New Duck Pen

A few weeks back I asked everyone's advice about enclosed pens for poultry. 

In the end, after much thinking I decided to get a small (ish) polytunnel frame and enough net to cover it. I decided it had a few advantages over the cheaper chicken pens, it would last longer, be wroth soemthign to sell if we ever got rid of it, and if we needed to we could easily convert it to a proper polytunnel to grow more crops under cover. 

this one is quite low, only about 7ft high, but it only took me about 2 hours to put up on my own (not including clearing the area with the digger). The posts for the tunnel are just hammered into the soil, so it's not a permeant structure. 

 The children then helped pull the net over it. 

A 40th Birthday Party!

 Last week it was my wife's 40th birthday! She is an incredible woman and I am very lucky to have her in my life. Amazing to think that we've spent the whole of our 20s and 30s together - over half my life (I'm a year younger), We met when I was 18 and she was 19 and I love the life we've created together. 

The bar staff, although smartly dressed, struggled with some of the drinks...

My wife was keen to have a party so we hired the village hall, and I got brewing and baking! 

New Rose Arch - Some Assembly Required...

For a while now I've wanted the veg garden to look a bit nicer. I've wanted to have somewhere to sit and have it as slightly more than just a productive area. 

One thing I've always wanted was a nice entrance to it, rather than a few gates made from old pallets. A few years ago, (7 in fact) I fenced mums garden with sweet chestnut and I've always loved the look of that, it blends in more as it ages. The other advantage is the wood is all coppiced locally and is sustainable. 

 When I enquired about an arch they said there was quite a wait but I could buy the timbers and make it myself instead. So I did just that. They're based not far from here so didn't take too long to get there, although we had to dig out a few logs to make the order right! 

What I got is quite a few poles of sweet chestnut, there is enough in the picture for a few fence posts I need, enough timber to build a shaving break (for splitting the chestnut down into lathes) and the wood for the rose arch. I've also got some paling on order as well for fencing around the garden and greenhouse. 

I'm really looking forward to working on this project. I think I'll get the children to help as much as possible, they should be able to strip the bark as an easy first job. 

Have you ever worked with sweet chestnut? What type of fencing would your dream garden have?

The Polytunnel is Clear of Ducks!

 The polytunnel is clear of ducks! This makes me so happy! 

I swear there is no chance they are going in there this winter should their be another lockdown. Their new pen (in another post) will be their permeant home. 

Sausage Course At Mileshiggins Meat boxes

 I spent a lovely morning with my mum on Sunday. 

For Christmas she had got me a morning making sausages in a farm in Herefordshire that also does meat boxes, Mileshiggings farm. For Christmas she will often get a course we can do together and it makes it a really nice experience.