the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

Bee keeping and other things

Dan's dad and I started our beekeeping course on Tuesday. Run by Dunblane and Stirling Beekeepers' Association over about eight weeks, it was very enjoyable and very interesting. Thirty three people had signed up for the course and we all turned up, which is pretty good, I think.

First week was and introduction and a bit about bee biology, covering taxonomy and physiology. Much of it was introductory and future sessions will look at things like equipment and swarming in more detail. Swarming seems to be a major issue.

I think DSBA may be very good and welcoming, because there were folk from further afield whose local beekeepers had been less than welcoming. I think most of us beginners joined the Association, which means we get hands-on training and, hopefully, access to a nucleas later in the year. I'm not buying anything until I've been close to the bees, just in case I freak.

It's been lovely here last few days - cold, but dry and sunny. I actually managed to get two loads of washing pegged out and almost dry. It was lovely to smell the fresh washing for a change.

Yesterday, Dan and I did a bit of tidying up outside. It's a bit strange to think we won't be here next year. Our seed potatoes, onion and shallot sets and garlic bulbs arrived last week. I think we'll just plant them anyway, and we'll split the yield with the new tenants. Dan pruned the apple and pear trees and burned the prunings, so we and the cats all smelled smoky. It was such a nice day that even Felix came out and had a wander round in the sun - first time he's been out for ages.

We designed a new sign for our new house tonight; John (Dan's dad) is going to make it. He did the one for Longcarse and it's very good. We're doing so much planning, but we really need to get access to the house to firm up on measurements and so on. Hopefully, the sale will conclude this week and we'll be able to get in. Then it will be full steam ahead!

The girls are back!

Well, it's been a sheep day today. Our ewes were scanned and came home, and Carol's ewe lambs left by return. Our ewes and ewe lambs are now in the top of the orchard and will be there until lambing; the tups are now in the big field with the horse. The horse chases the sheep and I couldn't have him chasing the ewes.

Before moving, the tups got the once over - feet trimmed, wormed / fluked and bums tidied up. Dickie also got the wool trimmed round his eyes - I'm sure he couldn't see properly. They look a bit lost in a 6 acre field.

The ewes have scanned exactly the same as last year - Juno has twins and Jinx and Jura have one lamb each. I'm a wee bit disappointed but I didn't flush them. I hope to do better next year, when the small paddocks will come into their own for restricting the ewes intake. They've also had their feet done and had wormer / flukicide; the ewe lambs just have to have their feet trimmed. That's tomorrow's job.

Actually must go and do my medicine book while I remember. It's nice to have them back, though.

Dramatic rescue at Longcarse!

Actually, it wasn't that dramatic. I was walking the dogs this afternoon and saw them nosing around something on the ground. When I got closer, I found that it was a bird, some kind of waterfowl, that couldn't fly.

Hmm, just as well I used to watch "Animal Hospital" (thanks, Rolf). I threw my jacket over it and caught it up under one arm. It's not very big - I've tried to identify it using my trusty "Reader's Digest Book of British Birds" without success - and I think it's a goose, rather than a duck because it hisses rather than quacks.

Anyway, having caught it, I had to get back into my jacket - it was pretty cold - drape the dogs' leads round my neck and stop Tess from nipping it's bum, before walking back. I didn't think we'd walked far, but it seemed a long way home.

Goosey is now in the garage, in the cat basket, with a straw bed, water and some mixed corn, awaiting the SSPCA tomorrow. Its foot is badly damaged and I suspect that humane dispatch will be the outcome, but maybe not, because other than that it looks OK.

It is rather lovely, although it doesn't like me much. Or Bertie, for that matter. He had to be removed from the garage and locked out. That's gratitude for you!

Paddock Paradise

When we move to our new place in the summer, I plan to establish a "paddock paradise" for Smokey and his as-yet-to-be-identified companion.

Paddock Paradise is a system of natural horse boarding developed by American hoofcare expert, Jaime Jackson. Basically, it's trying to replicate the conditions in which wild horses live. Now, horses evolved in dry tundra - so that's not wet Scotland, but I'm going to give it a go.

The start point is that, in the wild, horses walk a lot of the time in search of food, water, minerals and this keeps them fit and their unshod feet in good condition. To recreate this, we create a track by putting an electric fence 10-15 feet inside the perimeter fence. On the track, we have shelter (trees or a field shelter), waterhole (or trough), feeding stations for hay, mineral licks, dust bath - and the horse walk from one to the other.

I hope to do this in the 5 acre field. As soon as we get access, I will work out how long the perimeter is and get the electric fence ordered. I'm going to use wooden posts and two strands of tape, so that it's pretty permanent. There is already a field shelter on the long side; I'm not sure where the water is.

Ideally, I'd like to dig a waterhole rather than have a trough. Jaime makes it sound quite simple - dig a hole 1-3ft deep and line with a tough tarpaulin; run a trickle feed into it. Surround with river rocks and a sand area for rolling. Easy!

I'd also like to put a couple of gravel areas on the track for the horses to walk over. This helps to condition their feet. A friend of a friend has done this and says her horses stand and rock on it, as if having a foot massage.

The track should be scraped clear of grass or mown very short. Keeping it in reasonable condition in our climate might be a challenge. Hay is fed all year, so it's a good system for laminitis prone horses.

Anyway, I'll let you see it once we have access. If you are interested, the book "Paddock Paradise - A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding" by Jaime Jackson, is worth a read.

It had to happen...

We've had snow and ice for about 4 weeks now and I've been so careful not to fall. Tonight, with it almost back to normal, I took a clattering fall in the field. I went full length on an icy patch and smacked the back of my head on the ground (no chance of damage there, then). I was SO cross with myself.

My neck'sa bit sore but other than that, I'm OK, although I might be stiff in the morning. I checked the weather forecast and I was happy to see rain forecast - can you believe that?

Is the freeze over?

It's +3 today, sunny and windy - things are definitely thawing. Hopefully the wind will keep it dry as it thaws and we won't be left with too much mud. The five day forecast is for more of the same so maybe the worst is past.

The sheep are off grazing instead of hanging round the hayrack and the birds are chirping like mad. The horses were all excited this morning too, so maybe they know a change is in the air.

Bees and beekeeping

I start my beekeeping course on 26th January. I'm quite excited about it and a wee bit apprehensive. The best thing would be for me to be stung early on, so that I know how bad (or otherwise) it is - I've only been stung by a wasp once, when I was about six maybe, so Im pretty sure it's not as bad as I remember.

First loaf

Now, bearing in mind that we've been at this smallholding lark for some years, it may come as some surprise that I made by first "proper" bread yesterday. I've made oatmeal bread before but this was "proper" bread with yeast and stuff!

It was a really easy recipe from Delia's big " learn to cook everything" book and it didn't need to be kneaded. I used half white and half wholemeal flour and it turned out rather nice with a lovely crust. I don't think it will keep (fat chance), though.

Next time, I'll use less salt - two teaspoons seems like a lot to me although it didn't taste salty. I reckon it cost about 60p plus electricity for the oven, but it wasn't very big, at elast not as big as a shop bought loaf, but it's more substantial and doesn't have the added flour improvers and stuff.

I intent for bread making to become part of my routine, certainly after we move.

DANGER! MANIFLU

This is a poem by my sister, Janice

DANGER MANIFLU !!!!!!!!!

Of course it isn’t “Just a cold”
I’ll have to call the Doc,
I looked up “Swine Flu" symptoms
It gave me quite a shock.

I’ll have to go to bed now,
While you get “Tamiflu”
But just before you leave the house
I have a list for you.

I’ll need some magazines to read,
And maybe you could try,
To find me some on fishing,
Doesn’t matter Coarse or Fly

I’ll need a box of tissues,
The softest ones with balm,
My nose is sure to get quite sore
A while you’re out… some ham.

I feel a little peckish.
They do say feed a cold.
And something like this Swine-Flu
Is sure to take a hold.

Perhaps you’d make a jelly.
My throat is getting worse.
And jelly would just slide down
This Swine Flu is a curse.

If you should see some lemons
You could make me a drink
With honey and some whiskey
It might just help , I think.

I think I’ll go to bed now
Just switch the telly on.
And see if there’s some sport for me
To watch while you are gone.

And maybe get two cream cakes
Brew up when you get back
I’ll let you get your coat on
While I just hit the sack.

If this was only just a cold
I wouldn’t go to bed
But I’m so hot I think I need
A cold cloth for my head.

YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO THROW IT

I COULD HAVE CAUGHT A CHILL

YOU NEVER SEEM TO SYMPATHIZE

WHEN I AM REALLY ILL.!!!!!!

The freeze continues

It's still frozen here; we had a dusting of snow last night and it was -5 this morning, but with no wind, it didn't seem too cold. By the time I had finished at the stables, it was a positively balmy 0C. This afternoon, the wind has risen and it was bitterly cold. Some of the hens are developing quite a nice skating technique - too late for the Winter Olympics, regretably.

Although it desn't feel at all spring-like, our young cockerel's sap is rising. I heard him crow yesterday and try to "catch" one of the Back Rocks. I think Hector is turning a blind eye to it all; with 20 odd hens, there is more than enough for two.

As you will know from the national news, sand and salt has been in short supply but our local builders merchants got a load in today. There was a queue of cars waiting to pick up bags of the stuff. I have been told that the price has doubled, but since we haven't bought any for years, I have no idea if that is true. If it is though, local authorities will be feeling the pinch.

Our livery yard owner must be somewhat dismayed too. There are 40 horses on DIY livery - all of them would have been on daily turnout under normal weather conditions. This year, though, most of the horses are in for all but an hour a day, merrily eating their heads off. Our weekly livery charge includes hay or haylage - I bet if it was extra, a lot more horses would have been turned out by now.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Before the festive season, May 1st seemed forever away; now that it's past, our entry date seems to so far away at all. I have a list of phonecalls to make on Tuesday (Scotland will still be closed on Monday) but I have been distracted by things like bathroom suites and tiles, so I'm getting a bit ahead of myself.

We've made contact with a likely architect and hope to meet up with him in the next week or two, preferably at the new place so we can start more serious planning. I've been through the Home Report and started to draft a specification for the builder and my bedtime reading is "The Housebuilder's Bible". I'm reading selectively rather than cover to cover, but it's quite useful, especially for a non-techy like me.

Dan's also just ordered me two books on Victorian houses. We'd like to enhance the period features of the house, if we can, and keep the work in keeping with its age.

I also confess to spending a happy hour on Google Earth looking at Carnoustie beach and the surrounding area. It looks like there are lovely beaches and lots of tracks on Barry Buddon, which is accessible to the public when the Army isn't using it.

"Paddock Paradise" is also out of the bookshelf as I plan Smokey's PP in the 5 acre field.

Dan, meanwhile, is an oasis of calm - just as well one of us is.