the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

The Monroes TV Show

For those of you who responded to my previous entry about a 1960's TV western called "The Monroes", I can confirm that we are NOT suffering from "senior moments" - the show did exist, albeit not for very long. The only name I recognised was Barbara Hershey,who played Cath.

For further information, see:

• The Monroes @ EPGuides.com
• The Monroes at CTVA
• The Monroes @ The TV IV (with a photo)

The Orchard

The orchard is supposed to be my responsibility this year but I have to confess, I haven't been awfully diligent. I did start out quite enthusiastic - weeding the bases, top dressing, mulching - but it's kind of tailed off.

Fortunately, Dan has been paying more attention and noticed a heavy aphid infestation on the Victoria plum tree. This has now been treated with derris.

Two trees died over the winter and have been removed. We have one pear tree that looks quite sick but it's getting another chance.

The Victoria is covered in fruit - if you remember last year the total crop amounted to four plums. Some of the apple trees are well covered too, as is the Morello cherry. We'll see how they do as the season progresses. Dan gave them all a dose of comfrey liquid this morning, which won't do them any harm.

We will replace the dead trees but we will try to source trees more locally. I'm just off to check out Butterworth's Organic Nursery in Auchinleck. I found this in a magazine called "Reforesting Scotland", lent to us by Dan's dad. It's an old issue Summer 2001, but is quite interesting.

Football fever

Don't expect much in the way of activity on the site, from Dan at least, for the next four weeks. You may have heard that the World Cup started today - the prospect of three games each day for the next two weeks is scary.

Still, even as a Scot, I'll be cheering for England. Three lions and all that!

Sweet itch and immunotherapy

I can't remember if I've posted on this before, but my horse, Smokey, has a condition called sweet itch. Sweet itch affects around 5% of horses and is a problem with the immune system, which goes into overdrive if the horse is bitten by the Cullicoides midge. Now, I can have some sympathy with this because I get a pretty bad reaction to midge bites compared to, say, Dan. But nothing compared to Smokey and HE doesn't have it that bad, compared to some horses.

Horses with sweet itch will scratch and rub until they are red raw, destroying mane and tail (the most affected areas) in the process. There are lots of potential remedies - some work for some horses and not for others.

In the past, I've tried a number of feed additives (no joy), sprays and lotions (no joy) and now use a lightweight rug and fly mask. These are reasonably successful - they stop him getting bitten and if he does get bitten when the rug is off, stop him rubbing too badly. I also give him garlic and smear on copious quantities of Equineem soothing lotion. He likes both of these.

This year, we're trying immunotherapy. My vet hasn't used it on a horse before but has used it on dogs and cats. Another horse at the same yard has had the treatment from another vet, with some success.

Smokey's blood test showed that he was allergic to the Cullicoides midge. I now inject him regularly with increasing doses of serum. He's very good - not at all needle shy. This is our third week. I'm not sure when I'll be brave enough to take the rug off and see if it's working.

I'll keep you posted.

Try, try again

Well, the incubator is on again, with nine eggs this time.

Our last attempt ended in failure. None of the twelve eggs hatched. The six Maran eggs from our friend, Carol, were infertile. Four of our six were fertile but failed to hatch.

At least Henry is doing what we got him for, so the soup pot can be put away for a bit longer.

We think the temperature might have been abit high - the thermometer is really hard to read. However, we think we've sorted it this time.

Watch this space in three weeks or so.