Down on the farm...

It's hard not to get despondent at this time of year, when you desperately want to be outside working (or at least you do if you're like me and slightly unhinged) but the weather has other ideas. I don't mind the cold, as you can always put on the thermals and wrap up warm, but the driving rain makes even me dash into the sanctuary of the polytunnel, or worst still, to the fire indoors.

But, despite dire a weather forecast of 'heavy rain', Paul and I managed to finish off mulching the raspberry bed yesterday before the heavens opened, so I was pretty pleased with that achievement. The job was done in half the time, and it's much easier, not just physically but also psychologically, to have a helping hand or two.

We took cover in the polytunnel and it felt good to be sowing seeds again after the winter break; we've put in some sweet peas, lettuce and also tomato and chilli seeds. I'll be bringing these in to put on my windowsill for a while as the polytunnel is not heated, and never in my wildest dreams will it be at least 18 degrees in there for a while - eight is currently relatively tropical.


Liz from Bill Quay Farm made a flying visit to drop off some more sheep fleece, which will be put to good use on the allotment, mainly as a mulch around the brassicas (it's especially good as a slug/snail deterrent as they don't seem to like the roughness, which is a definite plus). We've got some more Suffolk Down, Jacob and I think the third type is Highland.

This afternoon I roped David into helping me collect a few trugs full of horse manure from the nearby field for my hot bed, which I'm planning to be much more successful than last year's, which was decimated by slugs (sheep's fleece insulation maybe?!) Naturally, the horses came to see what all the fuss was about, and looked very perplexed by the whole operation. They kept hopefully putting their heads in the trugs, convinced there must be something in there more edible than manure.

A new feathered visitor to the allotment today, in the form of a beautifully red-breasted robin, who was busy defending his new territory with a show-stopping tune. I hope he finds the tiny worms in the hot bed manure and decides to make the allotment his new home, as he would be more than welcome anytime.

Chicken Run

This is a view of the top corner of the allotment, where we're planning to have the chickens. We measured out the run this afternoon, so we know how much chicken wire to get. Hugh helped us lift the roof on the chicken shed (it's been sitting on the straw bales for months, slowly warping in the wet, so it was good to finally get it moved).

More mulching is really all the news there is for this week: all the fruit bushes, apart from the raspberries, have had a good weed and mulch, as has the willow 'fedges' and dome.

I popped into Muddy Fingers yesterday to talk to Marv about the sign that we began on the Open Day last September. It's beginning to take shape as it's now at the glazing and construction stage. I can't wait to see it up on the allotment soon. We were also talking about the prospect of a fire-breathing wood oven/kiln dragon, so this could be the next addition to the 'lounge area' - watch this space!

Snow has fallen

The allotment looked beautiful on Friday morning, covered in a white blanket of fresh white snow, imprinted only with small bird and fox prints (until I trampled all over it with my size 5s, of course, and ruined the peaceful scene). Unfortunately, it lasted a mere day, with one of the fastest thaws I've seen in a while - from a few inches to nothing in just a few hours.

As everything was buried under the snow, my plans for laying a bit more mulch and manure collecting were put on hold, so I gave the polytunnel a good clear out instead, turning out the plants that had given up the ghost after the cold spell and also creating a make-shift curtain for one of the mesh doors.

This has already made a real difference to the temperature (it's now an average of two degrees warmer than outside rather than actually colder!) and stops the wind blowing straight in, but still allows enough airflow inside as the more sheltered door at the other end has just mesh on the top.