The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: chairmanphil on March 02, 2012, 09:41:00 am
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just what to see if this works for anyone here. just to get an idea of everyones plans for their land when there may be a little help around. works well on another Hilux orientated forum
i have my 15 year old lad Byron with me tomorrow so cut the grass for the first time this year and empty the clippings onto the hugelkultur and if the rain stays off then might even get to close the beds with todays top soil delivery. think i might get the pot holes sorted in the lane to my land too. how about you? :farmer:
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just what to see if this works for anyone here. just to get an idea of everyones plans for their land when there may be a little help around. works well on another Hilux orientated forum
i have my 15 year old lad Byron with me tomorrow so cut the grass for the first time this year and empty the clippings onto the hugelkultur and if the rain stays off then might even get to close the beds with todays top soil delivery. think i might get the pot holes sorted in the lane to my land too. how about you? :farmer:
oh and going to bottle my demijohn of mead too. :yum:
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So long as rain stays off will help OH put up low mesh fencing around all veg patches as new pup has taken to digging to Australia!! ::)
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800m of stock fencing - lets hope it stays dry?? ???
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So long as rain stays off will help OH put up low mesh fencing around all veg patches as new pup has taken to digging to Australia!! ::)
it never ends does it lol! :D
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800m of stock fencing - lets hope it stays dry?? ???
ouch, better get the radox in before hand! 800m!! good luck! :thumbsup:
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Ive already done the morning feeding and mucked out the horse. I pulled the two quail pens outside for the first time this year( had temps above freezing all week!)
When ive finished my morning playing on the computer Ive got to hang out the washing (theres lots as its the first dry day in a week) Then clear out the workshop where the Quail were, Ive got a new Ikea Billy to make up and the room its going in to clean. I told myself I would finish painting a window frame I started the other day. Ive also prommised the bunnies I would clean all 12 of them out today.
But I might just sit and spin or card wool...at least until the next round of animal jobs.
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Ive already done the morning feeding and mucked out the horse. I pulled the two quail pens outside for the first time this year( had temps above freezing all week!)
When ive finished my morning playing on the computer Ive got to hang out the washing (theres lots as its the first dry day in a week) Then clear out the workshop where the Quail were, Ive got a new Ikea Billy to make up and the room its going in to clean. I told myself I would finish painting a window frame I started the other day. Ive also prommised the bunnies I would clean all 12 of them out today.
But I might just sit and spin or card wool...at least until the next round of animal jobs.
just a quiet one then! ;)
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This weekend me and other half will be cutting, splitting and hauling fire wood, half the log shed needs refilling. Then we will be setting up lights in the quail run to encourage them to start laying for Easter. Then we will be building a set of steps up to the chicken house so I can reach it to clean them out properly (I'm vertically challenged). Finely we will be fitting our new shower. Don't think I've forgotten anything.
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If it stays dry - Mucking out the goatshed - last done sometime in October....that's after we have built the new muck heap walls from pallets and fence posts....
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Whats a weekend?
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Oh its that time that the people you employ dont come in to work isnt it!?
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Planting apple trees - 26 done last weekend, only 37 to go...
And bloomer's coming to visit so we might get the lot in tomorrow. :D
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Lol Bazzais.
For me, it's a chance to do some real work instead of having to sit at a desk all week.
This weekend, I want to muck out 2 goat pens, but I will have to fit in around the normal chores as well as friends coming to visit so we can disbud their kids, and my niece's birthday party. Have pc work to catch up on, and I could do with doing some more of the desk job as well.
Beth
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Planting apple trees - 26 done last weekend, only 37 to go...
And bloomer's coming to visit so we might get the lot in tomorrow. :D
im up for it we'll dig some holes if you like :-) i'll at least put my work boots in the car!!!
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just got my T-belt light come up on the dash of the MK3 hilux! so looks like it might be work on the pickup rather than work on the land! >:( spoilt a great day!
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i will be burning laurel, lots and lots of laurel, damned stuff and ive only trimmed 2/3s of the hedges. all the other hedges have at least some use, pea sticks, compost materials or kindling, laurel you cant use for anything, you cant even have a good bonfire with it because the smoke in quantity is supposed to be toxic.ah well nearly there now, half a day with the chainsaw and the rest spent burning it.
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i will be burning laurel, lots and lots of laurel, damned stuff and ive only trimmed 2/3s of the hedges. all the other hedges have at least some use, pea sticks, compost materials or kindling, laurel you cant use for anything, you cant even have a good bonfire with it because the smoke in quantity is supposed to be toxic.ah well nearly there now, half a day with the chainsaw and the rest spent burning it.
are you going to dig up the roots? i needed an excavator to take one out a couple of years ago. what a tangle.
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when i got here it was 30ft tall, i cut it down to 6ft last year, it grew 3ft in the year and ive got it down to 4 ft and bare now. the trunks are nearly a foot thick at its base and ive got about 30m of it. last years good stuff kept the house warm for 2months in the woodburner :thumbsup:
. if i can get it under control it will be a nice hedge, lucky that cos its past digging up!
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I'll be up with the larks - for a change - and get my usual feeding, mucking out, turning out done, I have a couple of spare lambs to feed (although it's Saturday so can rope one of my kids in to doing that) have a wonder down with dogs to check on ewe's with lambs.
I'm finally getting my field shelter put up at 10am, it's only been sitting since October, bit of a backward way round - field shelter going up at the start of spring instead of when it should have gone up start of winter! Anyway I won't complain it will be up that's the main thing ;D
I have a saddler coming in the afternoon to fit my horse with some new tack, can't wait for that he's going to look so posh.
Clean out 2 trailers I used today and deliver a load of straw
Somewhere in between I need to fit in washing, cleaning and shopping!
It just never ever ends ::)
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Depends on the weather - they say it's going to rain on Saturday so if it does - OH is going to start the piggies house and I'm detailed to paint two windows (in the old lounge - it's waiting to be renovated so it's like a shed indoors...)
If it's sunny... theres more fencing to do and more hedges to lay (well there big Ash trees so thining them out and laying over some of them. Then theres the usual chores such as cleaning the hens out and the sheep shed and one of the ewes is limping so need to catch her and sort her feet out plus she needs her bum dagged ( been on some new grass for a couple of days)
And I suppose I ought to clean the house :P ;D but thats only if I've time....
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I'll be doing housewifery, then furtling around to decide optimum mousetrap placement >:(
And then chucking out a load of cardboard, and THEN peering at seeds to see if I can sow anything yet (got some spuds chitting).
And then a nice long walk along the river to the pet shop for dog food (though having said that it'll defrost on the way home. Umph.)
You guys make me feel lazy! :dunce:
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I bought a white board on Tuesday to stick in the tool shed and make lists of the jobs to do on. I think I might have to go back for another as its chock full already.
Today we managed to get electric fence and creep feeder set up for the piglets, another wall and the floor for the composting loo done and I built myself a saw horse as we're running out of pre-prepared logs.
Main jobs for our Saturday workday are planting broad beans, peas, beetroot and parsnip along with building a greenhouse. The composting toilet needs a bit more work - windows fitting and the actual 'throne' building and if I don't make some progress on keeping the bloomin' chickens in their runs then my long suffering wife will be very disappointed.
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Hopefully planting my willow plantation. I have got 50 Viminalis in last month and now have 100 basket weaving coloureds to put in. Luckily the moon's in a waxing phase this week so I even get the biodynamics right. Then I've got to empty the van of wood and go and pick up this year's supply of compost. Clean out the chickens. Water the polytunnel. There was something else - oh yes - mulch the apple trees but i want to make them look all posh so I've got to take up the turf.
It's now 7am and raining. When to start :( :(
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Daily jobs done and another dry and lovely day.
I like the idea of having a board to list "Jobs to do" but it would be pretty big.
Plan so far is to repair a stone wall across the road in a garden we have never used. It is south facing and the sun has already brought the lizards out - I hope that the snakes I saw over there last year have not woken up too.
Another coffee first !.
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if my head stops banging then I've got some trees to get down, really need to get that done before the birds start nesting (would've got it done already, but I was clumsy and broke my chainsaw, the spare took ages to arrive then I had to buy a tool to help fit it). Depending on how that goes, so beer brewing or similar this afternoon I think.
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Plan so far is to repair a stone wall across the road in a garden we have never used. It is south facing and the sun has already brought the lizards out - I hope that the snakes I saw over there last year have not woken up too
Hi MAK what snakes have you got over there? Sorry to say if the lizards are out there is a high chance the snakes are to specially on warm sunny days. The first Adder of the year has been seen here on the isle of Mull already sunning its self. It's probably hiding today it's bloody freezing.
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I used to like writing my 'to do's on post-it notes and sticking them on a board. It's somehow more satisfying to tear off the little sticky note and rip it into shreds!
Today I'm picking up my half a pig from the butcher. He was impressed with it (in fact his staff had mistaken it for one he'd bought for the shop and were about to start cutting it up before he spotted what they were doing!) and says if I can get them larger and as lean, he'll buy some off me. I'm very pleased - but of course that's the tricky bit, getting them bigger but not fatter. Still, at least I know I'm on the right track!
If the weather holds off we'll be vaccinating and fluking the shearlings who are due to lamb in a couple of weeks and then the remainder of the flock; we did a couple of batches yesterday. We've still one cow we're waiting to calve, and she's so over her time now, and the last calf to this bull was a big 'un, so we might have a job on our hands.
And there's a ewe prolapsed again, so we'll get the vet to her. (BH's car is in dock or we'd take her to the vet.)
I'd like to think I'll get the pigs' new pen started, but somehow I think that might not happen just yet...
As Baz says, what's a weekend? :D
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What am I doing this week? Well right this minute I am procrastinating! ;D What is in store other than taking the dogs for a run, is the printing, envelope stuffing, stamping and posting the second half of a mailing to our 500 club members for our AGM and working tests. Despite a cold and laryngitis I didn't hang about this morning - chicken run hosed down, hens fed and eggs collected, duck pen same, and eggs collected, dogs exercised and fed, emails answered, dishwasher emptied and refilled. Gosh I'm tired now - time for a wee nap?
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raspberries in new bed, muck moved, ash trees planted, moved wood chips and back home in time for rice, chicken wings and home made falafal. oh yeah and the truck just had a warning light which i have now reset! oh yes top day! :thumbsup:
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Willows planted, wood unloaded, all building cr4p moved from the apple-tree side of the driveway verge so I can get on with the mulching tomorrow.
Still to do - mulching, setting up the espalier poles, water polytunnel, collect compost..... hope I get it all done tomorrow :P
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Got up at quarter to eleven, milked and fed goats, goat changed and drove to Cheshire to meet daughter and family. Had lunch is a very nice cafe then mooched around for a few hours, came home, had dinner, milked and fed goats and then relaxed.
Ah well, I'll have tomake up for it tomorrow.
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got up all bright and ready to get to it and i have water logged ground everywhere! ::) looks like it might be a slow wet day! glad we got so much done yesterday!
.................so it goes.............................
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bottle fed lambs, went to goat club meeting with my 7 year old (who sat very still for 3 hours and learnt lots!) bit of shopping on way back, fed lambs again, out for a meal, fed lambs again. bed!
pretty much same today apart from including ironing enough school uniforms for 4 small children, helping with homework, mucking out chooks, taking 5 year old to a party, cooking a roast and trying to not heave over the smell of lamlac.
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I've just discovered the first column on the forum shows a box to illustrate I've already posted so will get much more done today. Usually spend hours daily going through topics to see which ones I hadn't posted on or read :dunce:
Off now to walk dogs then hen house cleaning. Turn one lot of compost then start in house as looks very heavy sky and rain will be here soon.
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Not done much yet - I work Saturdays, and always feel too knackered when I get back home, after doing the week's shopping as well... (Not that the job is at all strenuous, it's just the feeling of "being at work"!)
Anyway, must make jam today - frozen fruit that my friend wanted to clear out of her freezer before the new lot arrives. And sort out compost in garden, when it stops raining. And get the parcel packed that I meant to send to another friend for Christmas... :-[
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..........................that's it! had to stop work cuz of the rain. coming down sideways. even with my belstaff still wet and cold! so i thought i would just get inside and out of the rain and have a cuppa tea, now it's snowing big wet flakes so really i am glad i am not a sheep!.............................. :D
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I've just discovered the first column on the forum shows a box to illustrate I've already posted so will get much more done today. Usually spend hours daily going through topics to see which ones I hadn't posted on or read :dunce:
I suspect we each like to do things our own way (!) but in case it's helpful I'll share how I like to take my TAS. I mainly use these two pages:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?action=unreadreplies (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?action=unreadreplies) (which you can also get to by clicking on 'NEW REPLIES' on the top menu) - lists all topics in which you have posted where there are new posts you haven't read. Click on the little (new) tag to be taken to the first unread post in the topic
and
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?action=unread (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?action=unread) (which you can also get to by clicking on 'UNREAD POSTS' on the top menu) - similar to the first but includes all topics, not just those in which you have posted, where there are new posts you haven't read
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Plums!! Why is the smell of Lamlac making you heave? Have you got a secret to share? :)
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what is lamlac?
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Thanks sallyinnorth
Just tried your advice and have 2 pages of each to look through.
Great advice, tho will take the rest of the afternoon viewing.........oh well housework can wait ;D
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what is lamlac?
Plums!! Why is the smell of Lamlac making you heave? Have you got a secret to share? :)
Lamlac is the powdered milk we make up to feed to our orphan lambs. The smell of it is enough to make me heave!! Oh Sylvia - Noooooooooooooo!!! 4 little girls is enough ;D I actually am starting to think I have an allergy to the stuff, it gives me a headache, makes me feel sick and i get a tight chest!! Roll on kidding time, I'll have goats milk to feed these lambs with :)
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Didn't get as much done today as I had hoped. Mulched about two thirds of the apples and watered the polytunnel. Got about half way through the espalier project (but it is by far the worst half) before the drill bit broke (due to me trying to wang it around too much because actually I need a slightly bigger bit for the wire tightening screws to fit ::))
But - on the redemption side I did manage to stake and spiral some of my husband's hedging whips and sorted all the recycling so.....
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lamlac on the other side of its journey makes me heave. :)
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lamlac on the other side of its journey makes me heave. :)
Do you know what Baz, I'm sure I stink of lamlac on that side of its journey non-stop currently!! My 7 yr old and I got in the car earlier and India said "ewwwwwwwwww mum I can smell sheep wee" and I said "Ind, I think that's us!!" ;D
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so ... did everybody get done all the jobs they planned to?
I know I didn't!
Rain, both of us still full of cold/flu and an injured foot (think I might have broken my big toe - its now very black!) so just hobbled round doing the basics.
I did buy some shed paint - shame the weather wasn't fit to actually use it ::)
ah well, tomorrows another day :)
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oh no little blue - what happened to your toe?
and no...jobs not done ;0)
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oh no little blue - what happened to your toe?
and no...jobs not done ;0)
To be honest .. I have absolutley no idea!
When I think of all the times I have banged my foot, been stood on by dog/goat/pig etc, kicked stuff, forgotten its only my wellies & dockers that have steel toe caps!
I took my welly off Friday evening, washed my hands, turned to get a towel ... and suddenly was in agony!
I can't walk on it without severe pain, though its only just come out bruised today.
There's abit of a lump at the joint, ok to touch but can't weight bear.
Don't think I'll be walking the 5 miles to work tomorrow, better get a lift!
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Do you think you need to get it looked at?! it sounds pretty horrible!!
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nah, it'll be fine ... but thanks for asking!
:)
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Lol Bazzais.
For me, it's a chance to do some real work instead of having to sit at a desk all week.
This weekend, I want to muck out 2 goat pens, but I will have to fit in around the normal chores as well as friends coming to visit so we can disbud their kids, and my niece's birthday party. Have pc work to catch up on, and I could do with doing some more of the desk job as well.
Beth
Did all of the above, plus disbudded my two boy kids, and cut two of the milkers feet. Oh and dropped the oldest kids to 3 feeds a day and converted them to a pan instead of a bottle.
Haven't done much of the pc work and none of the desk job!
Beth
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not everything but did well! and just ate the best pot roast chicken ever! but the lunchtime snow stopped me in my tracks! :D
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Ruth have you been kicking Jason again? ;D
I did get all done that I intended - five hours on my college work. Too wet to do anything outside other than the milking/feeding.
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Cant remember what I did out the norm - but did have a great sunday dinner in the village :) - all that was left was pork by the time we had arrived but i was so hungry I didnt even notice I'd eaten the apple sauce - and god I hate apple sauce.
We had a bright afternoon here :)
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This weekend coming I will be:
- putting up the espalier posts for the apples
- putting spiral gurads around the willows and hedging sticks
- clearing the side of the field shelter in preparation for a lean-to
- planting the new strawberry plants
and I'm meant to be helping doing some clearance work at the local railway preservation group with DH but I haven't got around to preparing the blade on my bush scythe so we might just go armed with noisy machinery.
I like posting up my jobs on this forum because it really adds an extra leg to my committment to do the things that I have listed.[/list]
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I like posting up my jobs on this forum because it really adds an extra leg to my committment to do the things that I have listed.[/list]
couldn't agree more mate, got to get on with it then lol! :thumbsup:
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Weekend off for me except for the basics. Recuperating from the long journey down to the NEC for Crufts on Friday, then watching it on TV Sat & Sun..
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I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow let alone next weekend. Actually, I do. I've got a hospital appointment then I'm trawling the charity shops looking for wool to knit with. Thursday? Not a clue although I really ought to go and buy a trailer load of hay for the girls.
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started laying the carpet tiles in the bathroom today and did very well! so while i have my boy Byron in the herb garden weeding i will be doing the rest of the tiles. then after lunch it will be splitting wood and planting seeds. so much coming up at the moment seems like spring is here! got to tighten my sump plug on the hilux as it is leaking a bit of the slippery stuff :thumbsup:
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Sill haven't done that Christmas parcel! :-\ Ah well, there'll be another one soon enough... ;D
Just off to my Saturday job. And tomorrow, hopefully, a lot of work in the garden.
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My god its another weekend - I may attack that pile of mail I've had on the dresser since christmas. May not though as I know its going t be a world of pain and telephone calls.
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good luck everyone, i'm off into the garden now with a bit of a hangover. coffeeeeeeeeeeeee may help me thinks!
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Well so far today I have FINISHED!!!! the espalier post and wire arrangement for our apple trees. DH helped and we have tidied up all that side of the driveway so it's going to look really smart from now on. The builders have been told that they can't put anything on that side.
Went to town and managed to speak to the second hand tool man without buying a billhook (a first I think :D)
Moved wood from old wood store to new wood store and cleared old wood store area in preparation for a lean-to which will be coming next week.
Did chickens, walked around site and persuaded my husband that we needed to change the warm utility room into a pantry. A PANTRY!!!! :love: :love: :love:
The whole place is a glorious mess but it's SPRING and it hasn't rained today so something's good :D :D
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had a great day today, but not finished yet! ;D
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And - to cap it all Mussels in garlic sauce were on offer at the Co-op today so we are just about to tuck into them :D :D :D
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Time for me to have a pizza and then a power nap - never did open that mail.
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off for a pint of cider now. tomorrow will just be planting a few things and cooking a pot roast chicken! :chook:
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Tomorrow:
Do seeds! jeez - I'm really late with the toms and everything.
Water the polytunnel again
Move the raspberries
Finish mulching the apple trees.
Go back to Lichfield at 5.30 ready for work on Monday.
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The weekend started bad - I finally found a dentists who could see me before the end of March - Thought I was talking to the receptionist until she sat me down and dived into my mouth with a drill - agony - but she gave me a local after.
Proof read my daughters dissertation and looked up how to calculate Cronbachs Alpha !! Sod that was!
My face pain was better in the afternoon so we searched for the Fosse. Our toilet packed up last week. We dug a search trench ( like on time team) and found a potential Fosse. Dug a massive hole to expose what I thought was a metal lid protected by old plastic bags. Underneath was a metal pit- coffee pots, tools and tractor parts. Filled the hole !!
The OH found a soil pipe - then the lid of the Fosse. Dug it all out then the lid blew up to confirm it was VERY FULL.
Killing 2 pigs next week - so hung 4 hooks from wooden beams in barn - cleaned ceiling, walls and floor. Removed all the unused building materials and wood to another barn and brought back a long table and another worktop to do the butchering on.
Had mussels for dinner with spaghetti in a chili tomato sauce - then 4 episodes of "One foot in the grave" :thumbsup:
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Taking my mum (63 years young with advanced MS and early onset dementia) to a respite home today. Just 7 nights that we have to self fund ourselves but its a holiday for her and it gives me chance to get a quick breather before PUffin is due to Kid next w/end.
Means I can deep clean her annexe area before she comes home too which will be a nice surprise for her :)
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Underneath was a metal pit- coffee pots, tools and tractor parts. Filled the hole !!
Oooh you are good!!! Hubby would have spent the whole afternoon picking bits out and saying " ooh - you could weigh this all in you know....." That's how he justifies the plies of rusting metal we have lying about the place ;)
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had a cracking weekend, downloading pics as we speak!
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Glorious day Sunday. Did all on list except mulch the rest of the apple trees. DH finally ovcame his reluctance with the rotavator and got to work on rotavating the new vegetable patch. The soil is OK and this week he is going to mark out all the rows and plots and everything. Then we were able to move all the raspberries to their new sunny position. I hope they take to it. I tried to dig as big a rot ball as it was possible to carry.
We've finally worked out a way to get water to the polytunnel so I put about 600 litres into the beds and moved the worms outside. Did all the seeds - including about 100 sweet peas! (got a bot carried away there).
Feeling really positive about things today.
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To me today is like a friday as its the last day my hubby works and now all the pups have gone and our guests are low maintainance soooooo, after the men come to put the chimney pots on, I am going to clean out the chickens and do some gardening and plant some more herbs and flowers in the garden...last year I made a big mistake of not reading lables or marking what I planted, I put what I thought were lettice and they looked strange so never got eaten and the flowers were very very tall and looked silling in my hanging baskets. I hope the weather remains dry as it makes life easier!! So for me, tomorrow is my weekend!!!!
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last year I made a big mistake of not reading lables or marking what I planted, I put what I thought were lettice and they looked strange so never got eaten
Oh god!! - I so know that :D :D
We bought an "Italian mix" a couple of years ago........ same result. I picked some and hubby said "this is a weed - and if it isn't then I'm not eating any more".
End of story!!! ;D ;D
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last year I made a big mistake of not reading lables or marking what I planted, I put what I thought were lettice and they looked strange so never got eaten
Oh god!! - I so know that :D :D
We bought an "Italian mix" a couple of years ago........ same result. I picked some and hubby said "this is a weed - and if it isn't then I'm not eating any more".
End of story!!! ;D ;D
do that everyyear, oh look that's parsley etc lol!
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I swear we ate some flowers that hadn't flowerd last year and the extra tall flowers looked a bit silly in our hanging baskets...never did get to find where I put those mushrooms that I cannot spell begining with shi*!!.I realy must keep the lables in what I grow!!
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Come on suziequeue tell us why you are growing so many sweet peas - is the Pope getting married and needs flowers or are you selling them on e-bay?
You were impressed how I filled the "metal pit" up after searching for the Fosse. Easy - we have a small barn floor full of metal bits and old tools - the rear door to my 4x4 won't open so 3-4 skip runs will probably turn into 17 skip runs.
Oh - my Fosse was emptied today - what a stinker - but not the 30 something blond girl who lowered pipes into s--it in pink marigold gloves whilst laughing like a school girl.
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Oh I just got carried away.
The varieties had such nice names and then it seemed a shame to deny one seed the chance of life whilst giving another seed a chance....... So they all had to go in. I remember I used to have the same problem at night with my toys when I was a kid......then they would all end up in my bed - a huge mound of stuffed toys, plastic dolls, wooden bricks etc
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Ah that is so nice. I assume that you are a lady as us men would either save the seed for another year, drop the packet or sell the surplus on e-bay.
I don't remeber a single toy - never mind giving things names- don't even name the chickens or ducks.
Easy for us fellas
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just heard a load of cranes flying overhead - this weekend will probably be the same as any other weekend - feeding all the animals, cutting fence posts ready to make another pig pen, cutting wood, etc etc etc = same old, same old. and on it goes - never ending as we have 23 hectares in all to fence plus making the divisions for the pens. We have been in France for 7 years now but still not finished everything partly because of the expense and partly because of the time and energy.
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Most times I read a Rich and Jan post I get tired thinking of the work you do.
I have a small plot but just as you say - lots to do every day. Digging in 30 degrees sun was nice today.
Cranes - Yep heading north still up the Limousin corridor. They say that it is 20km wide so rich and Jan must be near us as we are often right under the flight path. In recent weeks they have been passing over at 03:0 am ( probably the African mob). The Spanish ones pass over late afternoon - thousands of them so far. What a sight and noise.
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My friend put a video on You Tube of the cranes flying over her house. It was amazing.
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no doing much today as i have smashed a hole in my leg with a stray high speed piece if beech fire wood i was splitting! thought i had got away with it yesterday but it is very painful today! >:(
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Celebrating St Patricks day with the dogs.....may well fish out ALL my irish music and play it all day!!!
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Off up north to training day this afternoon, then have to finish off paperwork for tomorrow's gundog working tests south of Edinburgh, early rise tomorrow and long drive, then back north for second training session in the afternoon, then back home for kids and grand-kids coming here for Mothers day tea.
Have a happy one all you Mums. :bouquet:
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On the train to London to take my Mum out to lunch and give her a nice birthday present.... For the first time in living memory (she's 71....... I'm not proud :-()
My brother has agreed to come too which is even more unusual.
Looking at plant websites on my iPad, fantasizing about the polytunnel and the willow and revising for my Health Protection assessment on Tuesday (vaguely)
DH is off on a pork pie making course in Derby!!
Tomorrow I'll be clearing all the gardening/pot detritus out of the polytunnel and into the new lean-to shed that DH put up yesterday and then digging the beds over in preparation for tomatoes etc, getting the watering system sorted out and making the whole thing look ship shape and ready for work.
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creocote ing all the fences, plus a bit of shopping for some climbers to cover them up. all good fun.
then off to heligan tomorrow so my ex can get a day out and a bit of heligan sunday dinner.yum.
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My new chicken coop arrived yesterday so I am going to spend the weekend putting chicken friendly preservative on it before OH puts it together.
Sally
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DH is off on a pork pie making course in Derby!!
just down the road from me then;)
i'm moving chickens around and quarenteening those that are chesty
tomorrow going lambing :sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :)
Mx
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I'm regularly examining my goats rear end for 'signs'. The neighbours will be thinking I've lost the plot.
I've also just made a new soap for Its Baaath Time - one full of citrussy essential oils. Kitchen smells very lovely!
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Come on suziequeue tell us why you are growing so many sweet peas - is the Pope getting married and needs flowers or are you selling them on e-bay?
You were impressed how I filled the "metal pit" up after searching for the Fosse. Easy - we have a small barn floor full of metal bits and old tools - the rear door to my 4x4 won't open so 3-4 skip runs will probably turn into 17 skip runs.
Oh - my Fosse was emptied today - what a stinker - but not the 30 something blond girl who lowered pipes into s--it in pink marigold gloves whilst laughing like a school girl.
I have great admiration for Fosse emptiers. Boy does it stink! Ours is due a good clean out soon, I keep putting it off, but it will have to be done this summer. It costs a bit, hence the saying "Where there's muck..."
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Major flare up of IBS so not going far today. Did manage to get to my writing group membership this morning but slept this afternoon. Dogs want to go out but not sure if I dare. ;D
Ought to sweep goat yard but no energy.
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I'm regularly examining my goats rear end for 'signs'. The neighbours will be thinking I've lost the plot.
I've also just made a new soap for Its Baaath Time - one full of citrussy essential oils. Kitchen smells very lovely!
is it blokey??? :D
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Clean the last of the storm damaged branches and burn, Clean stable after moving light Sussex pullets out ready for any lambing blips and readying lambing gear. Collecting eggs from my Wyandotte bantams for hatching and the usual cleaning out poultry coops as well as the usual feeding of all the animals.
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I got 40 eggs (Marans and LS) on in the incy yesterday - hoping for a good batch of day old chicks to show off at our Easter Saturday event. The main workday of the week today was spent building a greenhouse and felting the roof of the composting loo. We also planted out some garlic that had been started in the polytunnel.
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I'm regularly examining my goats rear end for 'signs'. The neighbours will be thinking I've lost the plot.
I've also just made a new soap for Its Baaath Time - one full of citrussy essential oils. Kitchen smells very lovely!
is it blokey??? :D
Unisex I'd say ;) May Chang, Grapefruit and ylang Ylang - might be a tad girly, will know more tomorrow when its cut ;D
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this weekend I will mainly be staying at home (and trying to get someone to collect the OH from the airport tomorrow night).
the car brakes failed as I stormed down the hill towards the lake and the 45 degree turn, I made it around the bend but then oil pressure light - battery light came on, fan belt broke and radiator fluid gushed out. France closes at 12:00 and opens at 14:00 but I got to a garrage 9 km away and he will look at the car on Monday. Unfortunately I could not get home as the only taxi driver did not fancy a lunchtime trip. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
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This weekend I will be mostly, taking kids to riding lessons, grooming pony, trying to heal a poorly Dutch bantam, sorting out ewes and lambs, walking the dog, wooding, planning on where to put a polytunnel, moving my decrepit horse trailer and washing school uniforms ready for next week. At some point I will be sleeping. :D
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Been to see a friend with new goat babies, :goat: visited the feed merchant, ordered fencing stakes to protect the fruit trees then did the weekly shop, then persuaded OH to build a divider to split one of mini shetland stables into two goat pens so I can start bringing them down to the yard at night in expectation of Flora's :goat: kidding, due in 2 weeks. :thumbsup:
Very glad that tea was the other half of last nights casserole so not need to do anything. Now to think what am I going to feed my parents for lunch tomorrow for mothers day, first mothering sunday in 20 years that have not had either child at home, so feeling a bit strange. Oh and I'd like to drive my pony again tomorrow at some point.
Another average quiet weekend in our house. But wouldn't be without any of the animals, house work will all have to wait again ;)
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Housework? what's that? ???
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no doing much today as i have smashed a hole in my leg with a stray high speed piece if beech fire wood i was splitting! thought i had got away with it yesterday but it is very painful today! >:(
Ouch! Hope it's healing now :bouquet:
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this weekend I will mainly be staying at home (and trying to get someone to collect the OH from the airport tomorrow night).
the car brakes failed as I stormed down the hill towards the lake and the 45 degree turn, I made it around the bend but then oil pressure light - battery light came on, fan belt broke and radiator fluid gushed out. France closes at 12:00 and opens at 14:00 but I got to a garrage 9 km away and he will look at the car on Monday. Unfortunately I could not get home as the only taxi driver did not fancy a lunchtime trip. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
You were lucky to get out of this by the sound of it. Not so lucky when you get the bill. Hope you founhd someone to pick up your OH.
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as we got another GOS sow we will be extending our goat runs in the woods to accommodate her. She is really friendly and we hope to get her with the boar in a few weeks time so have to crack on with the pen. Our piggy numbers are going UP. lol
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Just got back from a farm machinery sale where we picked up a Lely Hayzip - pretty tatty but it can double as a project!! Only cost £50 when all the other haybobs and hayzips we've been seeing at auction have been £400 plus.
:wave:
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beautiful kernow day! had first encounter with dawdling emmets, got polytunnel up, now potting up can begin in earnest.
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Picked up weaners :pig: :pig:
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Made another duck house for 5 Muscovies that we pick up in the morning.
Bought a chain saw so I can harvest wood and am about to cook mussels in a tomato/wine/garlic and hint of chili sauce with Spaghetti.
I may even have a beer as I cook.
Life is beautiful.
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Got ewes ready for lambing
Retrieved old raised bed frame from obscurity for the strawberries
Had lunch outside ;D ;D :love:
Turned compost
Cleaned out chickens ands sorted out roost which has been bugging me for ages
Tidying up stuff and walking around house looking at the lovely roofing slate and recessed gutters
Had a go with my new stail engine
Sold mower trailer to a pal and looked around her new allotment
Er...... that's it :-)
What a nice day.
Tomorrow we are sorting out the pig ark and pig pen for weaner reception next weekend - two little Tamworth boys :pig: :love:
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wow, got so carried away forgot to post today! :D got grass clippings on the hugulkultur and a skin of wood chips, then cut 4 new beds and then cut half a tonne of horse sh#t into them with the rotovator. oh and after lunch got all the tomatoes potted on to bigger pots. tomorrow i am going to show my old Dad Ronzie around his land and show him what we have been doing over the last 5 months when it was too cold for him to come out!
all in all one of the best days on the site since we started 4 years ago! tip top!! :thumbsup:
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Inseminating my sow! :thumbsup: I am sooooo happy !! :love: :pig:
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Nearly finished pig pen for Berkshires - biggest problem was re-assembling the arc! They should be able to go out tomorrow and the GOS in a few days. Richard
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sally was your sow equally as happy ;) :farmer:
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Enjoyed the sun , Fixed 4 old hen Houses and set up breeding pens , meanwhile hebridean ewe dropped first lamb of the season.
All in all a very productive day :thumbsup:
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:wave: Saturday,Finished potting in the poly tunnel,started work on one of the greenhouses! almost finished landscaping the area around our pond,re-potting shrubs and such.moved some garden furniture around and done some general tidying up behind one of the sheds.Amazing what was lurking behind there! :o
Today,cleaned the chicken coops out,sprayed with Virkon as always and made the girls happy,three gone broody already ::) Found some more seeds to plant from last year but my tomatoes have disappeared :-\ ,tidied up the hard standing and jetwashed everything in sight..including Chris :thumbsup: ;D ;D have come in absolutely worn out...mega dinner tonight..beans on toast with cheese topping! Quick and yummmmm :yum:
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the whole weekend was taken up with cooking for a massive buffet we did for friends. it was a 70th birthday party and it went really well! did manage to get some stuff sorted and some peas planted out on saturday but not much! next weekend should be better for the land as we only have a friend staying who has come from australia and she is keen to get a spade in her hands! :thumbsup:
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We had some permanent post fencing put in for our goat paddocks and a proper gate! I'm so excited - no more standing outside when its blowing a hoolie and holding those silly plastic tape poles in the ground to stop the goats escaping - yay!
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Moved two years worth of compost heap to polytunnel and veg garden, OH hired a mini digger so finally got the bog hole gateways to pig paddocks cleaned out and re-laid with hardcore and topsoil over top.
Rotivated pig paddocks, sowed and rolled in anticipation of rain on its way (black in sky now but still no precipitation) Burnt an old hawthorn hedge and now have a hand covered in wood spells/splinters..ouch very sore. Sowed sweetcorn & pumpkins & petunias in greenhouse and put strawberries in cold frame (not sure if this is a good idea given the weather forecast for the coming week!)
Planted another new apple tree, this makes six we've now lost due to rabbits chewing round bark over the height of the guards! OH is making new guards for all 26 trees now in hope of giving them greater protection. The blossom looks lovely but think frost/snow forecast for this week will bugger the job!
Tattie & sugar beet planting later this week and grass cutting big style!
Smallholding is a bit like painting the forth road bridge as soon as you get to one end its back to start at the other again! ;D
Mandy :pig:
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Saturday - planted small plantation of bare rooted tweo year old hazel. Digging holes whilst fantasizing about a Makita petrol powered post hole borer.
Sunday went and collected weaners. Took ages. Got lost but they LOOOOOOVE their new place.
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so you can plant hazel bare root then? interesting! :thumbsup:
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Yeah - this lot were in fine fettle - lots of roots. A bit late in the year .... So we shall see.... But hazel is very biddable.
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We had winter again over the Easter weekend. Lots of white stuff on the ground when we awoke Sunday morning. We did go and watch the 'Easter Riding'....its a local Easter sunday procession. Many pairs of horses (64) all ridden by men in frock coats and top hats, carrying church banners and singing hymns between two villages. There are about eight different lots all around the local area. The horses are all poshed up with matching saddle cloths, bridles and mane/tail decorations....really lovely. But it was so cold we only saw the one lot leave then hurried home to the nice warm fire.
I was going to do some vege patch work this morning (easter monday) But there was a very heavy frost (inch+ of ice on outdoor buckets) so I think we might just go out again and find nice cafe or something!
There is always tomorrow!
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we had some visitors from Australia over the weekend so nothing but eating and drinking was done! now it is a washout so just waiting for the football to start making 5 spice powder and chat massala powder for when it gets very busy again. should be a break in the weather at some point this week. think tomorrow will be greenhouse work and get some tomato plants in and make a bit of room for the other plants. always something to do once my head feels a little better.
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I'm home alone and trying to mix up the heavy work.
1. Cutting wood, dragging it back then splitting it.
2. Expanding the garden into where the pigs were ( ground is like rock - pig wear and no rain for weeks).
3. Lifting thick layers of rock hard manure off a very uneven barn stone floor. ( soaking some in buckets so I can chuck on the new garden).
Back aches when I get up but a few drugs gets me going !
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Raining all day and most of the weekend here,it is only light but enough to soak you if you are out too long,today I have raked the ground level ready to put another base down for yet another greenhouse,I may even put this one straight on top and grow right out of the soil??obviously put some slabs or bricks around though it may not need it....mmmm.??
Have to pop out to get some two stroke for the chainsaw and a few supplies so can hopefully do more tomorrow if the weather is good!
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As the pigs went on Thursday I have been cleaning up their paddock and Ark.