Category Archives: Smallholding

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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Wonky asparagus

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

They’re sprouting very early this year. No idea what these two are up to though. Fortunately they’re the only two. The rest are looking suitably straight.

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No dig diary, 4th April 2026

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

As I’ve mentioned before, I kept many of the potatoes from last year’s harvest that had been uncovered by blackbirds and gone green. Today I collected them from the sack in the shed where they’ve been tucked away since last … Continue reading →

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Beetroot tarte tatin

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

A bit more baking for dinner this evening. Sadly not with my own beetroot, which are nowhere near ready yet. I’ll certainly be trying it again when I do have some ready to harvest.

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Raising baby ladybirds

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

Sadly I’m not sure if these will survive now. Whilst I was picking lettuce today I turned over one of the leaves I’d picked and discovered these. I suspect they’re ladybird eggs. I tucked them out of the way close … Continue reading →

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No dig diary, 30th March 2026

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

I’ve been out collecting lettuce from the polytunnel for a salad. It appears the cat has been indulging in a little pest control for me: I’m surprised he’s not eaten it. Perhaps he was saving it until later. It’s buried … Continue reading →

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My mushroom logs are sprouting!

Posted on May 12, 2026 by james

Not with mushrooms though 🙁 I wasn’t expecting that. Hopefully it means there’s sufficient moisture in the logs for the fungus to spread through them nicely.

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Vineyard progress

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Again, BP drugs messing me up, so it took until the last few days of March to get the vineyard pruning done, but eventually I got there. I really should go back and have another look now to see how … Continue reading →

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