Wednesday 18 October 2017

Why we're missing in action

Sorry we have been missing in action! We're still here and working away very hard both at  home and at work. I knew I wouldn't be able to do any preserving or much outside over this busy period at work, but wanted to let you know we are ok and absolutely still blogging and loving living here.
We are going on holiday for a week come Friday, so there won't be updates until I'm back on 28th.  I am really looking forward to the break, not from this place, but mentally. We are lucky to have family and friends staying here the entire time we're away so all the animals and jobs are covered.
In the mean time, Ste finished part of the sheep project he had going on. We needed hay racks for them. I've been using horses hay nets but they aren't safe for the sheep so I'm glad this jobs done. It didn't cost him a penny as he re used items we had laying around. To top it off, can you see how beautiful the day was when we took the photo?

He has put brackets on them so they can hang off the fences and we can move them around. Inevitably, where the sheep eat, they turn over the grass so it's good to be able to move them.

We've also taken ownership of 30 more meat birds, from another supplier who is lovely, so that's a bonus. Always good to have a back up.


We managed to survive the storm here. I say that tongue and cheek as it was just wind we've seen before, thankfully. I do feel for the people affected by it and hope they get back on track soon.
Below you can see we've rigged up a more permanent light in the greenhouse now. The nights are drawing in that quickly that I am checking on things in the dark! This is perfect and it also casts light on the chicken coops behind it, so I can see when locking up.

Ste also knocked up some planters out of the rest of the pallets after making th hay feeders. I'm very lucky to have him!

Finally, I'm conscious that I'm not going to get any more outside time before we fly on Friday, so I made sure I picked the squash we had growing as we will no doubt get a frost when we are away.

Some funny looking ones! Some aren't totally ripe but they'll be ok one way or another.
Thanks for reading today, I want to catch up with your blogs before I go away as I won't have internet once I leave I don't think. I'll try my hardest. Take care everyone, speak to you at the end of October.
Xx

20 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful and much deserved break. I have a handy hubby too, very useful aren't they?

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    1. Hi Tania, it was a lovely break thank you. Oh yes, I couldn't do this without Ste for sure.

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  2. Hey chic. Great post to let us know where you are before you enjoy your holiday away. You are very lucky to have family staying to look after the Farm. Loving Steve's sheep feeders and planters. Your two chicks look happy with the new chics! Hope to catch a chat before you leave on Friday but know you are looking forward to your family time away.xx

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    1. Hey Hun, yes I was pleased the house wouldn't be empty whilst we were away and also that all the outside jobs were in great hands. You should see the size of the chicks now we're back. They are true to form and love to eat! Xx

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  3. Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by kristina . We had a lovely time

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  4. Enjoy your holiday. I look forward to hearing about it on your return. You had a good picking of squash and it should keep well too. Love the planters and sheep hay racks - that's a clever husband you have.

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    1. Hey BB, as you know from Facebook by now, we had a brilliant time and were blessed with good weather for most of it so thoroughly enjoyed it! A big change to come back to with the clocks going back too. Will soon get into the swing of it I hope. I'm hoping to roast a squash this week and keep them through the winter.

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  5. I like the hay racks. Good job.

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    1. Thank you, that's kind. I love seeing useful things made from otherwise useless items.

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  6. I wondered where you had got to. Have a super holiday and a good rest it will do you the world of good. Looks like plenty afoot on the planning front. Its good to see you grow into your own and come so far in such a short space of time and enjoy it. Steve certainly can turn his hand to anything. Those planters are lovely as are the sheep racks. Take care xx

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    1. Hi Tricia, hope you saw on Facebook we had a lovely time. It really did us all the world of good as you say, both mentally and physically. We're lucky to have people who can take care of things whilst we're away. Coming up to 2 years here in January and I still feel we're going full steam ahead. I love our home and life more and more each day. For the planters I can't wait to fill them, I wonder if I should leave them for carrots or something like that. I'll have a think xx

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  7. It sounds like you will be going on a very deserved break. Have lots of fun and hopefully some rest and relaxation. Love the planters.

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    1. Thank you Janice. It took me a day or two but then I felt more chilled out and thoroughly relaxed by the end. Yes the planters are good aren't they, he's done a great job so I'll have to do them justice with filling them properly.

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks dawn, back to it now and in full swing just how I like it

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  9. Replies
    1. Thank you Hun, will be over to see how you're doing soon x

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  10. Hope you had a good break! And those planters and hay rack look wonderful. I'm very envious of your squashes, I didn't get around to sowing any squash seeds this year but have *really* missed growing them! Oh well, there's always next year :)

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    1. Hi Lucy, they are very rewarding aren't they? Hugely suited to my growing conditions in that they're hungry feeders and the horses produce a lot of you know what!! That's the beauty of this smallholding lark isn't it, there IS always next year.

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