Category Archives: Smallholding

YM1510D battery addendum

Posted on January 22, 2017 by james

Once the old battery was removed and cleaned off, this useful part of the label became visible: The replacement battery I purchased claims to be 48Ah and has a CCA figure of 430, so looks to be a more than … Continue reading →

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Yanmar YM1510D tractor battery replacement

Posted on January 22, 2017 by james

I have a Yanmar 1510D compact tractor, brought into the UK as a grey import. It’s a great little thing. Does lots of stuff that anything larger would just be too big for. The battery is giving up the ghost … Continue reading →

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First brew in the beer shack

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

The conversion of my stainless pots to brewing vessels still awaited, so with the beer shack at the point of usability (by some definition — there’s still no water supply) and my old boiler repaired I had to go for … Continue reading →

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Life in the old boiler yet…

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

I’d given up on the old boiler I used to use for brewing when the thermostat died. When I initially checked, to replace it was going to cost almost as much as a new boiler. Some time after it failed … Continue reading →

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Fermentation cabinet and brewing vessel stand

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

With the paint dry it was time to build a stand for the brewing vessels and an insulated (and heated) fermentation cabinet. The fermentation cabinet is really nothing more than a double-skin cupboard insulated with 50mm of cellulose board insulation. … Continue reading →

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Beer shack progress

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

Once the walls were insulated and lined they needed painting. I used an exterior grade white paint including a fungicide for the walls and ceiling as there will certainly be some condensation once I start using it. The floor has … Continue reading →

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New brewing pots arrive

Posted on January 21, 2017 by james

As part of my move to a dedicated brewing space I decided to build a new brewing setup with dedicated vessels for different stages of the process. Rather than use the plastic “buckets” that I’ve made do with so far … Continue reading →

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The Beer Shack is born

Posted on January 20, 2017 by james

I’ve been brewing my own beer for years, but doing a ninety-minute rolling boil of five gallons of wort in the kitchen has never made me the most popular person in the house so when the thermostat on the boiler … Continue reading →

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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Posted on August 15, 2014 by james

But when it gives you apples, make cider… And to that ends I’ve just taken delivery of a new apple “scratter” for pulping apples before pressing them to extract the juice.  I used to use a manual crusher, but it’s … Continue reading →

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Strange year for swarms

Posted on August 14, 2014 by james

This year I had my first call about a swarm in mid-April, probably a month before I usually start to get any.  It’s very much prompted me to wonder what’s going on with the bees.  I think those in towns … Continue reading →

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