[juliag]

Hi everyone, got caught out by the rise in temperature yesterday and awoke to everything frozen again this morning. Mucking out deep litter stable this morning, really must get into the polytunnel and tidy up, still have onion sets waiting to go in, should i do them in pots now? also rhubarb and garlic all waiting, pots again?
Thought it would be fun to post on here what we are all up to each day, what do you think?
 

[greenfingers]

Good Morning,
I have not long been up and I have a list of jobs today to do before I go to work at 1pm.
I have just made the log stove, it went out over night, cold in the bathroom this morning. The chickens have just been fed with cauilflower stalks and bread and let out to rummage around the frozen garden.
I have to go to the vets to get worming tablets for the 2 dogs and the cat and then onto the petfood place to get some sawdust and straw for our new hen house, we have 6 ex batts coming tomorrow, but I also have to give it a coat of cuprinol before I go to work and my hubby will finish it of when he gets in at 2pm. He still has to finish making  it and we have to move it into place which will probably be at 7.30pm tonight when I get in.
Tomorrow I have to do all my housework, which will probably get started around 6am when hubby has gone to work, not sure when the hens are arriving, sort the hens out when they do arrive, do a pile of ironing from the washing in the morning and make dinner, Sunday I am hoping to get in the greenhouse and plant my onion sets in pots too, my rhubarb is covered at the moment with a good mulch of manure.
Elaine

[doganjo]

I have mucked out the kennels, exercised and fed all the dogs, except the old lady who is coming with me to visit Sandy(well, sit in the car while I visit Sandy then a walk after).  Fed and let out the ducks and chickens at the front, fed and let out the ex batts and collected their eggs.  Fed the cats & removed the 'gift' they had left for me in the utility room!  Put water in all the water bowls and containers, put on the dishwasher and washing machine, taken in clothes that were out all night to finish them off in the airing cupboard. Sorted out some of my Club year end accounts on the computer and am now procrastinating so I'd better get on with it.
Annie

[Rhyan & Melissa]

Decorating a house most of the day, dreaming about getting up the allotment tomorrow! Home now, checked the gun out (5am bunny run in the morning) and now sorting though receipts and tax returns. Melissa is staying over in London tonight, so going to make some bread for the weekend, annoy the cat (returning the favor) and probably drink scotch!

[Birdie Wife]

Thinking about everything I need to do over the weekend - not enough light at either end of the day to do things outside before or after work.  I do have to pluck an aged rooster and find someone who wants an old boiler (the bird is already dead, never fear!  he's been hanging in a cold shed for 2 1/2 days 'cos I forgot to pluck him yesterday).  need to clean out the three coops tomorrow, do the monthly shopping (trip to Wick), sow onion seed (broadies coming up now!  Hooray!) and get ready for a guy down the road who's borrowing one of my Scots Dumpy hens to take pressure off his one hen who's living with two cockerels (poor old gel).

[garden cottage]

our on loan skewbald lovely horse goes back sun so preperation for that, livestock box rim has rotted thro wheel to be fitted tomorrow,last 2 pigs off next week,chas and dave glos old spot x berkshire, set up run and trailer. top 1/2 inch of soil has thawed but underneath ground is still frozen making it lethally slippy

[ballingall]

Wind and rain so bad this morning that couldn't get a lot done. Fed and hayed the goats, trimmed some of their feet and did some general tidying up. The big round bale of hay is still in the van as it is so wet at the shed door that it would get soaked unloading it! Unloaded a new pallet that my brother in law "liberated". Wanted to plant the last of my bulbs (la bit late, I know) but too horrible outside. Giving Jess the collie a bath is now high on the agenda, as she took the opportunity whilst I was trimming feet to go roll in the dung heap!

[juliag]

Wow what a night, gale force wind as I set out last night to act as quizmaster in our village pub. Wind still going strong on my return and I went to bed with our cottage door rattling in the wind. Very worried about what I was going to find outside this morning. Last time it was like this our new stable roof lifted off as did the hen shed roof. However it says something for how I repaired them both as I ventured out and everything was intact. As I let my exbattery hens out (heavy rain now) they ran hell for leather down the field to our lower barn where their food is kept. It was a nice sight as only 3 months ago they were in cages unable to move. I dont know if any of you have discovered Facebook but under groups you will find 'Friends of produce from the field' This is us and lots of photos can be found on there of my 'special' hens. Fed the hens and did the water which was not frozen today thank goodness and then ventured into the polytunnel where to my suprise not only was it still standing, we have baby beetroot ready to harvest, red cabbages ready to plant out and herbs regrowing strongly. Just have to wait for the rain to stop now. Still have to plant the onion sets, rhubarb and asparagus though......

[ballingall]

Morning,

Mucking out and trimming feet on the agenda just now. As we are a very little smallholding its a fork and wheelbarrow method here  After that, a clear out of the house is in order!

Beth

[Rosemary]

So far - planted a pear tree (well, Dan did), spread some muck, lifted some swede for the sheeps. Just off to lift the last of the parsnips, the failed leeks and prune the blackcurrants.

It's lovely here just now but I don't know how long it will last.

[VSS]

Been to fetch half a tonne of sheep feed.
Tim has done all the stock jobs.
Now shearing the tup lambs.
Magazine article to write.
Freezer to defrost.
Bread to make.
Cakes to bake - tins are empty.
Batten down the hatches for the wind is forcast to be strong tonight.

Would get more done if the kids would get up earlier at the weekends

[Andrew]

Cleaned out the two chicken houses
Run son into his work in local garden centre
Washed greenhouse with jeyes fluid
Starting to wash seed trays

[doganjo]

What a lot of busy bees, you all are

Woke late because of bad night sleeping and trains running all night(don't understand why tehy run all night then don't run during day - not sound economics to me), dogs all yelling to get out and get fed, did that then did same with ducks and chickens, collected eggs, have friends coming from Norway tomorrow, so made up beds, arranged towels, cleaned guest bathroom, hoovered all carpets, did some more of Club books, now off out with little girls round the Dam. Will have to mop kitchen tomorrow but will do that just before I go to airport as it will get muddy again with the dogs going in and out.
Phew, I'm exhausted just reading that!

[Dan]

...now off out with little girls round the Dam.

In case you didn't recognise the nutter on mountain bike who hailed you as he rode past up the dam, that was me!

Hope you got back before the weather broke. 

[doganjo]

Yes, Dan, I did recognise you - even with the helmet!  I was concentrating on one of the girls at the time as she had decided to get into the water looking for birds, fell into a deep bit, and turned over onto her back.She's a good swimmer though and was none the worse.  Got back to the car just as the weather got wound up - really windy by the time I came out of Morrisons.  I forgot to hand Andrew's box back - it was in the car on Wednesday ready to give him.  I might pop down to you with it sometime before the next meeting so if you find a white plastic box at your door you'll know what it is.  I reckon Rosemary might see him before me.