Author Archives: james

Another try at the Polka

Posted on February 6, 2024 by james

I have a bed of Summer-fruiting raspberries and a bed of Autumn-fruiting ones. At least, I did. A couple of years ago all of the Autumn-fruiting ones died. I suspect my father-in-law may have tried to kill some bindweed using … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 6th February 2024: New beds

Posted on February 6, 2024 by james

I need to get cracking on the new beds in the veggie plot as I have strawberry plants that really need to be planted out. I received them before Christmas and had to plant them into pots because I didn’t … Continue reading →

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A bit of a stick-in-the-mud (almost)

Posted on February 6, 2024 by james

I decided back in September that I wasn’t going to have enough home-made compost for my needs this year and that I’d need to order some in as well. I then proceeded to put the purchase off for as long … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 13th April 2022: Incorrectly-made brood boxes

Posted on February 5, 2024 by james

Years back I got hold of a load of polystyrene brood boxes and supers from Abelo for much cheapness because they were made with both top- and bottom-bee space, as you can see from the photos. I’ve been wondering what … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 5th February 2024

Posted on February 5, 2024 by james

I want to make some new no dig beds for cutting flowers, edible flowers and strawberries, so today I mowed the grass short and started marking out where they’re going to go. The next stage will be to cover the … Continue reading →

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Barry John

Posted on February 4, 2024 by james

has touched down between the Pearly Gates. Perhaps “the” legend of Welsh rugby and so closely on the heels of JPR Williams and Malcolm Price barely a month ago. It’s not even a year since Viet Gwent stalwart Charlie Faulkner … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 13th April 2022: New toy!

Posted on February 4, 2024 by james

Given that I wasn’t working I felt the need to save money and make as much of the stuff that I needed from scrap that I had lying around. So obviously I bought a new toy: It’s a 10″ (250mm) … Continue reading →

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Tonight Matthew, I am sewing machine repairman…

Posted on February 4, 2024 by james

Sewing machines… They work by magic, don’t they? My daughter has been using my wife’s machine to make clothes and bags from old unwanted material such as pairs of jeans and shirts that I no longer fit into: Unfortunately the … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 4th February 2024

Posted on February 4, 2024 by james

More seed sowing today. Red (I also have yellow) beetroot (Sanguina) sown four seeds to a cell in a twenty-cell module tray and a couple of similar trays of peas for shoots sown four seeds to a cell — I’d … Continue reading →

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A blast from the long-distant past

Posted on February 3, 2024 by james

Back when I was at school (slates, chalk, that sort of thing, you know…) the BBC Micro was a thing: one of the first home computers, based around the 6502 processor. Quite likely it’s responsible for setting the future direction … Continue reading →

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