Did you know Chickens can Purr?

Did you know chickens can purr? Neither did I, until today. The chickens helped me in the garden, again. It is becoming a regular thing, which I for one am really glad of. Their antics make me laugh every time, so now, not only do I get the joy of gardening, but also seeing what zanyness these feathered creatures can get up to.

Making a Vertical Garden – recycling the previous year

Last year was our first year working our vegetable garden (our first time gardening ever in fact) and we tried a series of different methods; raised beds, wattling bed, pallet planters and vertical hanging wall, to see what worked well. All were made using recycled materials and are being continued into this year, with almost no changes except for a relocation of some of the pallet planters and a some amendments to the vertical garden as a result of lessons learned.

Who Who – 2 new additions to the garden

We found 2 new additions to the garden today. A lovely sunny day and two young owls were seen sleeping in the sunshine in our cherry tree. We suspect they chose this tree for its camouflage purposes.

We’re suspecting Tawny owls as we know we have at least one Tawny owl in the garden already by its nightly call. However, just the other night we heard another type of owl, so we are not 100% certain. If anyone knows, feel free to fill us in on if we are right or not (and in which case, what are they?)

Close up

Camouflaged well in the tree

Garden prepared – so where the $%;# is Spring?

Winter is the time to prepare the garden, getting it ready for spring and planting things. This winter has dragged itself out mightily, giving us teasing glimpses now and then of spring to come, the odd dash of sunshine, the hint of warmth in the day, raising our hopes up only to find the next day dawn cold and wet.

I can only tell spring is actually on its way by the hardy flowers that have been making heir way slowly out, one by one showing their bright and sunny, generally yellow (or purple) faces.

The compost is calling… “fork me, mulch me, throw me around”

The sun is finally deigning to show its face and its almost warm. Spring is definitely late this year, at least in terms of things coming up and going in in the garden.  I’m a little behind in my getting the soil ready for planting, I think, but since I know diddley about gardening, I leave it to my common senses to determine what to do when and just see what happens.

I’ve been thinking about asparagus.

What’s In Store – From Us To You

We have been travelling the world for the last few years, making wine. In 2014, we took a leap, to follow our dream and make our own wine in France. To assist in supporting this dream, and with true entrepreneurial spirit, we are also putting our creative juices (or should that be wine?) to the fore in making a variety of additional items, crafted from the world around us, to sell in our shop Pumpjack & Piddlewick.

Making a Hanging Garden Bed

I admit it wholeheartedly, I am in love with pallets. They are right up there with shipping containers in versatility ~ but maybe, just slightly, more transportable and easier to work with. So, when I came across a picture on Pinterest for a hanging garden bed made from pallets, I fell in love. It went top of the project list

Walnuts!

We are very lucky to have an amazing walnut tree on the property. We were able to collect a large basket of them over a couple of weeks in the autumn. The trick was then to dry them out as we didn’t have much space that could also be kept dry.  We had them resting everywhere.

And once dry, then began the process of shelling. It became my daily treat to take the basked of nuts down to the rabbits and shell them there. They of course enjoyed the odd nibble, sometimes even cheekily stealing one.

Feathers and Duct Tape Don’t Mix

Living with animals, as anyone with animals knows, means lots of laughs and the odd drama.

How to – Vertical Garden Planting ~ using recycled milk bottles

Every time I tweet about our recycled milk bottle, wall garden I get lots of interest. And it kind of makes sense. After all, the cost is minimal, the space is minimal – could be done almost anywhere you have a vertical space, inside, outside – and looks rather cool (at least I think so).