Operation Fleece

A Rainy Day what to do??.....................

Throw your Sheeps fleece into a washing vessel and allow the spiders to escape!!!

Rinse, Rinse, Rinse and get yourself very wet

Fresh water and wash with pure new wool detergent and soak.

Time to consider options where is the crane??

There isn't one!! worry about the weight of the fleece later after coffee.....................................

What else would you do on a rainy day????

A visit from Amos

The lady sheep have an admirer!! Amos a neighbouring ram jumped the fence to chat them up and court them. Um not sure how successful he was we will find out next spring........... A neighbour been watching him for a week thought he was a new addition so didn't mention it. He was Never there at sheep check time. Secret love by sounds of it. He certainly took a bit of persuasion to go home!!!

Moving the chickens

Yesterday I moved the Chickens and Ducks with the help of a friend. Of course it rained. First job was erecting the fence and then the houses. The Houses stuck in mud and awkward push and pulled a bit then decided to no use. They would have to come apart. Realising this would be good idea to get the houses through a gateway to there new home.

Picking up the duckhouse and the two moles that have been busy digging up the vegetable patch busy making their home where sat there. Never seen a live mole before now they soon vanished into their run under ground.

After losing a couple of screws to the chicken house and having a spare piece of wood. Not sure why both of them happen I guess its like sock Fairy.

Catching the chickens now that was a drama. It took bribery and corruption, a net for some and others just went in their house to get out the rain. The last one escape no chance of catching so left a hen house in the middle of the field for the night to be able to catch him. No luck more climbing and clambering and finally at 2000 he had gone to sleep in a tree so caught. Dripping with water, clothes stuck to skin, wet feet and covered in mud headed to the shower!!

Now they are in their new digs and are loving it more shelter and a fresh bit of worm, slugs and snails hunting ground for them. Stardust has investigated the new digs this morning. I don't half feel stiff today!! Oh well more xmas puds to make today so better crack on.

autumn

Well its been a while since I wrote.

Busy planning next year and how my blog will go next year. think I am going to start explaining how I do projects instructions etc.

For now however whats been happening on the smallholding;

Sheep - no signs of the ram doing anything this year but he is still young. sheep all healthy and loving their life

Ducks - hop along duck is amazing she can get in and out the pool ok and hops everywhere. Rest of ducks are well and very gooby

Chickens - doing well

Willow chopped 50 trees another 50 to go looking good and used all the waste for artist charcoal and creating willow breaks

veg beds for next year started and new poly tunnel being erected so all on plan for next year

next years animals being planned hopefully pigs and goats

Mischeiovous Sheep

Got home this evening to Mischievous sheep. They were running and jumping around the field head butting each other  as me. Hitting me on the leg with their feet. Cheeky sheep I wish I had my camera to film them! Will have to take some photographs for this blog of them. They are looking very healthy.

The ducks and chickens are doing well I have a big fat hen!! They all look very neat and tidy.

Been foraging the field for various fruits made some more xmas puddings with Bude Brewery Ale in and chutney and experimenting with marmalade. No farmers market now on a Friday till next easter feels strange not making for the market. Bude Food assembley is on all year round with my products and Cornish craftiness has my products too.

Poly tunnel is empty just about awaiting a new one kindly lent by a friend cant wait!!

Cornish life

Well another farmers market finished for the year but new doors open re selling!! Doing well with the sauce business and this time of year all the fruit comes from my smallholding.

Ducks and chickens well they seem ok. They are all looking very healthy and happy.

Sheep are looking very healthly too.

Been a tough year as ever second year of business but does seem to be easier now have regular customers wanting my products which is great.

Just creating next years plans. hopefully at the same base and hopefully increasing the livestock. I have run out of pork so I guess its time to have pigs again!

New poly tunnel coming soon!

As for fruit its been a good year its time for wine making, jelly making and chutneys. more about selling oportunities later.

Neglected blog

My blog has been neglected not from not wanting to blog but not have computer access and blogging on phone just isn't the same. Now back to having computer access so the blogs should resume.

In the last month which is when I last blogged.

I have two massive Chickens in the gang they have really grown. All doing well on the duck and chicken front.

Sheep are doing really well they are loving their field. They keep running up to me and wanting stroked. Um not sure that's meant to be part of the deal if I want to eat them. However I have decided that I am keeping the three ladies I have and letting nature takes its course so I could name them!!

MY tomatoes well all I can say is if you don't grow tomatoes start!! Cant get them to the kitchen as I eat them all before they get there.

Fruit well what a fab year had mega apple and blackberry haul so far along with other vegetables should as spuds and onions, raspberries, blackcurrent, red current and still got loads more to pick such as qunince, meddler, sloes and wild fruit.

Blackberry Whisky for xmas started. Or should I say Bourbon berry Liquer!!