Windy blow

Dad always used to say March was in like a lion out like a lamb, or vice versa. .looks like it's out like a lion this year, it was roaring last night...
And I hate nights like that,  where it's rattling the windows, making all the old farm buildings creak and groan. Because when you get up you're thinking. .now, what's blown away, what has no roof, what trees have I lost, how many panes of glass are gone in the greenhouse!
After a walk with the dog, nearly getting blown over...It would seem we've lost 4 panes of glass in the greenhouse,  trees are still there, and although there's a lot of banging, the roofs are mainly intact!
My poor greenhouse! 
See you soon x

2 into 1

When 2 households become one there's leftovers. We put our in the garage. And every year we've added to it.  It got to the stage where we were just pushing things through the door and shutting it quickly!
So, as the sun was shining I decided to tackle it. You know those things you wish you hadn't started?!
Well I've found loads of forgotten treasure!
My collection of tetley stuff, all needs a good home! And I found some of the books I read to my kids when they were little. And yes, I opened them, had a read, went back in time. I think I loved those books as much as my kids, both of them can still read the stories without the books I read them so often!
So....If there's something you need, I think I might have it in the garage! Try me😉😉
I need some space!
See you soon x

Fairy garden

In my infinite wisdom I decided I needed a fairy garden...needed a bench for the fairies to sit on...so I made one! And would you look in the corner at that cheeky lego man in his smart car....up he climbs.....well, my little tiny bench must be comfy! Hope he leaves before the fairies come!
Yes, i have gone barking mad.
Yes, i wish i was planting something!

Brrr face

Look at my little brrr face...All wrapped up like it was the middle of winter! Wind was a bit cutting this morning with the rain! 
But my teeny seeds are trying...getting some good germination now..yay...veg and flowers!
Can I have the sunshine back please?
Isn't it it dull this time of year for me, waiting for the sun!
Lovely parcel from my mommy....With an interesting community bag!
See you soon!

Weekends

I'm sure weekends are meant for doin nothin...but there's farmhouse carrot cake...and a handy match holder come striker. ..
And germination! I was so happy to see the teeny tiny seeds have decided that it's spring after all!
The wild mellybelly plums are in full blossom. ..they're mirabelles really but dad always called them that😊
The blackcurrants are starting too. ..so glad I chose fruit trees for my birthday for years!  The gift that goes on giving. There should be apples,  plums, green gages,  raspberries and pears! Yummy. Possibly redcurrants, blackcurrants and if I don't eat them all strawberries!
My little herbs seem happy in their new pots, they'll be going in the stall easter weekend.
See you soon x

Teeny tiny seeds

Today was a day when I should have worn my glasses...dropping tiny seeds in tiny divots made by dad's special divot making tool! And yes, it's pop rivets in a piece of wood, but it does the job!
Love love love the sun shining...had to take a jumper off! Yes just one jumper but it's a start! Now there's lots of little seeded trays to trip over in the greenhouse...more sun please!
And soon there will be lemon balm plants in the little stall, and chives too...and mint...and horseradish..I do love herbs! And yes, in my hand that's 100 seeds believe it or not, and yes, I have grubby hands!

See you tomorrow x

A time to reap

Isn't reap just a great word, just don't say it three times as it starts to make no sense!  And you sound like a chick in need of a worm!
Well my reaping time is over for sure, tried cutting a few last celeriac and squadge went my finger straight into slime...ick.
Me and dog tried to find a carrot but were unsuccessful,  but we found some lurking parsnips! Have to take up what's left ready to plough the fields (and scatter).
This is the time of year I go a tadge insane, there's very little farm work to do, the frosts refuse to go away so I can start planting things, and every book will be read! At the moment it's breadline Britain and it's definitely an interesting read, anyone want a lend when I'm done give me a shout on facebook!
Finished my romance rose bouquet...have to find something to do! I reckon I'll pop some brassicas in some soil in the greenhouse tomorrow. 
See you tomorrow, insanity permitting!

Dust and mud

Dust and mud, that's what it's like here on fenland, one or the other! It was just drying out nicely but I think it's still not dust time yet.
Spring looks like it's trying to start though, and I do believe one of my mixed salad leaves has actually germinated, yay! The tiny daffy down dillys are shining yellow, and the rhubarb is slowly unfurling it's stem ready for pie! Time for the seed packets and labels!
No more celeriac orders, wholesaler is now after salads, well the sun is shining after all, so, as you can see from the photo, we'll be ploughing in about a third of them, the plants we backbreakingly planted, that I monotonously hoed all last summer....waste.
Same with the Jerusalem artichokes,  but at least they don't take as much looking after, and the plants don't cost me over £200!
No one eats seasonally any more, not truly seasonally. Everyone wants a lettuce and tomato in winter. I can remember as a child the joy of June strawberries,  tiny new potatoes or the first carrots. Now its all available all year round, and it doesn't matter that it's flavourless pap,  because it's cheap.
Ho hum.
So today I earnt nothing, not a penny, but still spent four hours with my packets of seeds and bags of compost, merrily planting away.
See you tomorrow!

Monday mornins and moanins

Those hate Monday adverts...well I don't. ..I like my job. Not all of it, I like it when the sun shines, but not too much, I like it when the leaves bud on the trees but it's also the time of year when nothings ready, so there's no money coming in!
No orders again this week.
The last of the celeriac are still in the ground, a few parsnips, and a few potatoes in the store.
No orders means no pay.
Can you imagine that?
There's still things to do though. As the sun starts to shine the ground warms up and I'm drawn to packets of seeds. And bags of compost!
So, made a proper strawberry bed for the more than two dozen plants I've found so far, picked parsnips, weighed potatoes, now my knees are complaining at the digging and the cats have taken over the sofa...
So, six hours work and I earnt.... £5 today! And that was mainly generosity as I tried to give someone free celeriac but they insisted on paying. I'm going to have to plough what's left in people,  let me be generous with my rejects! Same with the sugarbeet sized parsnips...can't sell em, can't give them away!
Time to make lasagne that's short on meat but big on flavour, *gets out of nanny chair ow creak ow* catch you tomorrow☺

Welcome

Welcome to my blog☺
Wanted to share what it's really like to try to make a living on a ten acre smallholding.
There's me, beloved and boy.
All our machinery is 1960s...or hand tools!
I'll try to tell you what I've been up to, what I've earnt and probably what I've cooked!
And invariably what things cost!