Category Archives: Smallholding

No dig diary, 18th February 2024

Posted on February 18, 2024 by james

The main goal today was to get the strawberries planted out, which was a bit of a challenge given how much rain had fallen overnight. The ground is absolutely sodden, which was a real shame given that it has been … Continue reading →

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Memory Lane, 12th June 2022: Compost — it’s hot stuff!

Posted on February 17, 2024 by james

No, really. These are from two of my compost heaps, one of which had been sitting for a month with nothing added because it was full. As far as I recall the temperature in the second photo had peaked whilst … Continue reading →

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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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