The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: mikethecamera on May 02, 2011, 07:54:17 pm
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Well we finally moved into Rhiwbebyll two weeks ago today. I am just starting to realise how much work is involved! :)
The 'veg plot' [weed strewn lawn of compacted earth harder than industrial diamonds], has now been strimmed twice and is eventually devoid of visible scrap iron, no doubt more will be encountered when I start to dig!. The fruit trees are all pruned, I think all three are damson, so damson jam may well be on the cards come autumn.
We found the remnants of a pond in the corner of the veg plot, which is now re-excavated and awaiting a new liner.
All the veg seeds are planted in trays, although none are showing any sign of life yet.
The chickens arrived today, along with three Aylesbury ducklings, two of which have the beginings of a quack, so with luck we may get duck eggs. They all arrived at 11.30 this morning and I found my first egg (due to be poached at around 8pm) at 4.00. Very happy. The dogs were very interested but patch (the eldest and mum of meg) has now lost interest, although meg still keeps nipping over to try and snap at the ducks.
Paula's painted nearly every room inside and the carpets have been vaxed, the new(second hand from ebay) kitchen is being picked up next weekend and the new (as above) bathroom languishes in the barn awaiting fitting, weather's far too nice to be indoors :).
So next on the agenda is to get the veg plot dug/rotovated/ploughed/mined/quarried and prepared for the impending seed germination. The area we have earmarked for the pigs needs fencing and a pig arc aquiring and of course two weaners to find. There are rumors afoot between the girls of a goat, we shall see.
I'll try to post regularly if you all don't mind reading my inane wanderings :P
Mike.
The chickens
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0964.jpg)
Meg and the ducks
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0949.jpg)
The 'Veg' Plot
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0954.jpg)
The View
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0956.jpg)
The veggies planted
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0960.jpg)
The proud father :)
(http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww57/MikeTheCamera/IMG_0979.jpg)
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Brilliant!! what a wonderful set up, the hens (and ducks) are going to have an amazing life. The nextthing will me a cockeral so you can have chicks ;D
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Ah, now, a truly lazy smallholder would be getting the piggies to do the rotovating ... but I can see you are impatient to get on!
Lovely to hear all about it, yes please do keep posting!
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So nice, perfect weather and perfect set up, hope it stays as nice, keep us posted!!!!
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so jealous
keep the reports coming please!!!
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Thanks folks :)
Just put the girls to bed and consumed our first egg, poached and split three ways!, delicious.
Will keep you updated.
Mike
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Just put the girls to bed and consumed our first egg, poached and split three ways!, delicious.
;D ;D ;D ;D
Looks great!
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You did all that in two weeks?!?!? :o
I doubt I'll manage that much by the end of the year! ;D
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Please keep posting (if you have the time)
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Gosh
Puts our work ( 3 months in) to shame. You look so organised!!
We did get pigs in to rotovate ( see lazy comment, above plus our strimmer is not working), but although they have got rid of a lot of the brambles and nettles, the ground here is now so hard that they are not digging ( I have to go in and pre-dig for them.....which does not seem right!)
Our house is more of a wreck though...painting not possible at this stage. ;)
I will watch with interest to see how far behind we fall with our schedule and compare with yours, as you seem to be 'on track'
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good luck with it all .... by the way, goats need to be in "herds" (2 or more) so be prepared! ;)
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Going out on a limb here, and having a bet with myself, I think you have 2 females and 1 male duck from the picture. If I am right can I win the next egg?
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A pond next to the veg garden means frogs to eat the slugs!!! I have a ditch with frogs next to mine and leave long grass around it to encourage them.
What a fantastic place. Good luck.
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all exciting..how many acres? :wave:
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It all sounds wonderful. We're at the beginning of a project too - I collected our scrap metal, borrowed a trailer and took it to the scrappy and got £115 to my astonishment and delight - so keep your scrap pile growing and get some cash!
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Gosh
Puts our work ( 3 months in) to shame. You look so organised!!
We did get pigs in to rotovate ( see lazy comment, above plus our strimmer is not working), but although they have got rid of a lot of the brambles and nettles, the ground here is now so hard that they are not digging ( I have to go in and pre-dig for them.....which does not seem right!)
Our house is more of a wreck though...painting not possible at this stage. ;)
I will watch with interest to see how far behind we fall with our schedule and compare with yours, as you seem to be 'on track'
Try just "stabbing" the ground with your fencing spike & putting bits of fruit down it & stand back - they'll soon start digging it up ;)
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Going out on a limb here, and having a bet with myself, I think you have 2 females and 1 male duck from the picture. If I am right can I win the next egg?
:) It's a deal, I'll let you know.
all exciting..how many acres? :wave:
There's about 30 acres in all, most of it is let to a local farmer and we have about 1 & 1/2 acres for ourselves.
It all sounds wonderful. We're at the beginning of a project too - I collected our scrap metal, borrowed a trailer and took it to the scrappy and got £115 to my astonishment and delight - so keep your scrap pile growing and get some cash!
I'm ahead of you there, we have a nice pile building at the back of the barn. When the CPH number arrives, its going to be turned into weaner money :)
Thanks all for your comments, for the first time in years I look forward to getting out of bed in the morning. Although I'm still working, coffee and a cig with the ducks in the morning is brill. For years we dreamed of getting a place like this, and although this place needs lots of work, we love it.
Will post more soon.
Mike
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I will send you my address so you can post my egg ;D