more green woodworking

the first egg!

After spending the last week consulting books and considering chicken recipes one of the little beauties laid it’s first egg, OK it’s the smallest chicken egg I’ve ever seen but beggars as they say…

Todays egg is considerably bigger so I guess that was it’s first ever and they were a little younger when we got them than point of lay.

There is a little mystery in going to the coop around lunch time to find an egg laying there, soon hopefully they’ll be four and I’ll not know what to do with them!

rabbits out veg in

Finally the rabbit proof fence is up and hopefully going to keep the pesky little wabbits at bay. Luckily there was already a path around the veg patch so the chicken wire only had to bet tucked under the slabs rather than digging a trench. In true simplicity style the majority of the fence was begged stole or borrowed. Some wire was donated to the cause some was recycled from around the garden and only one section had to bought, the posts too were collected from around the garden so the whole thing cost only about £10.

There’s still a fair amount of digging to be done but the main area has been cleared and the turf removed. We’ve decided to paper mulch most of the beds as it cuts down on weeding which suits me fine.

Cabbages lettuce onions kale beetroot and french beans are already in and apart from one mystery attack the fence seems to be working. I think it’s either mice or squirrels! I’ve put wire netting along the front to deter the chickens from jumping over for a snack.

new age travelers video

this is a great video about the rise of the new age traveler movement from it’s early beginnings in the 60’s to today.

new age travellers

cider update

Right first I’ll stop saying update. I just wanted to mention that last years cider has finally been bottled! After 6 months of very slow brewing. I think this was mainly for two reasons, one- our last house was so cold it rarely got above 15c (how do you do degrees C on the computer?) in the kitchen. Two- This years scrumpy- yet to be named- had no added ingredients, so just relied on natural yeasts present in the peel of the apples.

I can truly say that this year it’s completely organic and best of all never cost a penny. It was so pleasing to make use of a natural unused resource which would have otherwise just rotted away.

I’m going to leave it as long as possible this time as the taste I’ve noticed improves with age, however this will depend upon when the next part is as I’m sure it’ll be sniffed out.

chicken update

Well their getting used to their new surroundings, we’ve let them have the run of the garden but they seem to like the cover of the hedgerow at the moment. This suits me fine as it’s near to the house and has a solid high fence behind it.

It’s great to watch them graze for free all day and they have done a great job of hoovering up the Japanese cherry blossom. I hope it’s not bad for them as that seems to be 50% of their diet at the moment. Their currently having a protein fix in the newly dug potato bed.

Sadly though they are still to lay, I’ve been checking the hedgerow in case they’ve been laying away from home but nothing. I’ve been keeping them in the run until about noon as I’ve read this makes sure they’ve finished laying but still nothing. I must say I’m really disappointed, everything at the moment seems to need paying for, I’m not feeling sustainable yet.

manure warning

a walk around britain

If you’ve not come across these lads before then look out for them. All that they carry with them is their knowledge of wild foods and folk songs and with that they travel around the country, singing for their supper.

If your not lucky enough to bump into them then check out their website it’s filled with stories and useful information on wild food, songs and folklore.

a walk around britain

sod swine flu what about the bees !!!

The news is filled once again with panic inducing ratings catchers. The BBC just announced that the government is about to send a leaflet to every house in the country concerning swine flu! Which as we all know is a direct reaction to all the media attention.

Again and again we see our attentions forced in the wrong direction. 30% of Europe’s 13.6 million hives died last year and the cause is still not recognized. It’s blamed on modern farming techniques,pesticides and a parasitic mite. More alarmingly this has been going on year after year and is getting worse.

Some people may argue that a persons health is more important than an insect. Depending on which one you are might be true but the simple fact is that without the humble honey bee we would be in much greater trouble globally than any swine pandemic could cause.

It just goes to prove that our government is more concerned with keeping the chemical industries happy than farmers of a system we can ill afford to do without.

To control swine flu means that we keep our reliance and addiction to the chemical and pharmicutical industries, a cure means profit. To control the decline of the honey bee means turning our back on modern farming and the industries which dominate and reducing our reliance meaning less profit.

still no eggs

Well it’s day three and still no sign of an egg! I’m dying to find the first one, it’ll be the most satisfying breakfast ever. However there confidence is growing and I’ve decided to let them have the run of the garden today, although the doors been open for an hour and they are still not coming out I’m not sure if they realize they can.

I know that there is the issue with the fox but the run they are in has a concrete floor and they deserve the chance to scratch around in the dirt. I’ll be around all day and the dog’s here too.

I’m just considering if the rabbit proof fence we’re proposing to keep our veg safe is not going to be tall enough to keep the hens out.