Category Archives: Smallholding

No dig diary, 17th February 2024

Posted on February 17, 2024 by james

I got up early (for me) this morning and visited a friend who had offered me a load of waste cardboard when I mentioned last night that I’d run out whilst making some new beds in the veg plot. That … Continue reading →

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Bee socks!

Posted on February 17, 2024 by james

I shall certainly wear these whilst beekeeping as it’s generally only when I’m wearing boots that I wear socks at all, clogs or Croc-alikes (as slippers) being my usual choice of footwear.

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Memory Lane, 12th June 2022: Another couple of bait hives

Posted on February 16, 2024 by james

I set these two up in my home apiary, a little distance from the existing hives. One is a standard poly brood box. The other is a pair of poly supers with standard national brood frames inside. They have both … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 16th Feb 2024

Posted on February 16, 2024 by james

We’ve had a lot of rain this week 🙁 Not long ago it felt as though the ground was finally drying out sufficiently that “stuff might usefully be achieved”, but now it’s like the Somme again. Possibly wetter. I need … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 12th June 2022: First Swarm

Posted on February 16, 2024 by james

The first swarm to arrive in one of my home bait hives this year. Not from my colonies, I hasten to add 🙂 I feel quite chuffed to have seen them actually turn up at the hive and then dissappear … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 12th June 2022: New apiary site

Posted on February 16, 2024 by james

I’ve been looking for a new apiary site somewhere nearby and the owners of local property have offered me space in an area they can’t really use alongside this south-facing pasture. Access isn’t perfect, but not bad — the actual … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 25th May 2022: A failure

Posted on February 14, 2024 by james

Germination of squash plants always seems to be a bit random so I always sow far more than I need. Then when I get more plants than I want I can’t really bear to throw them into the compost. This … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 24th May 2022: Make room! Make room!

Posted on February 14, 2024 by james

Thanks to needing more compost for the whole no-dig process, and attempting to compost more material, it was becoming obvious that my three compost bays just weren’t sufficient. I’d also decided that I should have a more organised process for … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 24th May 2022

Posted on February 12, 2024 by james

Just a quick shot of the veg plot in late Spring. Most exciting are the asparagus plants in the closest bed producing their first ever shoots. This year they need to be left for the plants to develop. It’ll be … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 12th February 2024

Posted on February 12, 2024 by james

Running out of heated propagation space is starting to look inevitable, so today I have cleared some space in the house for my “backup” propagators. One of them is definitely looking rather sad and could really do with a replacement … Continue reading →

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