Wasted Eggs And Cleaning Out Chicken Coops

I'd rather naughtily left my mobile chicken coop full of dirty bedding since the chickens moved out from it last year. 

There's been no chickens living in it for the last six months and I just hadn't got around to emptying it out, although I had left the pop hole open. 

 It turns out that when some of my hens were free ranging over the winter one of them was using this to store her eggs! What a waste, but I've only got myself to blame and in the future I'll make sure I'll clean them out as soon as they're empty and to shut the blinking door! 

On a plus note I did build this coop big enough for my largest helper to fit in to clean it out! 

Where's the weirdest place you've ever found a clutch of eggs?

Free Ranged Children

Tuesday was a glorious day, The sun was shining so we spent as much of it as we could outside.

My eldest sticks to me like glue, she likes to dig where I dig and pull up the same weeds as me. My youngest on the other hand, likes to wander off. 

My little one likes the freedom of a large garden, but doesn't like to be confined to it!

 One minute she's by my side and the next she's at the far end of the garden heading for the drive, and when I shout her she laughs and speeds up - everything is a game! Being only one year old I like to keep her where I can see her without being a "helicopter" parent - I hate hovering over them, I much prefer to let them explore and do things in their own way and time. 

Gate and pallet to the side

 So I decided to put a few barriers in place so they can have the full run of the back garden. There always used to be a gate between the front and back but I removed it when we first got here, putting that back on (a little higher to miss the slabs) was easy. I then found an old pallet and fixed that to the side to block off where the water butt stand is. 

Chicken wire panel "gate" should do for now

A few years ago I got given (for the time of taking it all down) an old chicken pen made up of wire panels, I've been using these for everything over the last couple of years and they've come in again to herd the children. I hinged one at the top by the other gate and another was tied by the clump of hazel at the bottom. 

Bottom of the garden sealed off 

One child proof garden. Well not child proof, but they can't get out!

I managed to dry a whole load of clothes!

On a separate note I was also very excited to dry my first load of washing outside! As I get older I get excited by the weirdest things!

Anyone else got their smalls out on the line yet (in the northern hemisphere)? 

Shallots Planted

I managed to get my shallots planted yesterday. 

I have no idea what variety they are, all I know is I call them Georges Shallots as that's who gave them to me, hopefully I'll keep this strain going for many years to come and they'll be known as that for a long time! 

I picked through the best of last years and separated out the biggest ones for planting. They've all stored remarkably well hung in the shed and only a few have disappeared in their papery skins. 

 I added plenty of muck to the plot where they were planted and added a whole bucket of wood ash, they seem to love it and most gardeners swear by this. I've made sure I've saved up all my wood ash from the winter with plans to add it to my tomatoes later in the year and my home made plant food. 

I had my little helper with me again, she loved pushing the shallots into the soil and we even managed to get some more seeds planted in the greenhouse. I need to buy some onion sets now and complete the other allium bed to feel like I'm really keeping on top of planting. 

How far has everyone else got with their planting? I bet no one can beat Northsider Dave with his potatoes?

8 Tons Of Black Gold!

I know I'm lucky when it comes to my family. Even luckier when my dad comes over on a Sunday morning to visit his grand daughters and brings 8 tons of muck with him! It was a welcome bonus and I know that manure is something I'm lacking when it comes to being self sufficient.

 As the ground is still quite wet we had to dump it in the next field over to the garden but it will be worth the walk with the wheel barrow, as some of this muck is lovely and well rotted. 

The strawy bits I will remove and leave for another year to rot down and the rest will go into the garden or the orchard to feed all my plants and improve the soil.

One day I'd like to be in a situation where I'm not having to import muck like this to make my garden grow, instead having animals here to produce it for me (myself included when I get round to building a composting toilet). 

I'm still trying to improve the soil at the moment from the quite heavy clay so I'm having to use more than I would normally, but it's handy having a father who is a farmer and can bring large quantities for me - even if it was a surprise! So with this and the wood chip I've got most of what I need for the gardening year, except potting compost which is something I'm going to have to work on producing myself. 

How much muck does everyone use in their homestead each year?

Which Bread Maker Should I Buy?

If you've been reading my blog lately your know that I've been making a lot of bread. It's been a great activity to do with the girls but it can be tricky with the timing and proving times, sometimes they just don't want to play ball and that can wreck a loaf. I've cooked using no kneed recipes but it normally takes lots of planning and I'm not great at that.

So I've decided to take the plunge and buy a bread maker, or more to the point -get one for my up coming birthday. Every time I write about bread I get comments about how good the bread makers are now, so we've managed to find a space for it in the dinning room, not ideal but it will do for now. 

Some homemade focaccia form last week

The question is which do I go for? I'm planning on using it most days, either just to make the dough so I can cook free form in the oven, or on a timer so we can have the bread ready to make my wife's sandwiches for work in the morning. 

My friend who uses one daily swears by a Panasonic bread maker but I was interested to see what other people are using and how they rate it? 

Which would you go for or would you not bother at all?