the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

New Tamworth weaners

Rosemary headed off to Crieff this morning to collect our new Tamworth weaners. While she was away I secured their pen, fixing the chicken wire that last year's pigs lifted. We had an escapee last year, and wanted to prevent a repeat performance.

They arrived safely, and were soon rooting around their new home. We have two pens - the eastern pen, where they are now, has pretty good ground cover and excellent fencing with chicken wire; the western pen has good fencing, but with sheep netting, which pigs of this age can get through. Once they are too big to squeeze through the sheep netting they will be moved west, onto ground which was sown with grazing rye in the autumn: it's already thigh-high, so they will have great fun when they get in.

The dogs are as excited as ever to see new pigs. Tess especially so: she will more or less live with them for the next few months.

Although it's been a lovely day here today it got very chilly as the sun descended. The pigs hadn't managed to find their ark, and were huddled together shivering. I tried to lure them in by demonstrating what a lovely place it would be to sleep (it would be actually, it's really cosy - I'll need to remember that next time I'm thrown out) but they weren't having any of it. In the end we herded them into it, to much protest, but they soon bedded down in the straw and will hopefully be sound asleep by now.

Chicks

The three cheeps seem to be doing fine - eating loads and scurrying around.

Tomorrow, we're going to isolate the three Light Sussex hens for a couple of days and collect the eggs from them for incubation. At least then we'll know that it's pure Light Sussex we're hatching this time. The three cheeps look identical but I don't know if that's because they are all the same cross or if all chicks look much the same at hatching.

Hobbes seems to like the Light Sussex hens best anyway, so hopefully the fertility rate will be high and the hens are only about 18 months old, so should be in good nick. The RIR are probably a bit past it.

When should we think about getting them outside? They're in the spare room, so they don't hog the heat lamp. I imagine that a hen would have them outside pretty soon after hatching...

Rare Breed Sale, Inverurie

Just a reminder that there is a sale of rare and minority breeds at Aberdeen and Northern Marts Thainstone Centre at Inverurie on Saturday 5th May. The catalogue is available to download from the ANM website.

If I'm not too tired after the election count on Thursday night, I might have a run up. Only looking, you understand.

Book review - Incubation: A Guide to Hatching and Rearing

Quick note: now we've finally managed to hatch some chicks I've posted a short review of Katie Thear's Incubation: A Guide to Hatching and Rearing over at Revish.

(Those of you who enjoy reading and who haven't heard of Revish before might like to take a look - it lets you keep lists of books you're reading, are going to read and have read, and write reviews of books.)

If you're already bored hearing about the chicks our apologies - it will wear off soon (we get new weaners today) and we'll get back to boring you about everything else!

Hot cute young chicks

They're hot (well, they've got a heat lamp), cute, young chicks. Here they are, our first successful hatchlings, just over a day old:

Hot cute young chicks on Vimeo

They are great entertainment, and seem to be doing swimmingly. Rosemary's praying that they are all girls so we can keep them, while I'm hoping one's a boy so we can finally try a home-grown table bird. It's a little early to tell what the breeding is - there's a good chance they will be pure light sussex, but we'll need to see.

Chick No3

Sorry, but you might get bored with the minute by minute updates but bear with me until the novelty wears off. Once you see the pics, you'll be as hooked as me.

Chick 3 is now completely detached from the egg, has perked up and is now in the brooder with his /her two half-siblings. Unlike humans, I know who the father is but not the mothers! All three look exactly the same. I hope they're girls, so they can join the flock

Nothing from 4 and 5 yet, but my book says to give them three days past the 21st day, so there's time yet.

Guess what?

We've got two chicks. They hatched this morning. A third one is working on it but doesn't look to chipper at the moment; eggs four and five aren't doing anything yet.

The two that have hatched are lovely - cream with pale brown stripes on their heads. They are in their new brooder.

I know we've a long way to go yet but this is further than we've ever got before, so fingers crossed.

I can't tell you how excited I am. Pics to follow.

Don't count your chickens...

You'll remember a couple of weeks ago we put eight eggs in our new Brinsea incubator; shortly after that we had a fuse trip, turning the incubator off for a short while. We decided to leave the eggs and see what happened.

Last night, we decided we should really candle them - I suppose I was working on ignorance being bliss, but if any were likely to hatch on Wednesday, I really had to think about building some sort of brooder. So we found the candling lamp, and five out of the eight seem to be full of feathery chicks.

This morning, when I woke, I lay in bed metally building a brooder. Then Dan noticed the alarm hadn't gone off - the power had tripped again. The incubator had cooled but wasn't anywhere near cold (at least not by our standards). I could have wept. Indeed I did - and swore a bit too.

Anyway, we turned it back on, told the chicks to that Mum had gone for a BIG feed but was back now so to hang on in there and are now hoping like mad that all will be well on Wednesday. Honestly, expecting a baby wasn't as bad as this.

We're investigating UPS systems and a good electrician!

I'll keep you posted.

Smokey, the rodeo horse!

Last weekend, Chris smoothed a track round the field for training his trotting horses on. On Monday, he took Coalford Legend round the track in the exercise cart. Smokey (and Johnny) went wild! Obviously, PULLING a cart is not the same as seeing a cart BEING PULLED by another horse! This was quite interesting, since I plan to use the circuit as well for driving. Smokey's reaction indicated to me that harnessing him to the buggy and taking him out with Coaly was NOT a good idea.

By Wednesday night, Smokey and Johnny were grazing quietly while Coaly did his laps.

So, on Thursday night, I dressed Smokey in his long reins and roller and waited for Chris and Coaly to appear. I am SO GLAD I was on the ground - Smokey was up on his back legs, spinning, backing up - twice, I was down to one rein to turn him in a circle. However, by the end of the session, we were able to walk towards the cart as it went past, and follow it calmly in trot. We'll have another session tomorrow, I think.

I managed to find my weight tape for Smokey today, so he's 503kg. This is light. When I bought him as a five year old, five years ago, he was 470kg. Two years ago, he was 600kg, which is grossly overweight. Last year, I managed to keep him around 530kg. He can put on weight in an instant - first whiff of grass and he's away. He looks much better for being thinner and he is much livelier (see above). I also think he's getting more exercise - not just from me, but from Johnny and (especially) Andy. These are active horses and they seem to spend a lot of time walking around the field - actually, Andy trots and canters, so that gets the other two going as well. So Smokey's diet and fitness regime seems to be paying off - I just can't keep up!

The first swallow

I saw a swallow on Wednesday. There was only one and it was sitting on the telephone wires above our house.

However, one swallow does not a summer make, 'cos it's been pretty chilly since then. It's overcast here today, has looked like it's going to rain but apart from a few spots, it hasn't (so far), and has been chilly when the wind has been blowing. Maybe it just feels colder because it's been so warm for the last few week; but Dan's in 14 sweatshirts and has put the central heating back on.

Cats and carts

As Claire and i were getting ready to take Smokey for a drive yesterday, both our cats came to investigate, each with his own inmitable style.

Felix snuffled his way round the cart - Claire took this photograph as he reached the highest point and just before he slid rather inelegantly down the armrest and onto the floor. We don't have many photos of him so it was nice to get this one.

Cassius decided the new whip had the potential to offer some mousing practice - but he was so nonchalant as he sized it up!

Smokey was is great form. I think his weight loss suits him, in all sorts of ways. He was certainly stepping out as we headed along Kelliebank - Claire didn't fancy a canter (and neither did I), but he was also moving well on the way out.

Chris has flattened a track round the field so I'll try and get Smokey out tomorrow in the buggy in the field and see how he goes. Not as fast as he was tonight when Chris had his horse out in the exercise cart, I hope.

Garden progress

A wee bit more progress has been made over the weekend in the garden. I sowed six rows of swede (Marian) and Dan sowed 32 sweetcorn seeds (Sweet Nugget). I didn't make a very good job of netting the swede so will redo it tomorrow night. I was back to work today after a fortnight off and I'm absolutely dead beat, so am having a night off.

A cauliflower seedling is showing and I only sowed them last week - that's my kind of plant! The tomatoes, cucumber and courgette need to be potted on but Dan's going to do that in his "Gardening Hour" before work. He's only got three more days of gainful employment with the Council - then at least he'll only be doing one job.

Come on, Silver Birch!!

I picked the winner of the Grand National today. I studied the form, the weights, the jockeys and picked Silver Birch because I like grey horses and a horse called SILVER Birch had to be grey. Of course, Silver Birch wasn't grey but he still won!

What will I spend my winnings on...

Planting plan progresses

Well, the implementation of the planting plan has progresed this week. The weather has been dry, sunny for the most part and warm during the day. It's been windy here, but it's always windy here.

It's amazing how much you can get done with a couple of hours concentrated effort. Dan and I spent Tuesday morning in the gardena nd got loads done. I get less done on my own because I get distracted - I take Smokey a carrot; decide to tidy the garage a bit; sweep up and so on. It's mostly productive in a way (or so I tell myself).

We spread some manure that wasn't well enough rotted, so we're having to remove it, mix it with horse poo and leave it to mulch under black plastic until the autumn. This is annoying, because it's extra work. However, we live and learn.

The onions (Sturon) went in early in the week. This was a mindless task although I got better at it as I wnet on and got a system sorted out. Preparing the ground properly helped too - trying to poke those wee onion sets into big clumps of earth was hopeless!!

The tomatoes seem to be doing OK, as are the cucumbers and courgettes. The aubergines have taken ages to show and look pretty pathetic so far. The peas and beans in the guttering have done well and we've planted some out. The broad beans are in with the early potatoes (Orla) in an attempt at companion planting. Some of the peas are in and some will go in this week. We direct sowed two rows at the same time as sowing two rows in guttering, so we'll see if there is any difference in performance. I've sown spinach between the rows of peas.

The climbing french beans are in guttering and ready to go out this weekend. I've just sown runner beans in the same way (Czar) and plan to use these in my Three Sisters bed.

I direct sowed beetroot yesterday - six rows of Forono, which is a cylindrical beet, for pickling and two rows of Boltardy, which I plan to sow successionally, for salads and roasting. In the greenhouse, I started cauliflower (Igloo) in modules - only nine as again, I plan to sow successionally to avoid a glut.

Our salad is looking awful. The stuff in pots in the greenhouse looks great. The stuff in the box and sink outside looks sick. I'll give it a dose of comfrey tomorrow.

So it's all go - and a big weekend ahead - potatoes, carrots and coriander to go in. And that's all I can remember this late at night.

Tess's new home

If Dan or I are at home, Tess lives outside. She's always been an "independent" dog - we have a photo of her as a tiny pup NOT coming for a walk with us. We have considered getting her a kennel and letting her live outside. Actually, she's a really good watch dog - she's not aggressive but she's very good at letting you know if anyone's around.

Anyway, it's baby bunny season, so Tess is practically living down the bunny holes. She has three or four that she moves between - her nose and front paws are permanently muddy (or given the dry weather at the moment, dusty). She never catches anything - I think she expects a bunny just to run into her mouth. In fact, she spent so long down a hole, unmoving, that Chris across the road was about to come and tell us that our dog had either died or collapsed.

Luxury nests in Alloa

Since Smokey lives out all year without a rug, he develops a pretty heavy coat. So when it gets to thsi time of year, he has a lot of hair to shed. There are white patches all ovet the filed, where he's rolled and huge clumps, where I've brushed him or simply pulled out handfuls of hair.

Today, I noticed a flock of starlings collecting huge beakfuls if this hair - presumably to line their nests. Combined with their diet of fat cakes and "gourmet robin food", I expect a bumper crop of young starlings later in the year.

The incubator suffers a power cut

I feel like Private Fraser - "we're doomed" never to raise any chicks. This morning we had a power cut - we don't know how long the power was off - not long, we think, but of course the incubator lost power. We sorted the problem (tripped fuse) and the incubator was up to temperature in literally minutes. We've left the eggs in mainly because we can't decide what to do for the best. My heart says give it a go, my head says cut the losses and start again. I thought we could leave it for a few days, then candle the eggs and see if there is any development. Advice welcome.

The scourge of monoblock

Apologies for this having nothing to do with smallholding and just being a rant!

Alloa is a nice Victorian town, which is fortunately having a bit of a renaissance. There's been quite a lot of resurfacing done in the town centre - in the ubiquitous monoblock. And it's all in different colours! There's grey, a sort of red, a hideous yellow - don't these people ever watch an interior design show? Don't they know to pick a couple of finishes and STICK TO THEM. Variety is NOT the spice of monoblocking.

At the new railway "plaza" (I am coming to hate plazas and atriums), the surface is really nice - grey stone slabs and small square grey blocks. It looks like a quality finish - unlike some of the others, which give a subliminal message "Because you're not worth it" (Apologies to Jane Fonda and L'Oreal).

I think I feel a letter to the "Cooncil" coming on...

Love, hate and Tesco

I have a love / hate relationship with Tesco. I spent two very happy years working for the company about 20 years ago. I've always shopped there. I have very strong loyalty genes. And I really like my Clubcard points. Now, I know this is all very non-pc and it bothers me. I am very uncomfortable about the rising power of the supermarkets and I hate myself for all the reasons that I love Tesco.

So today, I'm feeling good because I have struck two very small blows against the power of teh supermarket. The Tesco board will have a sleepless night, I'm sure.

Firstly, I ordered a weekly copy of "The Scottish Farmer" from a newsagent in Alloa. This means that one, I'll buy the local papers and the "Radio Times" from there too, instead of Tesco. It also means that I have to go into town on a Saturday, so it will be no bother to go to the butchers, the chemist, the card shop etc etc while I'm there.

Secondly, I have arranged to have our milk delivered. I spoke to a very nice man who will deliver organic milk, butter and cream twice a week (once for the butter and cream, in case you were worried about our arteries). The milk etc is supplied by Graham's Dairies which is a local family firm based in Bridge of Allan.

Small steps, but hopefully in the right direction.

Easter break

I'm on holiday for two weeks - I only work when the schools are in session. In addition to my springcleaning, I'm getting on in the garden. The weather has been brilliant - warm, sunny, bit of a breeze (just right for drying the washing!).

I've sowed cucumber, marrow and courgette in the greenhouse. I'm hoping to do a "three sisters" bed a la Carol Klein - using sweetcorn, beans and squashes together in one bed.

I also sowed some lupins, marigolds and alyssum - I never grow flowers and always regret it. Actually, I think I'll go and do some more now!

Brinsea Octagon 10

Now, I'm definitely NOT counting my chicks but I have, at least, finally got some in an incubator. We took delivery of our new Brinsea Octagon 10 incubator yesterday, so I've set it up with eight eggs. They weighted 550g in total. I'm trying not to mess with the set-up but it's so tempting to fiddle.

Naturally, I'll keep you posted.

Hobbes goes missing again

This boy is doing my head in! I went to throw some corn to the chooks this afternoon - all the hens were there but no Hobbes. Now, I could HEAR him, but he was nowhere to be seen and he doesn't miss a meal. I checked the nest box, just in case he hadn't learned his lesson, the compost bins (!) and finally found him stuck under the comfrey barrel.

The barrel is aginst the wall and propped up on two brise blocks - Hobbes was underneath. I couldn't move the barrel so he had to come out backwards with a lot of ruffled feathers and dignity. I hope he's OK. I don't know how long he'd been there - he was bit lame but headed off to the corn, so I'll keep an eye on him (I hope).

The hole is now blocked up. What next?

Where's Hobbes?

For a short time today, we thought our plans to raise our own chickens had been thwarted yet again. You will recall our trials with the incubator than let us down everytime we used it; you will recall the demise of Henry, our first cockerel.

Now, we have Hobbes and a new Brinsea incubator on order. I was in the garden this afternoon and I didn't see Hobbes. I was moving some manure so all the hens were "helping" by moving it back on to the path. No Hobbes.

Dan was duly despatched to find him - he wasn't with the hens, he wasn't in the ark and there was quite a lot of white feathers around. Oh, dear - had Mr Fox been to call?

No, Hobbes was stuck in the nest box. It was the last place Dan thought to look - after all, why would a cockerel be in a nest box? But there he was. Dan said he was like a Jack-in-the box - popped up when Dan lifted the lid, and hopped out. The nest box has two offset doors at each end - easy for a wee hen. Not so easy for a big (dim) cockerel.

Glad he's OK, though.

Cassius and the mini egg

You may recall that Cassius, our big black cat, was diagnosed with a nasal tumour a few weeks ago. He had an incisor removed February 2006 and we couldn't get the infection cleared - he had it cleaned twice last year and had long courses of antibiotics. About six weeks ago, he was real poorly - the infection was back, he dropped to 4kg (from 5.2kg) and was quite ill. After treatment, a biopsy showed that he had a nasal tumour. As the condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, Cass has been dining on freshly cooked chicken, salmon steaks, a bit of medium rare sirloin and double cream. He's on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

He was back at the vet for a check up on Tuesday. He's back to 5.2kg, there's no swelling in the lymph nodes, indicating that the nasal tumour is primary, which is good news and his mouth looks really good. This was great news but no surprise to those of us living with him.

Cassius has spring fever. He's been tearing about in the house and the garden buut last night, he excelled himself. Dan and I were watching TV in bed, drinking tea and eating Cadbury's mini eggs (as you do at this time of year). Cassius was "resting" on the bed - until a mini-egg fell out of the bag! He was absolutely wild! He threw it around - picking it up in his mouth; he pounced; he leapt; he knocked it on to the floor and dribbled it round the room then up and down the hall; it was in my slippers; out my slippers; under cushions; under the bed. Heaven's knows where it is now. We were exhausted watching him; Felix was cowering on my pillow - he could have been next!

So Cassius will be back on Whiskas and I'll be on Metacam!

Rare Breeds Sale 5th May 2007

For interest, Aberdeen and Northern Marts have a Sale of Rare and Minority Breeds at their Thainstone Centre in Inverurie on Saturday 5th May. Their website is www.goanm.co.uk.