Dorset lifestyle
Starting to flower in abundance, the pods were starting to get chewy so will leave them to mature. The rhubarb needs pulling, could do with more rain. Painted one side of the stable, the donkeys were shut in the paddock and came up to watch, William always takes time to see if anything is different so will be slow to start eating his mash tonight. A sunny cloudy day with a cool wind.
First of the season, not forced, so full of colour and flavour, there’s more coming so hope to have enough to freeze. Raked the raised bed that’ll be sown with early carrots in the next week or so, the tomato and cucumber plants are doing ok on the windowsill. A balloon was up early this morning, it didn’t travel very far in the light winds, there was too much cold mist in the vale. William was allowed to graze grass today, with no tubes or muzzle, he’ll have been happy to be out of the stable with Toby. A frosty start to a sunny day.
A sleepy start to the day, the donkeys settled down on the straw and dozed off. Scratching and stroking woke them up a little but they weren’t interested in their breakfast. The swallows were in and out of the stable all the time, disturbed by mucking out and replenishing of water. The sheep spent the day together in laneside paddock, separating them for the night was challenging, would be good if they all came when they were called! A sunny day, very hot when the mist cleared. Rhubarb crumble was very nice.
A good harvest from the crowns planted earlier in the year, will make a lovely crumble. The cos lettuce and mange tout peas are crisp and tasty and the first strawberries and raspberries are sweet, the runner beans are still not looking very healthy although there are some flowers on a few of them. Walter spent some time with Ivy and Elton in their paddock before they all ran to the rest of the flock, separated them again after a couple of hours and some bleating. A hot sunny day with the threat of thunderstorms, light until after ten o’clock, with a pale pink sunset.
William and Toby have had their vitamins and are resting, William in the evening sunshine and Toby in the shade of the stable. The high winds of the last day or two mean they’re less relaxed than usual, it’ll take a calm night to relax them. Moved barrowloads of compost from the heap to the new hedgerow which is looking healthy and full of fresh green leaves. The high winds snapped the rhubarb stalks, the leaves too big to withstand the gale. A sunny day with strong winds and rain clouds that passed by over the hills.
Collected stems of bright stemmed Alba Britzensis (Coral Bark Willow) and Alder from Castle Cary, the alder will be eaten by the donkeys, the willow given to them in smaller amounts so that they don’t overdose on the naturally occurring aspirin. Will push some of the whips into the ground to supplement the hedges, they’ll root easily if the soil remains wet for a few weeks. Planted rhubarb in the largest pots available, good roots so given enough water should produce lots of tasty stems. The donkeys and sheep were all out in the paddocks, a mild sunny day with light winds.
Vernal equinox, which means the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length, this is the start of spring for most, the birds are nesting, the days definitely feel warmer and the wind is less abrasive. A pair of partridges stayed in the garden most of the day and a pheasant has adopted a routine that includes the stable and the paddocks, it takes little notice of sheep, donkeys or humans and walks and scratches about talking to itself. The first rhubarb crown was moved a month or so ago, have dug up the rest and will plant them in large pots, the ground was too dry where they were under the hedge. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.
Lower than my other three beds at a foot high these will be filled with donkey poo and then packed with new strawberry plants and relocated rhubarb. Easy self assembly, no fancy packaging, all bought from Solway Recycling who make all their products from waste farm plastic. A fire last month delayed delivery but they’re back in production now, and offer an excellent service. Picked 6 cucumbers today, gave a few away…. no pumpkins yet, sheep and donkeys happy, a cloudy start to the day with hot sun later, watered the vegetables, removed sideshoots from the tomatoes.
