty on the sty so no more sun roof options for the girls .

Chickens - just as I start to trade the ladies start to molt! Guess what during molting the eggs production goes down! That explains the egg production reduction. Nice timing girls!!

Ducklings - The outdoor ducklings are now fully feathered - yipee. We do as suspected have a male and a female. Francis still cant catch the female!!

Ducklings and chicks update - Chicks are now flying on the roof and escaping their pen to explore. Sounding like they will not need the brooder for that much longer.

Todays pics are the pigs getting the hose pipe treatment. They love it when its hot like today.

Food Safety Visit

Just had a visit from the food safety team this am. I have their approval to start trading in what I want to do at present so next step in the journey is to get trading.

Better start to sort labeling, marketing and decide exactly what to make and sell first and which will be my first farmers market. I think the indoor markets look more attractive somehow going into autumn/winter!!

Blackberry wine started last night - Blackberries steeping in water in a wine bucket.
Blackberry and apples where left in muslin bag over a bowl over night to kick the Blackberry and Apple Jelly off. Bottles in the aga sterilizing. Decision will then be if the blackberry and apple jelly is delicious do i send a sample for testing so that I can flog it. umm we will have to wait and see

Photos of the smallholding

Cath Ford and Eoin Gallagher came to visit - My first Lancashire visitors. They kindly took some brill photos. I thought I would put a few captions of how I read them. I would be interested in your comments for the pics.

The Country look

where is that worm?

I must start charging for my flock to be on facebook

I must strim that weed

Hehe i got her clean trousers with my snout!

can I blame the hair on the wind do you think!

I am not your next meal !! Honest

Them pigs - creating the sun roof effect again!!

I am sure there are two ducklings in here somewhere!!

all boys together

what are you doing?? If I know humans it will be that fb thing again!

we are not letting you out of this pen without you giving us food!

Market Research

Well I did market research today buy making apple and blackberry crumble with homemade ice cream for a neighbors wood carving unveiling. The wood sculptures where absolutely gorgeous so cleverly done. There was about 25 guests who all loved the crumble and ice cream and a quizzed a few who said if that was on offer at farmers markets they would defo buy. So we are getting closer to the catering venture.

Eggs - um i haven't the supply for the demand at the moment. We have guests in the holiday cottage next door who was telling me he was really looking forward to some eggs in the morning specially duck eggs. I hope the ladies lay in the night!! I was all smug this am as had 12 chicken and 12 duck eggs and they have all sold. I mentioned I was short and I only have 3 chicken eggs laid this pm he said I only need two for breakfast so i may be selling two single eggs rather then half a dozen in the morning!!

Cat and Mouse

Stardust caught her first mouse she got bored of it quickly ran out and caught her second. That will keep them out the animal food store.

Went to my first beekeepers meeting. It was really interesting and have learnt loads. They also laid on food. what a lovely group of people cant wait for the next meeting.