Pullets / Strimming / Kitten gym - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 16 June, 2025

by Rosemary at 10:20am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Week ending 15^th June

Very short diary entry this week, as nothing much happened. The weather was lovely until Saturday, when we had biblical rain. But that was fine as the ground really needed it.

Tractor work is pretty much suspended until I get more red diesel. If it runs out of diesel, it’s a real faff to get it going again. The weather is set fair for the next week though, so it will be fine to get topping and harrowing then.

Sheep came into Near Ditch to share with the ponies, who have started going out overnight. It’s a wee bit of a faff because the sheep have a licky bucket that the ponies would love but that would do them no good at all, so gates are opened and closed morning and evening.

The pullets are stroppy adolescents and on Tuesday, took to the plum tree at bedtime.

Naughty pullets.

On Wednesday, Dan and I had a happy hour clearing out the byre, which is where my Lego is going shortly. Dot and Cooper also had a happy hour playing on the shelves. Or cat gym, if you like.

Kitten gym.

After Saturday’s rain, Sunday was garden time. Dan did acres of strimming, mainly paths in the spinney and orchard – where there are hundreds of ladybirds, which is good news. Some of the trees seem to have recovered from their  2023 drowning, too.

I planted up the bed under the dining room window. Felt better for it.