Blackthorn / Pears / Moss - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 14 April, 2025

by Rosemary at 7:34am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 7^th April

Frosty start this morning, but the sun warmed things up pretty quickly.

I finally cleared one bed in front of the West Range and started the second, then got diverted by the bed along the side of the house. Ended up completing neither.

Dan weeded the fruit garden and put the sprinkler on for a wee while. So dry, and no rain forecast. You should see the dust blowing off the fields around here.

Tuesday 8^th April

No frost this morning – I don’t think, but I had a lie in.

I need to get the vet out to Smokey. I kept the ponies in yesterday but let them out for a couple of hours in the morning. I think that will be our new routine, while the grass is sprouting.

Had a lovely catch up with Janet; then had to dash home because the clock on her dresser hasn’t moved forward. I thought it was 4pm and it was 5pm. I missed Conchies shop for the chick crumbs so will have to go tomorrow.

The blackthorn is in full flower. It’s coming out this year. I hope.

Blackthorn.

Wednesday 9^th April

Dan and Andy made up the first comfrey orders of the season. I prepared the heated box for the meat chicks, which I’m picking up on Friday, and collected a bag of chick crumbs from Conchies.

Baked a treacle spiced sponge for tomorrow night. I love black treacle but it gets everywhere. Sponge mix goes quite far too when you press the “on” button rather than the “eject beaters” button when you’re finished mixing.

Thursday 10^th April

More sun; some rain overnight would be good. Finished the preparation for the meat chicks; feeders all scrubbed, paper down, lights checked.

Spent a couple of hours at the hub, tidying up for tonight’s talk by RBST Scotland.

Friday 11^th April

Glorious day; warmest so far, I think. Dan harrowed Sheepfold again; there’s a lot of moss and thatch coming out. Bit of rain should see the grass growing away nicely.

Dan took Gwenna to the vet, because I was going to Perth to pick up the cheeps. It’s not her back, and the vet could see nothing in her paw, but the skin was pink and the vet thought she might have an allergy. There’s a new drug out for allergies - £113 a month, but there was a free trial available. If it improves things, she’ll be getting Piriton. Not £113 a month.

Google maps says 54 minutes from here to Dobbies, Perth. I left 90 minutes before the arranged time of 2pm. Just made it. Broxden roundabout is a nightmare from our side. Traffic in Dundee on the way home very busy, making me a bit stress, but the cheeps were fine. All eating and drinking and cheeping around. Cooper is fascinated; hopefully either he’ll get bored or they’ll realise he’s not getting in.

Vet came out to see Smokey; he has an abscess in his off fore. What I expected but he was hiding it well. It’s open now and he has a poultice on, and a boot. I think the boot is bothering him more than his foot now.

Saturday 12^th April

Dan harrowed Far Ditch and cleared up the moss and thatch in Sheepfold. 

Moss.

I got in the greenhouse first thing, before it got too hot. Pricked out some Salvia “Oxford Blue” and basil and repotted the chives.

Then we were both weeding. I finished clearing out the bed along the side of the house and the second bed at the West Range – finally. Very satisfying though. Dan started the heather bed, then he and Andy planted some comfrey, as orders are now starting to come in steadily.

Hens all up the tree tonight. Naughty girls – and it looks like Dawn has been designated “bait”.

Type your caption here.

Sunday 13^th April

It rained in Arbroath today. Just a few spits but it proved the rain mechanism still works. We’re scheduled for some next week, so fingers crossed.

The pear trees look wonderful.

Pears.

Smokey is sound today; poultice off. It’s so dry, it should be fine. There was no gunge on the poultice, so I hope that’s a good thing.

Dan finished weeding the heather bed and dug out two plants from the West Range beds that I’ve always disliked. Now there’s a space. Oh dear. The garden centre is calling.

I started planting up the third front bed, but didn’t get very far. Potted up a pulmonaria root and two sedum roots that had been disturbed by the weeding in the West Range. Save a few ££££. And set peas and runner beans to germinate in poly bags on the kitchen windowsill.

Dan’s planning to get out harrowing before breakfast tomorrow, in case the rain comes as forecast.

This wee corner with self seeded honesty and red dead nettle in full flower is pretty.

Honesty and lamium, self seeded.