Melons / Tatties / Bertie - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 18 August, 2025

by Rosemary at 9:52am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 11^th August

Just as I turned off the sprinkler last night, the rain came on. Of course. Looks like there’s been a fair bit overnight, which is grand. Not windy, which is nice.

Moved the sheep into Home; the troughs are in the Spinney, so I Can get the feed in before letting them through. In the afternoon, we can just shut the gate to keep them in Home. Given the amount of herbage, I’ll leave them in there for two weeks.

Sheep in Home.

Alistair’s using CIDRs this year; he’ll put them in on the 8^th September and take them out on the 20^th, when the tup will go in. The tup is coming here a week earlier to do a bit of foreplay. Two of the young ewes, who are his daughters, will be going away then; they’ll go to the younger tup. All this will hopefully give a successful February lambing.

Tuesday 12^th August

Dan cut the shaws on the tattie bed, to avoid blight. He’ll start lifting the tatties for drying next week.

Tattie shaws cut down.

I sewed buttons on the duvet cover – not important, but it’s been on my list forever. Took me longer than I expected, but it’s done. Yay.

Wednesday 13^th August

Lorna and I went walking earlier than we have been doing – it’s too hot by 11.30am, our usual time. We set off at 10am, and it was really nice. Roasting by lunchtime.

We have our first home-grown melon ever, today. Would definitely do these again. Not big but loads of them.

Our very first melon.

Potted up some plants that I was given for my birthday and started to prick out the wallflower and the Sweet William, but I need to get compost.

Thursday 14^th August

We had a proper thunderstorm today. The thunder rolled for maybe a couple of hours, then the rain came about 2pm. It was torrential, with hail, then heavy, then off. Quite a bit of local flooding on the roads, but we were fine here and it was quickly absorbed into the soil.

Murdo was here today and progress was made with the sunken garden. There’s another layer of sleepers to go in, then it needs to be backfilled and a decision made about the “floor”. But progress is progress.

Progress in the sunken garden.

I started to clear the pea bed.

Friday 15^th August

Our little crop of green gages is coming ripe. One of the highlights of the year. Love them.

Defrosted Double Choc Chip muffins for Gaelic tonight – they were good. This is helpful, as I can now “batch bake” and freeze.

Lorna and I had a lovely walk along the front at Arbroath.

Saturday 16^th August

Nice and cool, and no wind. Litter picking this morning, then watched the football and did some Gaelic in the afternoon.

Sunday 17^th August

Dan was off strimming early doors then picked some apples. I had a bit of a lie-in. Dan actually brought me breakfast in bed. I’m reading Nicola Sturgeon’s autobiography.

At lunchtime, Dan took himself off to play football – well, not play, as he’s injured, but he’s the manager, too. I did my Monday office jobs as it was really hot and sunny, and tomorrow is to be cooler so better for outside jobs.

And Bertie. Just because he's such a cool cat. 

Love that paw.