Cameraless

Yesterday we went to Mountstewart & today to Springhill to the World War 2 event. Forgot to recharge the digi so 2 great photo opportunities missed. Will need to get more organised - flylady obviously isn't having the desired effect.

Arks

Hen ark arrived Saturday & pig ark today. It all looks very promising. Just need the fencing done. Dad is in the process of organising another hen ark as the one I bought doesn't look big enough. Will keep it for hatching. My dad was visiting someone last night who gave him 7 free-range eggs. They were just laid yesterday but mum had put them in the fridge 30 mins prior to my finding out. I took them out & am going to try to find a clocking banty tomorrow to see if they hatch out.

Broom Cottage

Last nights issue of farm week had an interesting article on a family near Greyabbey who are living on a small holding & have started up their own cottage industry. They keep bees to produce honey & make their own soap etc to sell. Know that others who read this blog will be interested so here is the web address : www.broomcottage.biz

Pigs & Hens

What a delightful day. We visited our 'foster' pig - a Gloucestershire Old Spot called Holly. Much larger than we had anticipated. Hope to get her within the next few weeks. Our plan is to get her in piglet & then once she has finished rearing them we will give her back to her owner. She'll probably miss the rest of her family - another GOS, 2 sheep, a Charlais Cross, an Irish Moile, a donkey, a Shetland pony & 3 Sussex hens + her human owners. After the photo call we traversed to Rowallane Gardens & had a lovely walk around the walled garden. Will have to visit next month when the Rhodes are in full bloom. Next to Ballynahinch to view the hen arks where we purchased one for delivery on Sat.

Fruit & Veg Patch

I paid to have cow manure delivered & covered it with black plastic to prepare the ground so that in Spring we would have a weed free, well nourished spot to start planting. Last week, while we were in Edinburgh, our digger driver arrived to spread out soil & one of our friends (who shall remain unnamed) came up to help. He decided that 'that was a silly place to put the veggie patch' & dutifully scraped up all the manure & dug it into the surrounding garden. Now we have a weed free, manure free area & I've had to beg for some well-rotted horse manure from another friend which hopefully will arrive next week. Just thought I'd start sharing the photos now as preparation gets underway. Our aim is to produce some of our own organic produce with the minimum amount of work.

Wild Flowers

Today a friend took Jo for a walk & she came back with a bunch of flowers - beautiful, bright yellow dandelions - grown without the pollution of man-made chemicals & allowed to flourish in their own natural environment. She ran into the house shouting, "me brought you sumfing mummy" & together we got a glass & set them with pride of place in the centre of our table. What a lovely moment shared together & as I travel through life I hope that we will have many more little moments like this with our 'Wild Flowers', as I seek to educate them in the natural environment that God has given us without the pollution of ideas & unnatural institutions made by men.