Jungle / Yarn / Land Justice - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 9 September, 2024

by Rosemary at 8:00pm in Smallholding 1 comment Add your own

Monday 2^nd September

Rain overnight and most of the day. I’m less tired from the weekend at our Party Conference than I thought I would be. But since it’s raining, we’re having a restful day and doing some Festival stuff. Dan is knitting his sock entry for the Festival.

Zoom meeting tonight with the Festival livestock Stewards.

Tuesday 3^rd September

MUCH nicer today; wet underfoot this morning but broken cloud and warming up nicely as the sun got out. We have so much grass.

Finished pickling the beetroot, gave the barn a tidy, and put more hay in for the ponies. That leaves one dumpy bag plus a whole bale. Plan is that when we put the bale in, we’ll get six bales that should do us most of the winter. We need to clear a space for it though.

I took myself off to Arbroath to go walking with Lorna and to do some shopping, while Dan and Murdo finished knocking in the fence posts for the new fence in Home and discovered we don’t have enough stock netting. The plan is to put on the netting but add the line of barb and electric after the henge is planted. And to put a stile over the rails into Near Top. Masterplan.

After lunch, which was late, I finished my seed order, more or less. I’ve used Seeds of Scotland and Real Seeds this year. Shallots and potatoes will come from a mainstream supplier, because we want “Caledonian Rose” again.

Tatties and shallots ordered, along with a few plants and flower seeds that fell in the basket. Just sweet peas from Higgledy Garden, then that’s me done.

I was surprised that I wasn’t more tired yesterday or today. I will hit a wall at some point this week.

Wednesday 4^th September

Gave the barn a good clean. Is there a worse smell than horse pee? Gave it all a good dusting of Stalosan.

The ponies (Smokey) knocked over the hurdles keeping them away from the drystone wall; and Smokey’s rubbed on it. A few stones displaced. Hoping Alistair, as a Cumbria lad and born to drystone walls, can patch it up.

Thursday 5^th September

I seem to be running to stand still; apart from routine chores, I’ve barely been out the door. But the Branch AGM papers are out, report of to the CA and breathe.

Should have been at Hampden for the Scotland v Poland game, but we sold our tickets. Just couldn’t face the drive back. Getting out of Hampden is horrendous. Not the result we hoped for but, apart from the three errors that gifted Poland their goals, I thought the team played well. We need to have the young players getting more match time.

Kate and Astrid came round after school. Astrid found a cave we didn't know we had. It's great being 5.

View from the office.

Friday 6^th September

Absolutely glorious day. So warm, still and sunny – just beautiful. Moved the sheep into Far Top, so the ponies are excluded from there but have access to Near Top now.

First plants arrived – a VERY small ornamental cherry and a Cornus, plus some yellow double tulips. Most of the seeds have arrived, been logged and are in the seed box.

The polytunnel is like a jungle.

Pith helmet and machete required.

Tomatoes.

We’re at the Scottish Yarn Festival tomorrow at Errol Showground, with RBST Scotland. Then Dan’s taking me into Perth to get the train to Inverness, where I’ll stay overnight before attending a land justice event run by LWA Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation. In Dingwall. On a Sunday. Hey ho. Both events seemed like a great idea some months ago. Not so much now.

Bag packed and early night. Hopefully no Bertie at 4.30am, wanting a cuddle.

Saturday 7^th September

FAB day at the Scottish Yarn Festival with RBST Scotland and the Wall of Wool. There are 56 British breeds of sheep – so far we have 24 represented plus some double (like a white and black Wensleydale). We had such a good day, we’re now determined to get them all. Lovely event at Errol Showground; lots of folk who maybe weren’t familiar with RBST. We’re hoping for an invite ack next year.

RBST Scotland Wall of Wool.

Then Dan dropped me in Perth to get the train for Inverness.

Sunday 8^th September

Up and off to Dingwall for the land justice event co-organised by Landworkers Alliance Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation. It was in Dingwall to mark the 140^th anniversary of the Highland Land League protests that lead to the first crofting legislation.

Good day but embarrassing that Scotland’s party, the SNP, has been so remiss in addressing issues of land reform.

Back down the road; train from Inverness to Aberdeen was late, but the connecting Glasgow train was held up to wait for the pile of folk, including me, who were planning to catch it.

Home, to catch the end of the Portugal v Scotland game. No more said about that except Napoli have got TWO bargains.