Greenhouse Progress

With a few late nights and a long day and the greenhouse is getting a little nearer to completion.

 I ran a course of blocks around the base to lift the greenhouse higher as they never seem to be tall enough. It means I've got a large step to get in and out but at least I've got a bit of head room. 

The main trouble with these blocks was the fact that I didn't finish laying them until 10 O'clock on the evening! Not what most people are doing on a Saturday night! I was surprised how level they were in the morning considering how many were laid with a head torch!

 Dad, feeling sorry for me, came and gave me a hand with his little apprentice, Nick, to help put the frame up. With no instructions and about a thousand pieces there was quite a bit of trial and error involved. I think at one point we each broke down and wept as we took it apart to put it back together again for the fiftieth time.

Greenhouses side by side. What do you think I should do with the gap in between?

By the end of the day the frame was up and only a few bolts missing which I brought from a local DIY shop the next day.

Next job is to sort out the floor (it's going to be a temporary measure until the winter) and then get the glass in. Cutting it fine as I've got lots of tomatoes that are ready to go in there!

First Week As A Stay At Home

Well I survived my first week as a stay at home dad and I'm about to start my second.

How did it go?

Well the start of the week was great, everyday we spent time in the garden, where I got loads of weeding done and Ev built many sand castles, we baked bread and biscuits, went to play group, roasted rhubarb to have on custard, kept the kitchen clean and tidy, did housework, washed clothes, made nettle soup and planted seeds. 

Then Melissa got chicken pox! 

A bit of an induction of fire really! The poor little thing is covered in spots and is really under the weather. Hopefully this next week she'll start to feel better, then Ev will probably get them!

Joining Flocks Of Chickens

After the fox attack on Friday night I decided to join my two flocks of chickens in the "semi fox proof" pen. joining flocks of chickens isn't something to be undertaken lightly but it went smoothly with very little fighting. Mainly due to this chap I think:

A good cockerel does keep the ladies in order. Having double the number of hens he didn't know which way to turn when he was let out!

Thank you to everyone that commented on my last post. I know none of us like loosing our livestock to predators but we also know it's a part of keeping livestock. The old phrase "If you've got livestock, you've got dead stock" Springs to mind. 

Fox Attack

Well I know I'm going to get a "I told you so" from mum, but tonight something killed half of my free range chickens. 

Six dead, I managed to find two bodies but I guess the fox carried off the rest. I hate it when this happens.

The trouble is it makes me ask myself some questions:

Should I keep free range chickens? 

There's no stopping a free range fox. Is it unfair to them to let them have this risk or to my own pocket? I genuinely enjoy having them about the place and getting up to their mischievous antics but it's obviously going to happen again.

Also what should I do with the six that are left?

I can add them to my other flock (seven birds) which is in a semi fox proof pen, but with a randy cockerel and I'm sure they'll be some fighting with the other hens. Or let them take their chances, although if the fox is on "cubbing" then I know she'll be back - this attack must have been bold as brass in daylight as all the chickens were scratching about the place when I left to do a job this evening.

Bugger.

A Garden With Back Bone

After my post about about having to divide the veg patch to conquer it I thought I'd give you all an update an to say I followed the general consensus to make it into beds.

A picture taken on the 12th of April

 I've done this with more slabs. I brought new ones and then I've been given another 15 second hand since, with more to hopefully follow (be good for the new greenhouse floor as well when I get it up).

Picture taken yesterday - Starting to look better!

This has meant that I've now divided the veg garden into 16 different beds to work on a 6 year rotation (more about that in another post). One is already given over to herbs and another will probably be left as a sandpit/toy playing area bed for the children. For once it really feels as though I might be able to get on top of the garden this year and not loose the war to the weeds (although the soft fruit garden is another matter!).

I also like the look of it now it's all divided up, it looks like a backbone with ribs from a distance.

How is everyone else coping with the weeds this year? It seems we're having to fight the war a couple of months earlier this year in the UK.