When you keep any animal the likelihood is that it will die before you. Pets it is hopefully old age but meat animals it is much sooner. As a smallholder you would think we would get used to death as part of life. Two weeks ago our 13 year old setter, who by this time had cataracts, was deaf and dementing collapsed on a short walk, he recovered within 5 minutes but never fully and so was put down a few days later. Despite our knowing he was ill, and the distraction of a very new puppy it left a big setter shaped hole not just for the humans but all the house animals. It took work and a weekend away to start to move the structure of the day and the pack on from this. On the plus side both kids dealt with this death better than the previous dog and cat deaths.
The chocolate lab pup is coming on a treat. She is very open to training and keen to please. I'm not sure if it is easier due to breed - bernese and setters are thought to be more challenging - or just we've had dogs longer and have a more established pack. She was great even in the caravan, which bodes well for the trailer tent.
Other wise I have been in jam and wine making mode. Our blackcurrant crop off 9 established bushes has been about 17lbs which is great and will provide about a third of our jam needs for the year and 6 bottles of wine.
The raspberries are just starting to be picked, the established plants are going to give a good crop however, you will remember I moved many earlier in the year up to the allotment. These ones are still establishing so our crop will be less than usual. This is a great shame as I love our own raspberry wine at Christmas.
We visited our smallholder friends at Deanbank this weekend. It is always refreshing to see them and talk ideas over. It is also great to try out new stuff - electric fencing this time round. I'm also jealous of their crops but they have 10 acres to our 0.42!
Talking of crops our greenhouse has been collected so waiting for the refund.
And finally, a friend and I have been trying to get permission to use a local area as a community garden. Last week we finally got the OK from the owners - the council - so we had a cycle ride to visit the area and assess the options is further detail. It was great, 4 kids and three adults cycling the mile + to the site was fantastic. Then the kids had a play and look round while we sussed things out. Great.
The chocolate lab pup is coming on a treat. She is very open to training and keen to please. I'm not sure if it is easier due to breed - bernese and setters are thought to be more challenging - or just we've had dogs longer and have a more established pack. She was great even in the caravan, which bodes well for the trailer tent.
Other wise I have been in jam and wine making mode. Our blackcurrant crop off 9 established bushes has been about 17lbs which is great and will provide about a third of our jam needs for the year and 6 bottles of wine.
The raspberries are just starting to be picked, the established plants are going to give a good crop however, you will remember I moved many earlier in the year up to the allotment. These ones are still establishing so our crop will be less than usual. This is a great shame as I love our own raspberry wine at Christmas.
We visited our smallholder friends at Deanbank this weekend. It is always refreshing to see them and talk ideas over. It is also great to try out new stuff - electric fencing this time round. I'm also jealous of their crops but they have 10 acres to our 0.42!
Talking of crops our greenhouse has been collected so waiting for the refund.
And finally, a friend and I have been trying to get permission to use a local area as a community garden. Last week we finally got the OK from the owners - the council - so we had a cycle ride to visit the area and assess the options is further detail. It was great, 4 kids and three adults cycling the mile + to the site was fantastic. Then the kids had a play and look round while we sussed things out. Great.
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