Author Archives: james

No dig diary, 23rd March 2024

Yesterday, much of which was spent chipping bits of tree was a lovely day to be outside. Today was, well, barely describable. We had high winds, rain, hail, sunshine and probably a load of other weather (though not snow, as … Continue reading

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged | Leave a comment

The compost bins will now start filling up

Despite the fact that it’s still more than a week to the start of April it’s become necessary to start cutting some of the grass which has grown ridiculously long over the mild Winter. During the same period the compost … Continue reading

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged | Leave a comment

Memory Lane, 18th October 2022

Harvesting peppers today. Gorgeous selection of colours. Still a few more to come, perhaps, if the weather is good enough for them to ripen.

Posted in Polytunnel, Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment

Just get a grip

I see that people who are desperate to be offended by something/anything at all are up in arms about the new England football kit because it contains an image of a cross that is not strictly a St. George’s Cross. … Continue reading

Posted in Random | Tagged | Leave a comment

Keeping on with the firewood

Tidying up some of the trees I’ve felled was first on the list of priorities for today. We’ll need to start cutting grass soon and it’s no good if we can’t get the mower out because it’s blocked by a … Continue reading

Posted in Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment

Memory Lane, 16th October 2022: Has beans

Continuing the theme of “last harvests”, the very last of the climbing beans, which are the last of the borlotti beans…

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged | Leave a comment

Met Office forecast offers trial of new weather data

But when I do try it, the forecast it offers is completely different from the one that uses the current data. So which am I meant to believe? Tomorrow’s weather, hourly from 3am (with the chance of precipitation), old-style: New … Continue reading

Posted in Random | Tagged | 2 Comments

More firewood production

I spent most of today playing chainsaws in some quite awkward places. First to be felled was this tree, which I was hoping would fall a little more to the left, but as it would naturally have fallen entirely the … Continue reading

Posted in Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment

Memory Lane, 11th October 2022: Pears going bananas

To prevent losses to the chickens (there have already been a few), today I picked all the remaining pears from the tree in their run (Concorde is the variety as far as I recall). Now I just have to work … Continue reading

Posted in Orchard, Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment

Firewood for next winter

Bit of a sluggish day today, in part thanks to drizzle on what was forecast to be a dry day. Tree work really needs to be getting done though as buds are breaking on some already. So, this morning I … Continue reading

Posted in Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment