Discovery

This week I've been building a large green oak frame at mum and dads farm so I could use one of their barns to build it in. Everyday I've walked over to the orchard I planted 8 years ago and helped myself to a discovery apple.

Planted 8 years ago at mum and dads

A lot of people slate the discovery apple, but fresh off the tree it takes some beating, espally when there is very little else ripe this early in the season. I think that the reason people have a bad opion of this apple is because it doesn't keep, like all early apples, and so when you buy it in the supermarket it's already on its decline.
It's a good tasting, crisp apple and after 6 months of eating imports or ones that have been in cold storage it make a refreshing change.
What other early apple does everyone else recommend?

Topping Damson Orchard

Had a blast from the past today as I topped the "caravan field" at my mum and dads whilst waiting for some timber to arrive. This little old tractor is the first tractor I can remember driving and she's still going strong.

The caravan field is a little 5 van caravan site my mum and dad have on their farm in a small field. It was originally an old damson orchard with plenty of perry pear trees chucked in for good measure. In fact when I think about it there are perry pear trees all over the farm - someone in the past must have liked a drink of it!

Back

I came back yesterday after working in France for a week as a Charpentier.

The grass needs cutting, the weeds are running wild, the chickens need cleaning out and no fairies have been in and finished off the living room for me, but it's still good to be back and great to see my wife, bump and little girl again after spending a week away.

Although I don't like being away from them, it's sometimes does you good so then you don't ever take them for granted.

 

Summer

As a nation, we Brits do like to moan about the weather.

But I'd like to say, as a man that works outside quite a bit, that this summer has been amazing for weather so far. 

My little helper

We've had plenty of sun and plenty of rain so the veg is looking great (if a little weedy) and everything seems to be growing well, bushes full of fruit and young trees all coming along nicely. All completely different to 12 months ago! How does everyone elses veg garden look this year compaird to last year?

Living Room Renovation 2

 Yesterday was like something out of ground force or DIY SOS.

I got up quite early and started doing some jobs to the room like blocking up the holes where the joists used to run. Then around 9.30 all heel broke loose as my reinforcements arrived. Jack hammers breaking out concrete, tractors to lug away the stone, sledge hammers banging. All good fun.

Dad getting carried away with the fireplace

 We managed to take the fireplace right back and put in a duct drawing air from outside to help it draw. Dad kept getting carried away and taking another layer of bricks out each time I left the room. Plenty of scope now with what to put back in there.
We also had to remove the floor in front of the front door due to the way the joists ran and were supported, this meant more concreting but it saves a job later.


Laying the plastic

By 4.30 we'd broken up the floor lab under the old toilet, taken the chimney right back, removed all the rubble, laid a layer of stone, wackered it, added a layer of plastic, put down the kingspan (type) insulation and added another layer of plastic.


No idea whats going on with these last two pictures and I can't get them to turn round!
This one shows the insulation though

A neighbour popped round about then and said "it doesn't look like your get it concreted today then". We did.
The mixer went on at 4.30 and with three wheel barrows and two laying we were all finished by around 8 o'clock. Even I was having my doubts at one point but we all pushed each other on and got the job done. Te mixer on the front of the tractor was helpful as I don't think ready mix would have delivered at that time of day!

Concrete in!

Thanks to all my helpers over the weekend -
Tim and Tom on Saturday
Dad, Ian, Harry and Nick On Sunday.
With ages ranging from 14 to 56 everyone worked hard and really well together. Hopefully it was as enjoyable as concreting can be! Thanks again guys!

Now I've just got to wait a month for it to be dry enough to lay a wood floor on it! Hopefully I'll get the fireplace sorted out in the meantime as well as plastering, plumbing etc.
Anyone else get much done over the weekend?