Frost / Harvest / Anniversary - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 16 September, 2024

by Rosemary at 9:24am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 9^th September

Feels very autumnal now; cool this morning, then warm and sunny, fading to cool, pretty breezy and a bit of drizzle just as I took the dogs out this evening for the “Big Sniff”. They’re out most of the day with us or in the garden, but they do like a daunder along to “The Green” where many local dogs are walked, for a sniff. Gwenna does every blade of grass; Bryn’s more a “sniff, pee and go” dog.

Paperwork first thing, then off to Balgove Farm Shop to meet my good friend, Carol, for lunch and a chance to put the world to rights. I may have bored her with my new found love of economics and Richard Murphy.

As always, I bought the most amazing free range Tamworth pork chops and some pork belly. The only time we eat pork now is when I’ve been to Balgove.

Home to find Dan had cut all the grass, so it’s all looking braw. He had help from Dottie. She loves to garden.

Wee Dot.

I had a couple of hours outside mainly pulling up dead petunias. Took delivery of three Alstromeria “Summer pepper”;  I was given some as cut flowers and was delighted with them. So going to try growing my own.

Some idiot has smashed up the wee collection box we had on the veg rack; we have been putting out surplus veg, asking folk to take what they need and, if they feel like it, to leave a donation for Ballumbie Hedgehog Rescue. We were able to donate £45 a few weeks ago. So cross. I hope they enjoy their ill-gotten gains.

Smashed money box.

We have a good crop of Victoria plums. Yum.

Victoria plums.

Wednesday 11^th September

Don’t know what happened t Tuesday, but today is sunny and breezy. Lorna ad I picked up stock netting then took a walk along the front at Carnoustie. We were I T shirts; folk were in wooly hats. Must have been tourists.

To be fair, there was a light frost on our fields this morning but it warmed up nicely.

Morning.

Managed to get an hour in the garden, cleared off a pile of emails (not in the garden obvs) and wrote an actual letter to my brother-in-law. The Festival Zoom call this evening was cancelled – felt like winning the Lottery.

Thursday 12^th September

Cool, but sunny. When the wind drops it’s lovely, but the wind is pretty relentless.

Most of the day outside pottering. Dan and Murdo finished the fence in Home, apart from the top line of barb. And they took down the old fence at the pig pen, ready for replacement before we plant trees, although that may not be this year.

Friday 13^th September

Moved the sheep into Far Ditch, with the help of Bryn and Gwenna. Works fine so long as the dogs go where we want, because the sheep run after them. Freaks Bryn out; Gwenna, less so.

Great crop of Victoria plums from a scabby wee tree in the wood. Tomatoes still ripening and loads of cucumbers still. The squashes seem to be prone to splitting this year, so they’ll be made into soup and frozen. Linda’s still picking runner beans and we have a good crop of carrots. I fed the leeks today and started more muck tea.

Cucumbers.

The weather is still lovely but windy all the time.

 

Saturday 14^th September

Rain overnight, damp and warm and overcast all day. I think I might prefer the wind.

Abandoned Festival stuff and spent the day weeding.  But I did do some Festival stuff in the evening. Only five weeks to go. How did that happen?

Sunday 15^th September

Did my chores, ate breakfast and went back to bed, accompanied by Diesel, Bertie and Gwenna. Slept until 10am and felt better for it. Sat outside with the laptop. Bought some Vinca minor, a winter honeysuckle and some rockery narcissi for the stumpery then checked previous orders. Oops, may have a lot of planting to do.

Our apple crop is very poor this year. After last winter's flooding, we fear we have lost most of the apple trees. So enjoying what we have - "Katy" and "Discovery", and some "Grenadier" cooking for the freezer. I can't eat supermarket apples but I love these.

Apples, Katy (flushed pink) and Discovery.

Dan topped the rushes in the two Top paddocks. Probably one more harrow this year but I need to get more red diesel.

Wednesday is the 10^th anniversary of the Scottish Independence referendum. Always and emotional time for me, and other indy supporters, as we reflect on how near we got and where we go now. Westminster governments of all shades seem determined to ignore the right of the Scottish people to choose their own form of government, ignoring the principles of democracy. It always comes down to three questions for me. One, if we’re “better together”, why isn’t it better. Two, if this is the result of 300+ years on Union, is it not time to try something else? Three, if we’re so shite, why are they so desperate to hang on to us? Saor Alba.