Author Archives: james

Veg plot 2020, #11

[28th June] Well, it’s been a bonkers day today. Every time I went outside there was (often horizontal) rain and when I moved into the greenhouse or polytunnel the Sun came out and it was boiling hot! However, I managed … Continue reading

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Veg plot 2020, #10

[27th June] Spent much of today out in the garden, but trying to do jobs that didn’t matter when the weather turned ugly or could be abandoned easily — it’s varied between lovely warm sunny skies and driving rain here … Continue reading

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Arkell’s Kingsdown #2

[21st June] With the wort cooled down I could pitch the yeast, but first I measured the original gravity with my hydrometer. Not quite as high as I was hoping for, but I’m happy with that. Then the fermenter went … Continue reading

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Veg plot 2020, #9 and bees moving house

[21st June] Somehow I ran out of time to spend more than a few minutes in the veg plot today 🙁 Too many other things to get done. The compost heap had “sunk” about nine inches since last weekend, but … Continue reading

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Return to the beer shack! Arkell’s Kingsdown #1

[20th June] Brewing is another thing that has taken a back seat of late whilst I tried to get other things finished, but today I finally managed to find some time to start of a brew — a nine gallon … Continue reading

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Veg plot 2020, #8

[14th June] Well, more orchard than veg plot, really. I planted four cherry trees in our orchard some years back. One is a “bitter” type cherry whilst the others are early, mid and late-season dessert cherries. The mid-season tree (which … Continue reading

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Veg plot 2020, #7

[June 13th] It’s been quite a busy day in the garden for us whilst dodging the rain. My daughter mowed the weeds (they always seem to grow even when the grass doesn’t) and between washing batches of bottles for the … Continue reading

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A return to posting

In part thanks to our new Covid overlords, life has afforded me very little leisure time over the last three months and I’ve found little time to do much more than work and get the stuff done that I needed … Continue reading

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So it’s not summer any more then?

After the blazing heat, June has turned into a month of weather misery so far. Yesterday and today we have had thunderstorms which I don’t mind at all, though it does mean I have to unplug the phone and internet … Continue reading

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Veg plot 2021: The compost arrives

I ordered this last week because I wasn’t 100% sure what I’d get and I wanted time to think things over depending on what turned up. As it happens I’m quite pleased. I didn’t get my full order of six … Continue reading

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