Quest for the Good Life

Review of our 2011 season

2012-01-14T21:17:00.000Z

Based on our aims(outlined on the home page of our web sitewww.questforthegoodlife.co.uk):-

Produce enough fruit and vegetables for our needs
Produce some home grown meat
Create a diverse natural habitat for wildlife
Develop our preserving skills
Make much more beer wine and cider
Use more wood to heat our home

This is simply a reviewof the year and an assessment of how we think we did.

1. Produceenough fruit and vegetables for our needs

2011 was the firstproper season of growing, 2010 being involved with clearing grass andconditioning the soil.

We were heavily guidedby the “Dig for Victory” planting guide from the second worldwar.

Dig for Victory plan

This gave us sometraditional structure to our growing season and the intention was toextend it and have a more consistent supply of veg. The results werea vast improvement on the previous season. Vegetable seedinstructions on the packet give a range of sowing dates. If you arenot careful you can plant too many at once and not really extend yourseason.

The plan helped tospread sowing and planting throughout the year and help make thegarden more productive over a longer period.

The types of crops inthe plan are very traditional. We do want to vary that and perhapsreduce some and introduce new ones. That's just natural tweaking. But the plan works and will be continued in 2012.

This plan also gives athree year crop rotation with the same plants returning in the fourthyear. Basic good husbandry for keeping pests and diseases undercontrol.

Nothing grows thoughwithout good soil and nutrition. This is where we look at the gardenmore “holistically” and build in organic practices and some goodold common sense from years ago.

We keep ContinentalGiant Rabbits which sell for pets, but they also produce considerablewaste.

Piles of Rabbit waste

This is mostly hay andchopped straw with some urine and excrement in it. Once composted toget the heat out from the urine, it is added liberally to the garden. Because 90% is straw or hay, it has little nutrition but does agreat job in lifting the heavy clay soil. So it is more of a soilimprover than a fertiliser.

For nutrition, we donot add any bought or commercial products. Good soil conditionsmeans bacteria and fungi doing their bit to create natural cycles. Low levels of nitrogen will be available from the ammonia breakdown. For plant tonics we use Nettle and Comfrey tea. Superb organicfertiliser.

Comfrey plant

As we have clay soil, good levels of nutrients alreadyexist but we have to work hard at keeping it loose and workable sothe plants can exploit it. We just top it up each year.

So how did ourvegetable growing go?

TOPVEG FOR 2011

Potatoes, Charlottes asan early salad and Cara/Ambo as the main. Superb is all we can say.

Potato crop

Beetroot, good earlyand main crop performance, more than we could eat or freeze

Turnips, after a hardstart in dry conditions, they came good in the end, delicious

Calabrese, nevermanaged this before and delighted with the results

Savoy cabbage, firsttime for these and they have done really well

OKto GOOD PERFORMING VEG 2011

Leeks, good crop withan early and late variety, always have short stalks though (down tome!)

Broad Beans, nice earlybeans but the dreaded black aphids always spoil the last ones

Winter Cabbage, goodsolid hearts formed, but prefer the Savoys

French beans (Dwarf),good producers, plenty for the freezer

Onions, red and whiteseemed to produce fairly well

Kohl Rabi, lovely firstearly crop, but dry conditions soon took its toll.

WEAKESTVEG 2011

Runner beans, perhapsthe dry conditions had their effect but not the best year

Celeriac, just didn'tseem to get going. We'll try again though.

Carrots, early one'sfine but struggled towards the end

Peas, always think theyare difficult to crop well, with pigeons and pheasants I think wehave to give up on peas and look for an alternative.

Lets move on to our fruit production.

The fruit trees we planted 2 years ago are now in various stages ofgrowth. The best performance this year has been from our Fiestaapple tree.

Fiesta Apple Tree

Then a new Gala tree. The older, more traditionalvarieties have been slower to develop.

Our Victoria plum tree has done well, but the Damsons have beenlimited.

This is early days for this part of the garden and we look forward toimprovements in 2012.

The Blackcurrants and Redcurrants have done really well and the bestcrop yet.

We have tested a Blueberry and the results were tasty so we havepurchased a further five bushes.

The fruit takes longer than the veg to develop but things are headingthe right direction.

Other crops included hops, in small quantities, that went into homemade beer (mmhh) and some grapes which were small but the firstdecent crop so far. We also had one, yes one, apricot. The figs arestill to produce a proper crop.

So lot's to look forward to in 2012.

Have we fulfilledour aim in “producing enough fruit and veg for our needs”?

In terms ofvegetables we have produced a surplus that has kept us going throughthe winter to date (Jan 2012). We have winter crops in the ground,summer ones in the freezer. I think we will manage without buyingmuch.

Fruit is adifferent story, we have been at the mercy of the trees and we haveproduced only a fraction of what we need.

Nowlets look at aim number 2, to “produce some home grown meat”.

We have had rabbits, quail and chickens that would generally be ableto supply some home grown meat. The rabbits were New Zealand Whites,a traditional meat variety. We looked at the costs of keeping themwell, humane killing and then butchering. We produced many mealsworth of rabbit meat but looked closely at the resale value ofoffspring for other would be rabbit breeders, and decided that it wasnot cost effective. The only benefit was knowing where the meat hadcome from. This was not enough on it's own.

Quail were kept as a trial for the same reason. Small units, easy tokeep. The rearing was relatively simple, their needs were few, butthe fiddle of getting the meat at the end out weighed the rearingtime. The eggs too were nice but a job and a half to peel.

So that leaves the chickens. We had some hybrid birds initiallywhich were perfect for producing eggs. They came into their thirdyear and laying rate starts to decline then. As they had no meat onthem we decided to give them away. We replaced them with a cockereland three Light Sussex hens. The intention being to raise young tolay eggs and go for meat. So far we have reared some birds but havenot yet tasted them.

So have we metour aim? We have produced rabbit meat and quail meat for our tableso the answer is yes. We haven't got a sustainable source yet thoughand we are looking to the chickens for that. 2012 will see thathappen.

Aim3 was “to create a diverse and natural habitat for wildlife”

We have continued in 2011 to add more and more features to our gardenthat will attract wildlife. Most of this comes from developing thecottage garden theme with herbs and flowers that are favoured byinsects and birds.

Cottage garden

We have added two bee hives to our garden in 2011 and this has builtup the numbers of pollinating insects for the fruit trees andvegetables. We are taking an active role in planting stuff that isespecially good for them and of course other bees and butterfliestoo. This is more of a “holistic” approach. Realising that ifwe look after the bees, they will help us by pollinating and we cantake a small amount of honey too. By building a rich source of beeplants around our garden, we are directly inputting into the qualityof the honey for the bees and us. You might argue that bee hives arenot natural, and we would agree, but this is an area of huge concernnow with agriculture destroying the local ecology so it is down togardeners and small holders to redress the balance.

Our pond has done really well in 2011. The dry conditions meant itfell to a record low but not enough to dry up completely. This meantthe newts, frogs, toads, water beetles and dragon flies could stilldo their thing.

Newt in our pond

Purple Loosestrife and Reed Mace have establishedthemselves and we plan to build bigger swathes of these in 2012. Thehoney bees also use the pond as a watering hole and the local birdpopulation use it every day.

The pond was built to drain wet clay soils in winter, it does thatwell. It has now become an integrated part of the garden ecosystemand the role it plays is so very important.

So have we created “a diverse and natural habitat for wildlife”? I think so, but we can build it up further. By looking at the flowergarden from the bees point of view we can improve it for all insects. Then the birds, frogs and toads will gain strength too. It's thatholistic approach to your garden.

Aim4 “Develop our preserving skills”

Whenever you are successful at creating a surplus in your garden,preserving skills kick in to make sure it lasts as long as possible. In 2011 we invested in a large chest freezer. Not the most skilfulmeans of preserving but the most sensible one.

Debi also did a lot more jam making using some of our fruit likeBlackcurrants as well as the local hedgerow produce.

Jams & Jellies

We would love to try drying fruit and smoking fish or even chicken,but that is some way off yet.

We dry herbs too which means we have them in the winter.

So in summary Ithink we have started to do more than we did but we are still a longway off from mastering this art.

Aim5 “Make much more beer, wine and cider”.

Well who wouldn't? No we haven't done nearly enough in this area. We have made some beer, some wine but no cider (bit short of applesstill). Beer has been primitive but drinkable. The best was in theautumn when our single hop plants yielded enough for a brew. It wasvery good, but didn't last long. More hops needed in 2012.

Wine was made from some plums but we really need to do more in thisarea.

________________________________________________________________

FinallyAim 6 “Use more wood to heat our home”

A nice ecological argument to burning wood as it releases the samecarbon that it absorbed when it grew. We do burn a reasonable amountof locally sourced logs, but we do have to use coal as well. Woodburns all right when it is kept burning furiously, but the additionof some coal makes the fire more stable and seems to be moreefficient overall when the two are mixed. So we haven't gone totallyto wood, but it does make up about 50% of our heating fuel intake.

Andso for the grand summary of 2011 . . .

A very dry year here in Lincolnshire, near drought conditions attimes. This did cause stresses on plants and much watering wasrequired. However we have been delighted with our vegetableproduction and the arrival of our honey bees. Our chickens havebecome a step closer to being sustainable as we now breed our own. The wholeness of the garden has grown, its parts benefiting from eachother and a mini ecosystem developing. It's been a good year.

Andfor 2012 . . .

We continue to develop the holistic nature of the garden. We groweach area as best we can in the hope that the whole becomes more thanthe sum of its parts. In doing so we develop ourselves and grow withit.

David& Debi Harmston

Questfor the Good Life

I never knew our ladies were so hairy . . .

2012-01-01T19:55:00.002Z

My goodness, I know ladies like to shave their hairy bits, but it seems as though our bees like to let it grow. In fact hair's quite important.
Here are some close up shots of a honey bees hairy bits. For more explanations you'll have to go to the web site.

For an explanation of what bits they are go to

http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/honey-bee-anatomy.html

Boxing day "Flight of the Honey bees"

2011-12-26T18:45:00.000Z

With the onset of cooler and wetter weather a week or two ago, who would have thought that on Boxing Day 2011 both bee hives would be a live with flying bees.

With some winter sunshine on the hives and some mild morning temperatures for the time of year, the bees made the most of it and came out of the hives. A chance to stretch the wings and go to the loo.

They seemed to be landing on the damp grass, presumably to collect water droplets to take back to the hive. The pond is only some 30 metres away but they didn't seem to venture that far. Not one bee was seen landing at the pond (whereas in summer it is busy with bees). So local flights only. Nevertheless it is good to see them out and about and proof that many of them are OK so far this winter.

Making your own beer and wine . . .

2011-11-25T07:48:00.001Z

Beer and wine making has been a home based activity for hundreds, along with making bread and growing your own food. It is only in modern history that brewing on an industrial scale has taken place.

Dandelion Wine

While the big brands of the beer and wine world get a grip on the drinking public, there is a strong and dedicated group of people that brew their own. Like growing your own food, it takes a bit more effort and planning, but you hopefully have a more rewarding result at the end.
Although (see left) the result can lack a designer bottle, gold embossed label, the contents can compete on flavour. Yes, those flavours can be radically different, some wines are like port, others dry and sharp. Variety and to some extent surprise is the attraction.

We dabble in brewing our own. In truth we would love to do more and perhaps do more now than ever in the past. Beer is quite quick. Within 3 weeks you have a drinkable batch. Wine is a bit more time dependent and you may have to wait for up to a year for decent results. This is what stops most people from doing it, when it is so easy to nip down the shop and by a bottle for £4, but getting a stock of wine at 30p per bottle and having a years supply on hand at any time does seem to be utopia.

There is perhaps a place for both. Making your own wine from your own picked or grown ingredients has the same delight and satisfaction that growing your own food does. If you're of a frugal mind then the economics of it will appeal. If you like to know the origins of your drink then you can do no better than create your own. There is the social side to drinking home brew too. The sampling and testing that can lead to one too many!

We have just completed a batch of beer that was made from malt extract from the chemist (£2.40 or so for a jar). We also just took a crop of hops off our plant in the garden. Boiled for 15 minutes, the hop water went into the mix along with the malt and a bag of sugar. When it was cool some bread yeast was added. The results are delicious, just a delight to drink and compares well to bottled beers. About 45p per pint!

We have some recipes for home made wines on our site page

http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/wine.html

and our beer page
http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/beer.html

Looks like Autumns really here . . .

2011-11-20T12:30:00.001Z

We have done well really this autumn. Temperatures in Lincolnshire have been above the average for the time of year. This has meant that some flowers have just kept going, like the Honeywort (Cerinthe).

A strange flower, grows easily and seems to self seed and appear where it wants. It forms a leafy clump and has these small hanging purple flowers on it. Not the most stunning, but it always seems to be there. Even the honey bees have found it on the days when they have been able to leave the hive.

And then there is always the Pot Marigold. Traditional cottage garden flower and without the frosts just keeps going. These were planted out later than normal but what a show.

But with the fogs and lowering temperatures, it seems as though it is time for late summer to finally hand over to autumn. The dampness and chill feel to the air takes it toll. The bees are clustering in their hive and the garden looks washed out and brown. But, with all thing failing, something is succeeding. By that I mean the fungi. It's their time of year now . . .

So let each one take it's turn, play it's part in the circle of life. For all the garden has produced this year, in flower, fruit and vegetable the fungi keep the balance and get rid of the dead stuff and maintain the status quo ready to begin again in spring. They have their part to play now.

Quest for the Good Life home page re-designed

2011-11-13T09:47:00.001Z

Always trying to make our home page for the web site (www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk) as clear and as inviting as possible.
We have now renewed some of the graphics with the intention of providing more links associated with each topic.

Also we have included once again our Twitter feed on the left hand side.

Our new bee keeping section is growing rapidly as our interest and knowledge gets bigger.

So if you haven't been there yet then take a look!

Updates on the main lists too . . .

2011-10-29T08:54:00.002+01:00

In the last blog we mentioned that we had introduced anew bee plant list "Best of the Best" and that we had not updated the main lists.

All lists have now been updated from the main database. Not sure how long it will be though before we find more plants to add to it !!

You can go straight to the list section via this link

http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/plants-for-bees.html#Plants

If you check out the spring flowering list, you can be planting bulbs etc now ready for early next year.

Updating plant lists don't half take some time !!!

2011-10-26T17:55:00.001+01:00

You may have read that I have been busy creating a bee friendly plant database. More of a compilation of everyone else's lists and researching information to try and melt it all in one successfully.

Anyway the 1st edition was launched last week and with all of these things as soon as you release it, it goes out of date. More plants added. I have not updated the main reports yet and I will do this over the next week or two.

I have released a new report called the "best of the best" plants. This is the result of researching top plants for bees, those that give good nectar and pollen. We can always add more, but the idea was to give a list of 20-30 plants that could enhance a garden tremendously. With gardens getting smaller, these plants will maximise the bee friendly nature as well as give the gardener some delightful flowers.

If some appear to be weeds then don't worry, learn to love them for what they are, bee food!

You can view the lists by going to :-
http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/plants-for-bees.html#Plants

Making bread, how hard can it be?

2011-10-23T18:43:00.000+01:00

The answer is not hard at all. But then that's easy for me to say because I dont' do it. Debi does!

There is a world of difference between home made bread and the supermarket bread. We were forced to eat bought commercial bread recently when the cooker was out of action and it was the most awful experience.

We (yes the royal we) have been making bread now for two years and although it takes a bit of effort, it's worth it.

This has just come out of the tin and you can almost smell it through the screen. Costs around a pound to make so you can save a bit on bought bread, but you get a denser more substantial loaf which will fill you up and keep you going through the dark winter days ahead.

Food like this made Britain great, not flimsy cotton wool fluff that they sell in supermarkets. So eat some proper bread. Make your own.

While I've been away from the blog . . .

2011-10-22T09:28:00.001+01:00

It's been a while, but I have been busy assembling a database of bee friendly plants.
Yes there are many lists on the net and in books, but when I looked at them some are flowers, some trees, some contain hundreds of plants, others top tens.

I decided to combine lists into one database and research flowering times so I can pull of lists by season, month or by flower or tree etc..

Although I would never say it's 100% accurate and is certainly not complete yet, but it is now in a good enough shape to release as a first edition.

To access these lists go to our plants-for-bees page and click on the list you want to see. They are in pdf format so you need Adobe Reader which can be accessed from the same page.

Even if you do not keep honey bees, these plants will also help Bumble Bees, Hoverflies and many other pollinating insects. By extending the flowering season you make your garden a haven for wildlife. You also add colour, often fragrance and sheer delight to your garden, so you benefit as well.

I would say research the plants first. Make sure they are suitable for your region, garden and planting location. By creating a more "holistic" garden you can put back some of the connection with the natural world that modern man has done so much to destroy.

So turn your garden into an insect paradise in 2012 and see the difference. Imagine if every garden in the world did the same. Not only would the world be a more beautiful place, but we would all be better off!

A garden pond is important for wildlife and your honey bees . . .

2011-10-02T11:18:00.000+01:00

Our natural garden pond is now becoming established and we have frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies as well as the array of pond life such as whirlygig beetles, pond skaters and water boatmen.

The honey bees from our two hives also regard it as an important source of water. It has been a long dry summer here in Lincolnshire (unlike some areas I believe) and the pond has been important to all wildlife.

The pond was dug out of the natural clay that makes up most of the garden. This is nice because it drains excess water from the vegetable garden and holds on to it. It doesn't drain away and the only losses are from evaporation.

The honey bees like to drink from it and I believe that the natural clays and minerals around the edge help to supply them with all that they need. They certainly seem to gather around the edges with their proboscis in the mud.

Many ponds are more formal and kept clean and filtered. This is perhaps more important if you have a concentration of Koi that need to be kept in good health. We have opted for no fish and to keep it as natural as possible. Although we don't like the blanketweed, we only control it when it gets to choking point. A small amount is a bonus.

The honey bees use it as a landing pad so they can take on water.

So if your pond looks a bit untidy, just say its natural and much better for wildlife!

Late flowering plants are a blessing for the bees . . .

2011-10-01T22:48:00.000+01:00

Many plants are finishing their flowering activities and are closing down for the winter. Those garden plants that are just in their peak are really sought after by the bees.

Honey bee on late flowering Aster

This Aster is absolutely gorgeous. Now fully out in flower and with the sun on it, the bees are descending on it like crazy. It must have just reached its peak of perfection and they are making the most of it. When it first came into flower they took very little notice and we began to think it was not a suitable flower. How wrong we were. With the surrounding areas getting hard up for foraging, they are now using their own garden much more. How satisfying!

Whilst plant hunting in the garden centre, the only sort that seemed to be attracting honey bees were the Caryopteris. Not one we had in our garden, but very attractive all the same. So guided by the bees we bought one. Then a week later we bought another one! Not only do our honey bees like it but the Bumble Bees love it too!

bee on our new Caryopteris

Busy, busy, busy . . .

2011-09-25T21:25:00.000+01:00

With the lovely warm sunny weather here in Lincolnshire, the bees are active and flying out to gather what remains of the summer flowers.

Gardening for us and the bees

2011-09-24T23:32:00.003+01:00

If you have a garden then you will choose plants that you like the look of, the scent or style it may bring to your overall theme. Add another dimension to that, the value to bees. With nectar and pollen being so important to the strength of the honey bee colony, your garden plants can make all the difference. If you choose to plant those that are particularly good at providing food for bees then you will be repaid by lots of visitors and the satisfaction that you are helping to keep colonies alive.

We are building a list of plants that are especially good for bees. It will evolve with time, if you know of others then please let us know and we will add it to the list.

http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/plants-for-bees.html

Keeping bees makes you think hard about your garden plants . . .

2011-09-23T20:04:00.000+01:00

For those of us with gardens, the plethora of flowers, shrubs and trees on the market is daunting at the best of times. Now we have bees we look at each one critically and ask "what will it bring to our honey bees?". The answer has to be either pollen or nectar, but even more so if it produces these things early in the year or late in the year then it scores massive brownie points.

We now go to the garden centre armed with a mental or written list of plants we are searching for. Mostly we are unsuccessful. It is very difficult to get the exact balance of plants you want without spending an absolute fortune.

When you focus on either end of the growing season you end up with plants like Mahonia, Alder, Snowdrops, Aconites, Willows and Hazels, all offering early spring pollen to the bees.

Willow

Then at the other end its a case of leaving some Ivy to flower and finding those late flowering Asters

There are many useful trees, shrubs and flowers that are a welcome addition to any garden and help all bees.

For more info go to our main site page http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/plants-for-bees.html

Keeping bees means keeping mites too . . .

2011-09-22T23:37:00.000+01:00

They say that there's not a single bee hive in the UK that has not got some infestation of Varroa Mite. These delightful little creatures share their life cycle with the honey bee, partially on the bees themselves but also sharing the brood cells with the young bees. They are so well tuned in to the life cycle of the bees that they become difficult to eradicate.

Single Varroa Mite

The bee keeper can only hope to control them, keeping their numbers down to levels that will not interfere with the health of the colony.

Various chemicals controls have been used in the past and, just as with human anti-biotics, have developed strains that are resistant. These resistant mites reproduce and generate more of the same. If the bee keeper continues to use the same treatments then resistance builds up in the hive to a point where control is useless.

It seems the only partial solution is to use various treatments and monitor mite numbers using a varroa mesh floor. There are many products available, but you can only aim to reduce numbers not get rid. It would seem that for now these mites are a constant annoyance to the bees and the bee keeper.

More on our main site at http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/varroa-mites.html

It's not all food you know

2011-09-04T12:24:00.001+01:00

Some of what we do results in food for our table. Flowers, on the other hand, we hope will encourage predators like hover flies and help feed our bees which will provide us with honey. And they look nice !

Purple Loosestrife

Wow, are these lovely

And these too . . .

Nice wildflower collection

Looks like we may be achieving some of our aims

2011-09-04T12:10:00.000+01:00

For those of you who have either come from our main website, or choose to go there next (www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk), will know that we have a list of aims on our home page. These are simply what we wish to do. The rest of the web site goes into how we try to do it.

The third aim is to "create a diverse natural habitat for wildlife". Of course when you are gardening, you could argue that's not natural, but we don't use any chemicals and plant things that are of value to wildlife and not necessarily us.

So yesterday (3rd Sept) whilst clearing the potato tops ready for lifting, not just one but many frogs leaping around. This shot just captures that nice balance between us taking out a crop and wildlife living along side us.

If only the rest of agriculture could be like this! Oh, and the potatoes are brilliant, look no sprays!

Frog keeping me company during the potato harvest

Some good harvest now appearing

2011-08-13T17:37:00.000+01:00

We have had a good year so far in terms of growing our own vegetables. The broad beans were of a good yield and have filled up the freezer. Following on the French beans are now at their peak and our Runner beans (which we planted deliberately later) are now starting to produce.

The onions have also turned out well.

We have heard of some people having problems with fungal diseases so we decided to get them up. Here they are laid on wire arks to allow the drying air to get under them and well as on top,. Once they have toughened up they can go into storage nets.

The second early potatoes Charlotte, which are a lovely waxy delicious variety, have now all been harvested. The last few are to be savored in the cooking pot.

We are now going to dig up our Cara and Ambo varieites which will need to toughen up and go into storage. Early peaks beneath the soil suggest it will be a reasonable crop.

The remarkable thing is that the Charlotte seed tubers were cut in half. This was to make up enough plants for the space I had. Being tight I thought it would be useful to see if it could work. I have done this with main crop tubers before, but never with second earlies. The results were fine, good strong plants and as good a crop as if I had planted whole seeds. So next year I will be doing the same thing. The pay back is that I set 3 rows of Charlotte for just £3.25. Now that's fed us for about 2 months in potatoes, from lovely new ones to older ones, that when pealed make fantastic mash, really creamy. So how about that. 2 months of potatoes for £3.25 ! Try that in your supermarket!

The wasps continue to cause hassle!

2011-08-13T17:23:00.000+01:00

With the continuing warm weather, the successful breeding of young wasps has meant that wave after wave of new youngster have found the bee hive in the hope of an easy meal.

We continue in our efforts to try and keep some balance to all this and reduce the wasp numbers by placing jam pots around the hives. Some of these jam pots have become so full of dead wasps in just a week, that we have had to either empty them and refill the contents, or more likely sieve out the wasps and return the fermenting jam liquor to the pot to continue it's important work.

We have heard of a bee hive in another area being completely destroyed by invading wasps. It is vital then to keep control around the hives as far as possible to reduce this risk.

Here we have the contents of just one small jam pot after about a week.

Dead wasps out of just one jar trap

We have several shapes, sizes and types of trap around the hives . . .

In all we have about eleven traps around the two colonies. Some more successful than others. Jams and Marmalade make good baits, but we also read about vinegar and sugar too. We tried this in one trap with some success but not the best by far. Three traps had some of our homemade sloe jelly in. Now this stuff is different. It is thick and jelly like and has that plum smell that the wasps like. The only problem is that when dissolved in the water, it forms a good surface tension. The wasps could walk on this. So one drop of washing up liquid changed that and now these sloe jelly traps are very successful.

We also see the honey bees doing their best to fight off the invaders. Bees tumbling out of the hive, grappling with a wasp, are a common sight. Quite often they don't kill them though, they seem to just evict them, allowing them to return another time. Other times you see them taking out dead bodies of wasps, so they do manage to kill them, but the sheer numbers this year could easily over run the hive without our help.

Oh all those Wasps !!!!

2011-08-08T12:56:00.000+01:00

With the warm, early spring running into a fairly dry and warm summer, the wasps have been able to nest and rear plenty of young. There are hundreds, if not thousands around here at any one time.

With beekeeping, the problems intensify with the wasps trying to get into the hive to rob either grubs or the stores of nectar and honey. The hives seem to attract more of them so the only answer is to make lots of jam pots.

Jam pots are used to trap and drown wasps. A simple empty jar with a hole in the lid about the size of a pencil. Inside a teaspoon of jam, some spread under the lid and sides of the jar. Then half fill with water.

The wasps are attracted to the sweetness of the jam and go in through the hole in the lid. They cannot easily get out so have to fly around until they exhaust themselves and fall into the water and drown.

We have four or five around each hive. They catch enormous amounts of wasps, but some still get into the hives to steal and plunder.

So if you have too many wasps, hang some jam jar traps up. It wont stop them all, but it will thin them out.

We must remember though that wasps do a lot of good around the garden, taking pests and clearing up.

The sheer volume of them this year though is excessive and if not controlled start to cause other problems.

Board & Lodgings . . . breakfast, lunch and dinner provided . . .

2011-06-26T22:12:00.000+01:00

Day two of our venture into Bee Keeping and all seems well.

Yesterday evening, I placed a rapid feeder into the hive. Because the bees came as a nucleus, the frames that came with them will be full of eggs, larvae and food, but the new ones in my hive will be basic foundation. This means the bees have to work hard to create the cells on the foundation, a process called drawing out.

To achive all this they need food, pollen and nectar. To help the feeder, filled with sugar syrup, gives them a reliable source of energy to let them get on with the work. Also, this time of year there can be a shortage of food as the spring trees and flowers have gone over and the later summer flowers may not yet have opened.
It's good to see in this picture, a bee has pollen baskets full (top left).

So today with the higher temperatures and sunshine, the hive was literally buzzing.

The bees seem to have discovered the pond with regular visit to take on water. The interesting thing is that previously we had only seen about two honey bees in more than over 18 months. An indicator of how few there are. Now our bees are here, every corner has an inquisitive honey bee looking for food. The garden is a real bee super highway.

If you think bees will sting you then we can say that is just not true, unless you give them reason to. Without protection, we can stand quietly two or three feet away from the hive and watch the action as workers leave and return. They are simply consumed with their role in the hive and getting on with it. Of course if you poke around in the hive then you may arouse more attention, but that's ok isn't it?

Our new pollinators have arrived!

2011-06-25T10:35:00.000+01:00

Following on from our previous note on moving the muck heap to make room for our new bee hive, we have now completed the work. Because the site is a little exposed to the wind, we have erected a trellis and lined it with wind break mesh. This will give some protection until the plants can grow up.

The floor around the hive is slabbed and planted around with herbs Thyme, Oregano and Marjoram. Give it a year or two and it should be a sheltered corner of the garden.

We now have the hive, a national, bought as a flat packed kit. Complete with 2 supers and all of the frames and foundation it makes a great starter pack. Building your own from flat pack gives you a better understanding of the hive and its components.

Today, our nucleus of bees arrived at 9.00 am (no not by Beesy Jet or Buzz). Installed into the hive they now have a week or so to settle before I go poking around again.

Here's a few of the new residents having a chat about their new housing. All good I hope!

Preparing for the Bees

2011-06-12T21:41:00.001+01:00

With the moving of our compost heap (See "Moving Muck") this has allowed us space to get the base slabs ready for our bee hive.

Alot of straw and compost had to be moved, but it has left a nice area for the slabs which can be planted round with herbs and flowering plants for the bees to enjoy.

It will need some protection from the wind as we are a bit exposed here.

Next is to build up the Hive that was delivered a short while back. Then get some last bits and pieces. Finally we will be ready for the nucleus of bees that will be arriving on the weekend of 25th/26th June.

Looking forward to it, but also apprehensive.

Structuring the vegetable garden

2011-06-12T21:33:00.000+01:00

What on earth? Or should I say what in earth!

This is a bit of an experiment. With our courgettes taking up alot of space, we found people on the internet growing them up nets and wire cylinders instead of across the ground.
Anyone who has grown courgettes, and more so squash, will know that they can spread a it and take up alot of space. Although we will be growing most conventionally, this has to be tried. The idea is to plant at the base and encourage the plant to go up the inside of the structure. Leaves come out the sides and it kind of supports itself. Flowers and fruit form and hang over the edges. This is the theory anyway. Lets see how it goes!

Moving Muck

2011-06-12T21:23:00.001+01:00

New compost in made from re-cycled wood

Previously our rather large and out of control compost heap lived its life as a huge pile of straw and plant material that spilled over the paths or spread about by Blackbirds looking for those prized red worms.
Now we have built a container from re cycled wood to keep it under control. It seems to be working really well and steam puthers from the top.

It's a good size, about 6 feet square. This allows you to pile it up giving volume for all those microbes to do their work. Heat builds up and the process gets underway. Most of the material is straw and sawdust from the rabbits and quail. All good heaps need carbon and nitrogen to work properly. The straw certainly provides the carbon, but we could be short on nitrogen. To balance this, we use our natural liquid fertiliser from Comfrey and Nettles to provide a welcome burst of nitrogen rich fertiliser. With some added water, the mix seems to work well.

Apple Blossom, Apple Blossom on the tree, who is the fairest of them all?

2011-04-19T20:44:00.000+01:00

Good question I hear you say. Must be down to personal preference, but now is the time to decide because the apple blossom is coming to a head here in Lincolnshire. With hundreds of varieties the choice is massive. Out of our few trees we have I propose three trees based on their blossom. These are:-

Top prize to James Grieve

It has such a combination of dark pink buds and light pink to white flowers that it really does look a picture.

Second prize goes to:-

Fiesta. This tree keeps some of the pink blush in the petals and makes an impressive display.

Finally third prize goes to:-

Worcester Pearmain. Now it is fairly modest in the flower, but I like the buds, a delicate shade of peach rather then pink. Subtle but different.

It's always amazes me how a new pond soon becomes alive . . .

2011-04-17T16:19:00.001+01:00

So in little more than a year, what was a sterile hole in the ground with earth all around has slowly been colonised by all sorts of creatures. Some of the first in were the Pond Skaters, followed by Whirlygig Beetles, Water Boatmen and of course mosquito larvae.

So more and more invertebrate life has settled in and made the waters much busier than expected.

Now we have the bigger stuff moving in. Frogs and Toads have been seen in the pond and heard calling but no spawn has been seen. More interesting is the appearance of Newts, first seen only two days ago.

I am amazed at how quickly life colonises and makes a pond home. Where does it all come from?

At last the Apple blossom shows signs of blooming . . .

2011-04-10T11:50:00.001+01:00

With the Plums now coming to an end of their flowering, with the exception of our Shropshire Prune which is only just waking up, it is the turn of the Apples. Some are still being very lazy, like the D'arcy Spice and the Stoke Red, but others such as the Fiesta and Egremont Russet are getting on with it.

Egremont Russet Apple Blossom

This Egremont Russet blossom is lovely, the buds are pink which upon opening reveal pale pink to white flowers.. They seem to form in clumps which makes it even more attractive.

Also our Fig, which we thought had lost the fight for life over winter, is just squeezing out its first efforts.

Brunswick Fig back from the dead

Also, for every organic gardener, the sign of the Comfrey moving up from the soil is a sign of liquid plant food to come.

Comfrey, the best organic plant food

To find out more about using Comfrey and Nettles visit our web site page :- http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/natural-fertiliser.html

More seeds hit the dirt . . .

2011-04-05T20:07:00.000+01:00

Following the "Dig for Victory" plan, today we saw early Carrots, early Beetroot and some Perpetual Spinach sown. The carrots and the beet will be an intercrop. When the Savoys cabbages and Winter cabbages are growing they will be planted in the same area between rows.

You can find out more about the Dig for Victory plan here http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/planting-calendar.html

Conference Pear blossom following on . . .

2011-04-04T17:11:00.000+01:00

Following on from the Comice Pear and its excellent display of flowers, our Conference Pear is now doing the same. Not such a solid flower as the Comice, but still more robust than the delicate Plum species.. This is a much stockier tree and not so vigorous. Fewer side branches and a heavier appearance overall.
Sorry for the slight shaky picture but the wind has arrived yet again (outside I mean!)

Plums and Pears lead the way into spring blossom . . .

2011-04-03T10:55:00.000+01:00

With our fruit trees now getting established, they seem to be heaving a sigh of relief after the cruel, icy bashing of the long winter. They are showing their delight by producing a mass of flowers. The Pear trees are leading the crusade, with the Comice Pear taking the prize for first and best.

A delightful, quite solid flower. The whole tree is covered with blossom, so with a few nice days and some friendly bees, we should have a crop this year.

Closely behind the Pear is the Victoria Plum.

A slightly more open flower and more delicate. Once again the tree seem to be covered. Such a pleasant thing to see.

Finally, at the minute, in third place the Damson Merryweather.

A stunningly beautiful flower, simple in its structure. Again the tree seems to be offering as many blossoms as possible. Hopefully a sign of good things to come.

We eagerly await the start of our Apple blossom. Perhaps the ultimate fruit flower!

Seed sowing underway!

2011-03-22T22:00:00.000Z

With the sunshine and the warmer temperatures, even our clay soil is warming up nicely. Having turned in about 20 barrow loads of composted straw/hay and rabbit manure, the soil looks almost good. We still have solid clay beneath, but I am hopeful that if we keep piling in the composted material, the depth will increase.

The quality of the compost material we have put in is not super rich. It is mostly hay or straw which has very little nutrition but has many benefits in opening up the soil and allowing air and moisture to move around. This straw has been composted for up to a year as it came from the rabbit pens and was rich in urine. This did heat up and encourage a good population of red worms (Brandlings I believe). Also the straw has a good selection of microbes, fungi and other life.

By turning this into the soil firstly in autumn and then again in March, it doesn't over feed the soil, instead it supercharges it with plant material and beneficial life. A bit like adding bran and natural bio yoghurt to your porridge !

So with that all done, we are now settling down to the job of growing food. You may have already read that we are using the "Dig for Victory" grow for winter as well as summer plan, issued during the second world war to help home gardeners produce their own food. We have a copy and you can download the same from our main website . http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/downloads.html

We will modify slightly what we grow but on the whole the plan will be adhered to. So our Broad Beans are growing, Onions ready to sprout. Just recently Brussels, Parsnips, Kohl Rabi and Celeriac all set. Also the first of the summer salad crops, Lettuce, Radish and those spicy oriental leaves are sown.

Then of course there's the weeds, pigeons and rabbits to control . . . always a down side!

Quail house completed

2011-03-15T20:36:00.001Z

We now have our small but practical quail house (shed really) up and running.
Made from simple economy shed lined with OSB and fitted out with 5 cages, it serves to house our egg laying stock, breeding stock and rearing birds

The purpose of the birds is to provide eggs for eating and meat. To achieve this you need to keep an egg laying group of hens (no cock bird), some breeding birds (cocks and hens) and some rearing space.
Quail are remarkably quick growing and soon mature.
The eggs are small and fiddly but do taste more creamy than a chickens eggs and are apparently more nutritious. As a meal, the birds taste more like game and have more flavour than chicken.

Signs of Springs here at last

2011-03-15T20:26:00.000Z

Our Blackcurrant bushes seem to be leading us out of winter and into spring. This bush is the earliest of them all and is the most advanced plant in the garden.

This is one of our Pear trees which is also showing good signs of bud burst.

Growing your own is more efficient than buying it?

2011-02-19T21:51:00.000Z

There are estimates kicking about that growing your own veg for an average family is worth £1500 per year. For someone on the minimum wage that is equivalent to a whole months work.

Also if you grow and harvest £100 worth of vegetables they will have cost you very little (seeds etc) and you can keep the lot. If you worked for the same £100 you would have to pay tax and NI. This could reduce your cash by 25% (approx, depending on tax rates etc). So you would only have £75 to spend in store on veg.

That suggests that growing your own veg is 25% more efficient than buying it. Of course you would have a heck of a job trying to pay your council tax in potatoes or trying to put carrots in your electric meter. But you get my drift.

Suggestion for a more relevant title ?

2011-02-12T23:38:00.000Z

There are so many terms to describe people who are trying to grow more of their own food.
Grow your own, down shifters, self sufficient, self reliant, to name a few.

There is a sort of scale from the top end, self sufficiency (growing everything you need yourself) down to the bottom end with a few salad veg in a window box for a summer treat. The top end is much more intensive and involves an enormous amount of time and effort to achieve. It also needs a lot of ground, about 10 acres for an average family. Mini farming really. The lower end is much easier to achieve and you can go as high up the scale as you are comfortable with. The more space you have the higher you can climb. It is not just space though. The higher you climb, the more time and effort you have to spend doing it.

All grow your own requires some time and effort. To get anywhere you have to look at your lifestyle. If you spend time down the pub or watching TV for half the day, you might find it hard to get started in grow your own.

So I propose a new term that groups all these names, like self sufficient and grow your own, into one simple label. "Time Shifting"

After all this is the most important ingredient. By shifting your spare time, managing your day to day life so you can get growing is the most important thing.

Fox attack - if you have Chickens, you have a fox!

2011-01-22T21:07:00.000Z

If you keep Chickens, you will know the danger the fox presents. It will test your fences and find a weak point. When the opportunity arises it will sneak in and at best grab a single bird or at worst destroy most of your flock. They really are a nuisance. Urban chicken keepers have problems with the rise in urban foxes and the people who feed them.
So, make sure your fences are good. Make repairs and ensure no chances are left for the fox to take advantage of. If not then expect this

We had one of our new Light Sussex taken today. At least it was eaten and not just killed and left. Never the less, we are a hen down. Fences have been repaired and reinforced. Let this be a warning to all chicken keepers, if you have that bit of wire that could do with another staple, don't delay fix it now before it is too late!

Old "Dig for Victory" war time vegetable plan for 2011 season

2011-01-02T11:35:00.000Z

We recently came across a copy of an old Ministry of Agriculture "Dig for Victory" Grow for winter and well as summer leaflet.

It is a 3 page leaflet which was designed to help home gardener get the most from their vegetable plot. It has all the information you could need about sowing times, number of row and planting distances. A useful document during the war and still relevant today.

Perhaps the only real difference is that garden sizes were bigger then and allotments were more common, so many people today would find it hard to get enough space to use it.The plan is based on a plot size 90' x 30' but it could be scaled down fit a reasonable sized garden.

There's much more about this document and how we intend to use it on our main website. www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk

Intensive Dairy Farming back on the planning agenda

2010-12-15T21:42:00.000Z

After withdrawing the initial plans to put an intensive dairy farm in Lincolnshire, Nocton Dairies have now re-submitted their plans. This time it is on a reduced scale but still involves keeping cows in sheds intensively, just like battery chickens
This is the first of its kind in the UK on this scale and would also be the first of many to come if this gets through. It's effect would be felt in many ways:-

Local impact on the immediate communities
Impact on UK dairy farming
Changes to the countryside
Animal Welfare
Jobs

Local Impact
For those living near thousands of cows there will be noise, smell and increased traffic. Difficult for the UK to see individual problems like these and it is fair to say that the local communities around the Lincolnshire site are not in favour and are actively putting their case forward. If these farms are allowed to expand across the UK then more of us will live near one and have to face these problems.

Impact of Dairy Farming
It is understood that the UK dairy farming has not be doing that well. These larger intensive farms may be more efficient and make more profit but that leaves all existing smaller herds unable to compete so there is a serious threat to smaller UK dairy farms. What small farms need is better margins on their milk sales, not competition from a giant industrial scale operation.
When all of these small scale dairy farms go bust, what will happen to their land? Sold off? Will the long established pasture be torn up and turned into wheat or oil seed rape.?

Changes to the Countryside
Pasture tends to be old grass with mature hedges and established wildlife. If dairy farms go out of business, they may well be turned over to arable. Smaller fields sizes are no good so hedges will go, wildlife habitat changes will be enormous. There will be no more cows in green fields. Local dairies using local milk will disappear. Local specialist cheese makers will loose their local ingredients. Market towns will say goodbye to their cattle market and all the spin offs from that.

Animal Welfare
Although Nocton Dairies claim they will have 24 hr vets on site and maternity buildings for the cows, you have to think about the conditions these cows will be kept in. Hard floors, no grass, milked several times a day and walking around on an effluent covered floor. The sheer intensity of large animals means there will be health problems, hence the 24 hr vets. As with intensive chicken farming, the slightest sign of disease and the antibiotics are pumped in to all of the animals. These will be no different. I dont want to drink milk with antibiotics in it. I dont want to see cows kept for their milking life in sheds. It is morally corrupt.

Jobs
This massive complex will only create a handful of jobs (about 60). There may be some local need for fodder etc. The plans include dwellings for foreign workers. The true job benefit to the local community will be negligible. The impact of small farms going under will far out weigh this. Then think of the spin offs from all these small farms. Vets, tanker drivers, land rover dealers, feed merchants and farm supplies, abattoirs etc etc. There is no employment benefit to these plans.

So if there are no gains in jobs, the animals loose their freedom to eat and walk on grass, what is it all about? There is only one reason, profit. This scheme is designed to make more money per litre of milk. The millions of pounds being invested (first plans were £34 mill I believe) will only be put in if there is more than that to get back out. BUT! When they start producing milk more efficiently and make more profit, what do you think the supermarkets will say to that? We'll have some of that! So the profit falls back to what it was but the cows don't go back to the fields. They are imprisoned, producing more milk in their concrete world for an industry that is in the same place as it was before, and the supermarkets are that little bit richer!
So in essence, it cannot be right to keep cows intensively. If you are against battery chickens then you must be against battery cows. There are no gains to this scheme in the long term, only losses.
We have this last chance to oppose this planning and make sure this does not happen.

What you can do
Nocton Dairies are in the North Kesteven District Council planning area. They have this application on their web site and you can add comments to it. You will need to create a log in, but then you can add your opinion directly to the application as well as reading the hundreds of others.

http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/section.asp?sectionType=3&catId=455

If you click on this it will take you to the start page. There is a copyright notice which you have to say you accept by clicking on it. Then you are on the planning search page. Create an account here otherwise you will not be able to add your comments. Once you have done that, search for this application
10/1397/FUL
Once you have found it you can add to the comments tab. This is one way you can get you thoughts direct to the heart of the issue.

Compassion in World Farming is also on the case and you can go to their site

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/

If you take the time to do something about this, then thank you for reading this and making the effort. We will all benefit, and so will the cows.

Extreme frost

2010-12-05T16:24:00.000Z

Following a slightly warmer evening with snow melting on the roofs and light rain falling from the night sky, we went to bed expecting to see quite a thaw. Instead, the temperatures dropped and the water turned to ice. This frost is the deepest and most bizarre I have ever seen. It formed on the car roof and was like a thick sculptured carpet.
Whatever next ?

The cold continues . . .

2010-12-03T17:04:00.000Z

The cold weather continues and the scene beyond our garden looks like a frozen wasteland. The still, cold air is quiet. Just a few birds, the odd distant car. The crunch of the snow underfoot is a sign that it could be around for some time yet.

The Big Lincolnshire Freeze

2010-12-02T19:57:00.003Z

Whilst much of the country is having a cold spell, here in Lincolnshire we seem to have had it for a long time as those icy winds keep bringing snow showers from off the north sea and beyond.

Since this picture was taken we have probably had another 3 inches. So while the garden rests under its blanket of snow, time to start thinking about what to grow next year. Perhaps a poly tunnel would be a good idea ?

Quail Eggs a hatching ....well hopefully

2010-11-25T21:07:00.000Z

26 Quail eggs placed in the incubator yesterday and so the wait begins - not too long though as quail eggs usually hatch around day 15/16. I have been told not to expect above a 50% success rate but I`m always hopeful. This will be a new venture and I`m already excited in anticipation of the tiny chicks emerging in just a couple of weeks:)
Will post photos as they hatch - and more to track their progress.

Chuck Newbie`s!

2010-11-25T20:58:00.000Z

Well here they are - newbies in the coup. Our quartet of light sussex chickens, just 12 months old and the start up of our breeding stock. After arriving today they`re now taking time to settle in - watch this space for photos and updates on their progress......

Our mini rotavators!

2010-10-19T20:39:00.000+01:00

With the last of the potatoes dug and stored away for the coming months all that was left was a very decimated patch of garden awaiting clearance and digging over before winter – but what better clearers than this little bunch!

Not only are our chucks enjoying eating everything left in the soil but they`re helping to turn it over too – and produce eggs – bless em!

A calm before the storm....

2010-10-19T20:25:00.001+01:00

Our flower and herb garden bathed in morning sun and heavy dew, what a very different look it`s taken on in the past couple of weeks. There`s a definite still amongst the plants as though waiting for that first frost which will mark the end of this years blooms and the start of winter in the garden.

What better with that warming cuppa than a slice of this very moreish cake...

2010-10-19T20:00:00.001+01:00

Banana Cake

A favourite recipe for using up slightly over-ripe bananas is this absolutely delicious Banana Cake. Simple and quick to make and nutritious too.....which is a very good reason to eat cake!

You will need:

3 ripe Bananas – mashed or sliced.

10oz Self Raising Flour.

5oz Soft Butter or Margarine.

5oz Sugar (Demerara gives best results)

2 Medium Eggs

3 oz Sultanas

Cream the butter and sugar until pale in colour and light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time – if the mixture does curdle add a little of the flour to rectify this. Then add the mashed or sliced bananas and stir in followed by the sultanas. Then gently fold in the flour. Pour into a greased tin and bake at 160c for 45 to 60 mins.

Please note my cooking time is based on a convector oven, you may need to adjust your cooking time based upon your oven type.

Bulb planting with a bit of waste water pipe!

2010-10-15T22:52:00.000+01:00

Here's a very simple way to plant those autumn bulbs under your grass or in hard soil. What you need is a piece of waster water pipe (40mm) and a rubber or wooden mallet.

The piece of waste pipe can be about 15cms long but it does not matter so long as it is strong. Take the pipe and sit it end up on the ground. Hit it with the mallet to drive a hole through the grass sward and into the soil.

Drive the pipe down as far as you need for the bulb depth. Then give the pipe a wiggle and a twist to get a core of grass and soil in the pipe. Lift the pipe up slowly taking the soil plug with it. This leaves you a nice round hole to drop you bulb into.

Very large bulbs will not fit in a 40mm hole but most other bulbs will easily. Drop the bulb in. To get the soil plug out of the pipe I use the handle end of the mallet and push it back out. Pop the plug back on top of the bulb and job done.

To plant one bulb like this only takes about 30 seconds. It is better if the soil is damp. You can soon plant an area under a tree or pond side without the need for fancy tools and expense!

Some flowers just seem to have it all!

2010-09-06T22:57:00.000+01:00

Insects really like French Marigolds

The French Marigolds are an old favourite. Easily grown from seed, kept from the year before, they always seems to produce a good show. This year we have had a spectacular show, all colours from yellow to dark crimson, and all stages between.
They are a very useful plant in the vegetable garden. The strong scent of the leaves does seem to deter carrot fly. We have tried it for two years now planted around the edges of the carrot bed. We have had no attacks, could be just lucky, but we think there is something in it.
The other bonus is the huge interest from hoverflies, bees and butterflies. They really are an excellent insect feeding station. What better for next year than to plan your carrot bed with a border of French Marigolds !

Make your own Chicken Coup

2010-09-04T13:17:00.001+01:00

Chicken coups can cost a lot of money. Many are very fine pieces of wood work and add an attractive touch to a garden. This is a bit too twee for us and we wanted to make our own. With basic wood working skills any one can make a coup. Depending on how many birds you want to keep then it is reasonably easy to make your own. . The materials cost around 50% less than buying a ready made one.
Planning is the biggest time consuming thing and getting to the stage where you can make it can take several weeks. We made this one over the winter months ready for the chicks in spring time. If you are thinking about spending money on a ready made hutch, think first if you could make your own. It is very satisfying, may be more eco friendly (especially if you recycle materials) and will last for years.

You can't beat a good muck heap

2010-08-31T21:16:00.002+01:00

A muck heap, or more politely compost, is a hugely valuable asset to any vegetable garden. All the stuff you grow takes energy out of the soil. You have to put it back. Without compost you would have to buy in chemical fertilisers and other such nasties.
One of the problems is that most gardens don't produce enough of the stuff. Also if you only compost your trimmings and grass clippings off your own land, then through time you will gradually loose your fertility. Every vegetable you take out is energy gone. You need something to replace it. Other peoples grass cuttings, newspapers are examples of energy brought into your garden. We have rabbits and chickens. We buy in food for them and straw for bedding. This gets manured and put on the muck heap. These are energy supplies from outside our garden. We also mow the roadside verge, that helps top up our energy levels. Think of it as a balance. What you take out you must put something in to replace it.
Farms years ago were mixed arable and livestock. One complimented the other. Muck from one became nutrients for the other. Round and round it went. Nowdays large arable farms have to buy in nutirents. Dairy farms have to buy in hay and straw. Not the same as producing your own.
So if you haven't got a muck heap why not?

Rabbit meat - Ever thought of growing your own?

2010-08-30T18:14:00.002+01:00

Rabbit meat falls between two very different schools of thought. Those who have pet rabbits and could not consider ever eating them, and others who have eaten wild rabbit regularly.
What about raising your own though? That's a bit like merging the two. You have to feed it, look after it for 12 weeks or so then kill, skin, gut, butcher and cook it. To some this could be a step too far, but if you eat any kind of meat you should know where it lived, how it was reared, how it was killed and where it went to be butchered. If you don't know this then you could be eating anything, and there are some shocking stories out there (perhaps leave that for another time).

We like to know where our meat comes from. We are not above buying supermarket meat but most of it isn't worth eating. With global trade bringing meat in from all over the world, I think I am heading further towards knowing where my meat comes from, and if that means killing our own then so be it.
Above is one of our New Zealand White rabbits killed quickly and processed in about 1 hour. Try buying meat that fresh from any where!
Cooked with herbs out of the garden it is a low fat meat and very tasty. We knew where it came from, we bred it. How it was grown, what food it ate. It had a short but good life.
Even if you don't fancy rearing your own rabbit, you could always buy one ready prepared. About the same cost as a good chicken.

You can find out more about New Zealand White Rabbits from this web site :- http:\\www.fieldfarmrabbits.co.uk

The Miniature White Cucumber - Probably the best cucumber in the world!

2010-08-29T18:08:00.002+01:00

Now here is a wonderful little plant. This is a miniature white Cucumber. Grown from seed and planted in the garden. Yes that's right the garden. Not a greenhouse or polytunnel.

It needed good heat to germinate and once established (20cms tall) planted out into the garden. No special treatment, although the weather has been kind. I have grown these before and used bamboo canes to support them. This time I let them grow over the soil. No problem. Here is the proof. They are the sweetest, juiciest cucumbers I have ever eaten. Small and the skin is rough, but once they are peeled and sliced they are absolutely delicious.

Don't forget your tree guards this autumn !

2010-08-29T17:57:00.002+01:00

Well after the rabbit population of Lincolnshire took a shine to my Worcester Pearmain Apple Tree, I flew into action and headed straight down the garden centre to get some spiral tree guards. Not expensive and a worthwhile extra cost.

If you are planting some trees this autumn please take my advice and don't forget the tree guards. Cost about 30p each and they just spiral round the trunk. They can be trimmed for smaller plants. You may think, like I did, that rabbits would not hurt your trees. Then bam . . . too late! I was lucky, I saw mine the day after it happened. Another day could have been the end of this tree.

Dont say I didn't warn you . . . Happy tree planting!

Fruit Trees are NOT for Bunnies !

2010-08-29T17:46:00.000+01:00

Well, some 7 or so months after planting our fruit trees, the rabbits have finally found them. Despite the hard winter, when you would think they need food of any kind, they seem to have decided to nibble away now. Perhaps it's down to the farmers fields being cleared and they are finding new hedges and spaces to occupy.

I was startled to see this actually. A bit of a shock to the system early in the morning. I have invested a lot of time in these trees. The soil is rough and mostly clay, so I have made sure they have never dried out during the warm spell we had in June and July. I have used organic nettle tea to feed them at least once a week to get their roots established and to get a hold in the rock hard soil. Now this! I fetch my air rifle soon and that will give them something to think about, but you cannot be there 24/7 and they mostly arrive just after dawn.

So the answer has been to go and fetch tree guards. Well, I hear you say, you should have done that in the first place. I agree, but with no sign of damage you think its all going to be alright. Still, you live and learn. The good news is that this tree has not been totally ring barked. It looks bad in the picture but the other side is complete. Hopefully it will heal well and go on to be one of our good fruit producers.

Fruit trees - your very own mini orchard !

2010-08-29T13:03:00.001+01:00

James Grieve Dwarf Apple - Back from the dead !

Apple blossom has to be one of the very best flowers there is. They are a real sign that spring is under way and the autumn crop will be a good one. Our trees were only planted at the end of last year, with the winter being tough we expected many not to make it. The one pictured above is a dwarf James Grieve and it came with us at the end of last year to our current house. It was removed from the tub and placed in a bag. With all the other things going on, the poor plant was neglected and left over winter in a sheltered spot but with no soil other than the contents of its black bin bag.

When it came time to plant up, the tree was heeled in to where we thought it would be and left. Come the spring and the warmer weather, the shoots started, the leaves developed and the flowers bloomed. The best flowers I have ever seen on this tree. Now in August it has several fruits tempting me to eat them.

I think I will look after this tree a bit better from now on. Perhaps the winter hardship forced it into thinking it was going to die and so produce flowers and fruit like never before.

Even so I think it deserves a bit more TLC!

You can find out more about our fruit trees at http://www.questforthegoodlife.co.uk/orchard.html