Welcome back to Bryngwyn and my attempts to record our life on an organic smallholding. Things ticking over quite nicely with no major catastrophes to report.
Still busy in the kitchen. We have decanted the wine into a demijohn and it’s bubbling away nicely. God know what it will taste like, but it’s a beautiful colour. Jane has been busy making jars of quince jelly which have turned out really well. Picked apples that have survived the storms for storage.
Patch:
Growth slowing now on the veg patch as autumn takes over. Carrots, swedes, turnips, chard and kale still cropping well. Looks like quite a reasonable year for butternut squash. They are great as they store really well for months. Spoke too soon when I said that slug damage was low this year. Picked a perfect looking swede only to discover it was completely empty inside having been hollowed out by slugs. Clever little blighters - I never saw any signs of damage until it was too late. Let’s hope the rest of the two dozen swedes haven’t suffered the same fate.
Live-stock all fit and well. A couple of the hens are suffering some plumage damage on their backs due to over-attentiveness by the cockerel. I don’t really know if anything can be done about this, and although they look a bit threadbare they appear otherwise healthy and continue to lay well – a pretty sure sign that they are ok in my experience. The turkeys have developed a habit of flying onto the top of the hen house and taunting the cockerel from on high which drives him round the bend. I have urged him to ignore them and show dignified distain, but his personality simply won’t allow it.
Spent an afternoon on the beach collecting seaweed. Have filled a large compost bin, and with luck this should have turned into good compost by the spring. A couple of people have asked if the salt is a problem but it seems to have no ill-effects. I wonder if the rain washes away the salt.
Fed the bees with a sugar solution to help over the winter. Following the stinging debacle when we took the honey, they were nice and relaxed this time and paid little attention to my ministrations. Mind you I have bought a new weapons-grade bee-suit – just to be on the safe side!
Significant developments in the polytunnel debates. The newts have proposed that A.R.S.E. (Amphibians and Reptiles for Socialism and the Environment if you recall) formally adopt their motion calling for an indypondref and acknowledging the inalienable right of pond denizens to independence. (Apparently they were much inspired by recently taking part in a zoom conference organised by a group of Catalonian geckos). The ensuing debate proved controversial with the polytunnel toads predictably accusing the newts of indulging a petit- bourgeoise distraction from the class struggle. The newts responded by invoking Lenin’s famous 1914 pamplet “The Right of Nations to Self-Determination”. “I suppose you think Lenin was petit-bourgouise?” sneered one newt sarcastically. Mayhem ensued and the session broke up without resolution.
In a separate development a heated discussion took place on whether to “no platform” the Proud Cocks ( a neo-nazi poultry supremacy group). A spirited contribution from the cockerel, who argued forcefully that no platforming in itself was an insufficiently rigorous response. He reminded the meeting that this week was the anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street and demanded that “A.R.S.E gets off it’s arse and gives the Proud Cocks a right seeing to”. After much debate the “no platforming” motion passed unanimously. The cockerel’s wrecking amendment calling for the formation of an A.R.S.E. armed wing (with himself as leader!) was heavily defeated by a union bloc vote co-ordinated by the Turkeys, Waterfowl and Allied Trades. Needless to say, the cockerel was not happy and stormed out muttering darkly about “effing dilettantes”. I fear we have not heard the last of this.
On the Wild Side:
Fantastic sight as I sat staring at the pond for an hour or two (as you do). A kingfisher was sitting on an overhanging branch looking hungrily at the fish. They must be the most colourful bird in Wales with their bright orange and aquamarine plumage. It shot off in a flash of colour, but even a fleeting glimpse of this wonderful bird raises the spirits. Hopefully it will be back.
Spent an hour or so mindlessly collecting acorns for the pigs. You have to get used to mind-numbingly boring tasks when you run a smallholding – there’s lots of them. I have never seen so many acorns as this year and the pigs are loving them (it also saves us quite a bit of money on pig feed).
Tip of the week:
Having harvested many of your summer crops you should now have some growing space available. I plant broad beans, onions and garlic in the late autumn which, if all goes well, gives earlier crops in the spring and early summer.
Have a good week and may your cider be potent.