Category Archives: Smallholding

No dig diary, 12th February 2022

Posted on February 14, 2022 by james

Today was pepper-sowing day, both sweet peppers and chiles. In the main they’re the same varieties that I sowed last year and am hoping will survive the winter in the polytunnel (jalapeno and cayenne chiles, yellow and red Corno di … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 9th February 2022

Posted on February 10, 2022 by james

More seed sowing this morning… Firstly spinach. I have seed for two varieties, Medania and Missouri. I seem to struggle growing spinach for some reason, but we eat a reasonable amount of spinach and it seems worth sticking at, so … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 8th February 2022

Posted on February 8, 2022 by james

It’s odd looking back at my plans for last year seeing that I sowed broad beans on 5th February having intended to do so somewhat earlier to find that I’m in exactly the same position this year 🙂 Today however … Continue reading →

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The Solar Greenhouse project begins!

Posted on February 1, 2022 by james

I’m actually expecting it to take somewhat longer to get this one off the ground, but over the weekend I picked up the first component for this project. The idea is to build a greenhouse that will stay warmer than … Continue reading →

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How not to cut down a tree…

Posted on January 20, 2022 by james

I’ve been removing some sycamore branches that were overhanging the veggie plot from one of our hedgerows which hasn’t been too much of a chore thanks the pole saw, but one trunk had grown out at an angle over the … Continue reading →

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First attempt at smoked salmon

Posted on January 19, 2022 by james

My wife found some salmon on offer a couple of days back because it was approaching its “expiry” date, so she bought an extra packet for me to try smoking. It’s actually a 500g fillet sliced into four. Not ideal, … Continue reading →

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Smoke #3

Posted on January 16, 2022 by james

Today I thought I’d try apple-smoking some halloumi, together with a few more smallish pieces of cheddar. I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out, to be honest. I patted the cheese dry before cutting it into smaller blocks … Continue reading →

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BBKA Module exam bemusement

Posted on January 12, 2022 by james

A few years after I’d started keeping bees I took the first of the BBKA’s exam modules (Module 1 – Honey Bee Management). It felt quite a struggle at the time as circumstances meant that two of us had to … Continue reading →

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The Great Leek Scape

Posted on January 7, 2022 by james

Or perhaps not, given today’s weather, but the weather is presumably what is responsible for the behaviour of this particular leek that I noticed in the veggie plot yesterday and photographed today after a snow shower with the biggest snowflakes … Continue reading →

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Growing Degree Days

Posted on January 7, 2022 by james

I’ve come across the concept of Heating Degree Days or Cooling Degree Days in work I’ve done (basically the number of days where the temperatures has crossed some specific threshold where heating or cooling of a building is required) and … Continue reading →

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