Autumn / Leghorns / Heather - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 1 September, 2025

by Rosemary at 8:23pm in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 25^th August

Lovely morning; cool but sunny. The sheep let themselves into Near Top yesterday, so that’s where they’ll be for the next week at least. The troughs are in the field shelter, so I don’t get trampled when I’m feeding them. And all the feed goes in the troughs.

There was a mouse in one of the bins in the feed store. Dan suggested I get Cooper to deal with it, but I felt that was unsporting, so I let it go into the rock pile, with a stern warning not to return. Had it been a rat, I would have got Cooper.

Morning at the hub, then off to Harbro this afternoon.

Tuesday 26^th August

The weather is changing as summer turns to autumn. The change of season – winter to spring and summer to autumn always bring an urge to tidy and clean. In this case, preparation for winter. It’s been an amazing summer. I hope we don’t pay for it over the next six months.

Wednesday 27^th August

Heavy showers today. Dan filled the hole in the feed store through which the rodent is gaining entry. We also leave the door open during the day, as that’s where Dottie’s food is. We should probably put in a cat flap – which would have the added advantage of allowing the big cats, Bertie and Diesel, access overnight, when the kittens are in bed.

Thursday 28^th August

Rain overnight.

Kate and I are going to collaborate on seeds for next year. I checked my box today – the first seed catalogue landed on the doormat this morning, so I'm raring to go.

I’ve ordered Sweet Million and Sungold tomatoes and Kate’s ordering a plum tomato that she’s had good results from. I also ordered Mini Muncher cucumber seeds to share and shallots (Red Sun and Golden Moon, which were terrific this year) and garlic for us..

Friday 29^th August

Nice photo of the sitooterie. I didn’t get the pots right this summer. Must do better over winter.

The sitooterie, catching the afternoon rays

Four hens in bed and these three, up a tree. It's a Leghorn thing.

 

Saturday 30^th August

Lovely sunrise this morning.

6.49am.

Lorna and I walked along Arbroath sea front – perfect morning for it, warm and sunny but with a cooling breeze.

One of Arbroath's beaches.

I decided to change the ponies to daytime turnout and nights in the barn, so they came in this morning, had a feed and went back out. They were very excited to come in again at 9pm.

Dan weeded the heather bed and the stumpery. I think both look amazing. We’re going to create another heather bed to mirror the first, but much smaller in area.

The Stumpery.

The heather bed.

Sunday 31^st August

Autumn is coming – today, the headtorches were charged.

Robbie coming to shoot rabbits tonight, so decided to move the sheep into the two Ditch paddocks, where the ponies are. I decided to do this at 9pm. They were a bit spooked but love of food overcame fear of the headtorch. Eventually.

Ponies happy to come in at 9pm and be fed. They’re not long in working it out.