Category Archives: Smallholding

Insane compost temperature today

Posted on May 14, 2026 by james

I should try cooking a casserole in it 😀

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It lives, Igor!

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

The mower, that is. The steering rod bracket arrived today. Spot the difference 😀 Fitting the new one was a doddle as long as you remember to get the bracket the right way up and make sure the steering wheel … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 13th May 2026

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

Just prior to the mower suffering catastrophic failure a couple of days back, we’d run out of space in the current compost bin. Fortunately it has now settled a little and has space for more. It was literally full to … Continue reading →

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Another job pushes its way to the top of the stack

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

My daughter was mowing the grass with the ride-on mower today when she experienced a sudden loss of steering. It quickly became obvious why. The bracket that actually turns the wheel has snapped in two. Fortunately I’ve managed to find … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 10th May 2026

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

Today’s harvest from the plot. The asparagus is pretty much expected, but the potatoes came from the sacks that I planted up in the greenhouse back in January. In the process of harvesting them I de-homed quite a few ants … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 9th May 2026

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

I’m quite amazed about this. The sweet peppers and chiles that I sowed under grow lights back in mid-January are starting to produce fruit already! I’ve not even got them into their final pots or into the ground yet!

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No dig diary, 7th May 2026

Posted on May 13, 2026 by james

Looks like we’re down to the last of the winter salads in the polytunnel. I had to remove the various mustards a week or so ago because they were bolting, but now the lettuces look to be attempting the same. … Continue reading →

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My first attempt at ciabatta

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

I love ciabatta, so I just had to have a go at it. I used the recipe from “The Book of Bread” by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter that I managed to pick up second-hand for the princely sum of … Continue reading →

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Just the one eggsample

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

I found this lying on a path when I was weeding in the veggie plot today. I suspect it’s from either a wood pigeon or collared dove. Not sure how it came to be there though. Perhaps it was pinched … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 6th May 2026

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

Somewhere under here there are strawberries, honest. This is what happens when health issues don’t allow you to keep up with the weeding 🙁

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