Another year in - 2 years on.

January 2017

Weather wise January only had a few cold days but a couple of those were bitter indeed.  It was wet despite not that much rain fall so we kept the horses stabled to give the field a breather and try to prevent further damage to the grass.  We're doing the same this year.

I started cooking from recipe books which was one of my New Year ideas for myself.  I have so many books and all of them underused.

The geese started laying eggs both Jan 2017 and Jan 2018 so I think we know that's on the cards for each New Year hopefully!  The weren't laying until March in 2016 so this is a nice surprise.

We laughed at my inability to grow carrots!  Something I've barely redeemed myself.

I took time out to add up the previous year's bills for oil, coal, water and electricity so we could compare them to 2017's use, just like we've done this year. 

I started records for everything, something I'd not done enough of in 2016.

Egg sales started in a more serious manner, starting as we meant to go on.  The income covered the poultry feed which was good considering they were all housed due to the Avian flu lockdown.

We invested in a few trees (fig, pear, almond and apricot).

The greenhouse frame went up to house some of the poultry during the lockdown.

I planned and planned the coming year's harvest before finally getting some seeds in after waiting what felt like an age! 

Steven made his first handmade item of the year, the bottle and glass rack that he put up on the kitchen wall.

We've had many celebrations and get togethers with family and friends.

January 2017, Ste made 3 raised beds on the new veg area.



Started before Christmas

Finished this one in January 2017

We made our first lot of money from muck!  £25 to be precise :)

 The polytunnel was purchased and Ste built it so it was never going anywhere!

 

February saw more goose eggs, one was found in the bushes outside which I suspect was Ryan's first ever egg.  We'd confirmed Ryan as a female by now!

Chomping at the bit, as soon as it was dry enough, we began tidying up the main veg plot, starting with the fruit bed on the first sunny day with blue sky of the year.

Grace enjoyed her 2nd birthday party in the house (and I hope many, many more to come).

We made the gate along side the barn to the orchard, which was the start of where poultry would end up being housed in 2017 (the gate separated animals that didn't get on).

I started sowing seeds in earnest and loved every minute of it.

February saw the shift in weather.  The days were getting noticeably longer, so more time could be spent outside sowing seeds, doing the animals and riding out for me.

The seeds sown in January were ready to be potted on and although some were leggy as expected, they were potted deeply and grew on strongly.

The peas in the drainpipe had 100% germination which was fantastic.  I'm doing that again in 2018.

The first dandelion of the year was found, so that meant the weeds were starting!  I knew I needed to do a better job of these than I did the previous year but inevitably they still take over!

 

I made Lou's quick and easy marmalade recipe and it was delicious!!!   We were turning into a proper smallholding and it made me feel happy.

We opened the damson vodka to sample it....

 then drank it...all (it's nice).

I bought comfrey roots which I didn't hold much hope for, but then they started to sprout and came on very well and in the end took over!  They could do with a place all of their own in 2018.

I got the heater in the greenhouse up and running and Ste sorted the heat bench, so we were away.  The house was full of seeds sown but the greenhouse soon caught up and I found myself making space for more and more trays of seeds.

Even though the days were getting lighter, there was still the Winter feel about the month so we found the time to watch films as a family (and the River Cottage series!) before the craziness of the summer months was upon us.

March is the month when you can begin things in earnest.  I found out in March I was given a promotion at work which I began in May and thankfully went on to enjoy every minute of it.  March saw so many seeds coming through, I'd really stayed on top of them in January and February given we had heat to bring them on in.

The comfrey finally came through which we used to make our own free plant feed saving a fortune in the long run.

We got 4.5 tonnes of top soil delivered which sounds like a lot, but it doesn't go far!

I plated my first and second early potatoes (seems early to get them in now, but they worked well)

In March we got the pigs, 2!  They stayed in the barn as they were not a hardy outdoor breed and the nights are still cold in March.

They were a great introduction to raising our own and looking back were no trouble at all.  They require daily attention but it's minimal and I don't think there will be a year where we don't have pigs now.  Old spots in 2018 I think.

We hatched out the first ducklings in March - incubating them in February and they did us very well. 

I remember in March thinking I felt unprepared as it went from being Winter to full on Spring - light before 6am until well after 6pm which helps so much with our outside life.

March also saw the first rhubarb harvest and lots of daffodils - you know Spring is here then.

In April we lost Buddy, 8th to be precise.  I couldn't be more grateful to have had him as long as we did - I am so pleased he made it to the smallholding and got to enjoy his last days here.  He loved it!

I made nettle soup....I won't be this year lol

By April, the tomatoes I'd sown in January were well away

however the overall tomato crop was poor.  I need to choose some varieties this year that have stood the test of time, with a couple that are new varieties.  After all, we're going to need a boat load to fill the plans I have made!

In May we covered the cherry tree at the back of the barn to protect it from the birds.  That failed, it didn't produce anything!  So this year, we'll just have to be the early bird that catches the worm ourselves.

 

We also opened Chickenville to move the hens onto grass:

They loved it and we eventually moved them all onto the orchard area.  We still haven't decided what to use the original Chickenville space for.  We had a cracking bonfire night party there though.

 

 

I also started making preserves every Monday night, or at least most Monday's which I thoroughly loved. 

June we made elderflower cordial and I'm going to double and triple the amounts this year - I love that!  It lends itself to so many different things, we even gave it away at Christmas in hampers as we water bathed some small jar.  Beautiful and a definite keeper!  Despite it being dark, it didn't make any difference overall - just one of those things.

We tried to shear our own sheep.  I shall leave that there.

By June the pigs had turned the land over and by gum did it rain.

Harvests were promising

The runner beans were A-MA-ZING

I missed drying Lavender in 2017, so I'll make sure I don't miss it this year.

We started the comfrey tea in July and I failed epically with redcurrant jelly.

 

I grew far too much cabbage!

 

The sunflowers didn't do well either, so this year I'll be fixing that too.

 

One courgette plant gave us the nicest courgettes you could imagine.  To think I thought we didn't like courgettes.  They went into everything!

 

We had a lovely summer, enjoy BBQ's, family time, time with friends and generally just taking it all in.  Life's so busy in the summer, animals and harvests and that's not to mention working full time.

 

With the chickens being in the orchard, any apples that fell they had!  This year I need to harvest them timely to avoid this.

We did get some for the must have crumble:

 

Onions were amazing

We managed to get a first prize at the September country fair with the pumpkin we grew.

As we moved into Autumn and Winter, we started to prepare for Christmas and the hampers we were making.  They went down well with the family and I've already got some ideas for 2018!

The fox came and took at least 1 of our geese in November, with a 2nd one simply disappearing in December.

 

The tup arrived in November, 5th to be precise. 

We decorated for our 2nd Christmas in the house - I love the kitchen every month of the year here.

 

We got more meat bird in November which worked out well but we won't do that again as I don't like keeping them inside.

 

Ste built me a new shed!

Christmas 2017 was lovely.

 

Some of us slept through it.

 

We picked Annie, our puppy Bullmastiff up on 27th December.

The horses enjoyed some outdoor time in the car park whilst the fields are closed.

So from Steve and I, we'd like to wish you all a prosperous New Year (again) as we enter our 3rd year here on the smallholding.  What on earth will this one bring?

Forcing rhubarb

Both January’s that we have lived here, I neglected to force some rhubarb. Not this year! I have emptied the parsnips out of the black bin that I forgot about. They were tiny and the pony was very grateful for them!

The black bin has gone over the top of the rhubarb plant that gets the most sun. So in approximately 8 weeks we should have our first rhubarb of the season, maybe early March. I am really looking forward to it.

You’re not supposed to force the same rhubarb plant each year, so I am using this blog to remind me which plants I forced and when.

We love rhubarb, we eat it freshly cooked, roasted or in crumble and also preserve it either in jam, alcohol or dehydration etc. So many options which I am getting excited about just writing this post.  I'm going to plan ahead and get the recipes ready for when we harvest.  A definite keeper is the Rhubarb wine, that was so nice in a tall glass with lemonade.  Rocket fuel on its own though!
Given how much rhubarb we could potentially use has got me thinking, I could buy more plants, but that doesn’t fit in with keeping costs down. Then I remembered you can split the crowns in January, so I am going to try that at the weekend. I am really pleased that I remembered to do this and I’ve made a note for January jobs for 2019 (already I know!).

Budgetting - groceries

As usual, at the beginning of each year I will reassess our budget to include changes.  For example, my daughter is going to senior school and we promised we'd get her a mobile phone for when she does.  She is the only one in her year who doesn't have one and throughout this year has been very mature about that, not giving in to peer pressure.  So there's an extra monthly expense.  Not much, but it all adds up.  The insurances need to be reassessed as I have an additional insurance to take out for Annie, so that needs to come from somewhere.  Also oil has gone up since 12 months ago and I think our budget still covers it, but I will check to be safe.


A big one that can easily spiral out of control is groceries as per my previous post.  Last year, on average I went over our (£250 a month) budget by £15 a month.  Some people spend that on coffee each week so it won't seem a lot to them, but taking into consideration what we are trying to achieve (self sufficiency and 1 dependent wage only) then again it all adds up.  However I am really pleased that we got anywhere near the budget and that I think, is the home raised meat, fruit and veg earning its keep.  So if we do even more this year, we should be able to meet the new budget.


2018's grocery cash budget is £2650 which works out at ~£220 a month.  However I expect to spend more in February-April before we reap rewards of this growing season and then at the end of the year as things tail off.  In the height of summer, I hope to have this down to a minimal amount.  Throughout January we are eating from the freezer for the teas, which I will need to top up with fresh veg etc but for the main expensive part (meat?) will be from the freezer.


The grocery budget also includes household items which I think I said - so shampoo, laundry liquid, bleach, toothpaste etc.


Vouchers and freebies will not come out of the budget - let's call that luck.


Now remember, I have 2 young kids who have packed lunches every day and who I won't see go short for things they like (they aren't demanding, this is my decision).  So sometimes, there's things on the list that are not necessities, but if they fancy having their friends round and eating junk a few times then that's fine with me.  To be fair, they very rarely ask to do this, but I'm just making my point.  I also have a huge husband who eats almost as much as my horse!  Ste and I are taking lunches to work, usually soup, salad or left overs.


I am updating my standard shopping list for each week with items that go into the packed lunches including fruit, wrap/bread/croissant and filling, yoghurts, a treat, pepperoni or equivalent, a drink, cheese (if they feel like it).  This may be the actual item, or the ingredients to make them (like the bread and treat). 


Once January is through and we've made a dent in the freezer, I will then look at batch cooking again and doubling up on what I am cooking to make one for the freezer.


I plan on giving weekly updates with grocery/eating out spends.


As is customary on long text posts, here's a cute photo :)

Happy New Year - the next chapter!

Happy New Year to one and all, I hope you all enjoy whatever it is you set out to do this year.  Life is for living and I continue to try and make the most of every minute. 
Around this time, many people are reflecting on what the last year brought for them. Today I am going to focus on the plans we have for 2018. The reason is, come January 15th we will have our 2nd year moving in anniversary, which is when I will look back on 2017.
I was outside in the back garden this morning with the dogs, as we are house training Annie. I generally have to stand there a while, come rain or shine, night or day so I get plenty of time to think and plan. This year we have some big plans and I am ridiculously excited about them.

Firstly we need to look even further forward, to 2020, which is when we hope Ste can run this place full time. What does that mean? We’re still working it out, but it will pull in a small profit to give us the pocket money we need to 'live off'. To do this we need to know exactly how much we spend and on what, so I know how much money we need to just live. To a degree, we already know. However I need details. So the idea this year is to make a note of every penny spent on groceries and food. Groceries includes household items such as washing up liquid, soap, shampoo etc. I am still working out how I’ll report back on this on the blog. Maybe totals weekly or monthly.  Food also includes any money we spend on eating out/takeaways/eating on days out etc.
To keep food and household bills down, we will have to continue to think differently. We grow a lot of fruit and veg already and that’s going to take off even more this year.

Secondly, to help with that take off, in March/April, we’re buying a polytunnel which is going where the pigs were last year. We will plant directly into the ground in there as it’ll be perfectly manured thanks to the pigs. It’s going to be a big polytunnel, an investment, so we need to plan, plan, plan and get busy! I am also researching which company to use for the purchase.

Thirdly we’re getting more pigs around the same time as the polytunnel. We plan on getting 3 pigs, a traditional breed which we won’t breed from this year, but hope to sell the meat off 1 to back pay for the keep of the other 2.

Fourthly, also at a similar time (wow, we're going to be busy) we are hoping to have April fools day lambs. Or there abouts! The tup has been with our girls for two cycles now, and is still here. We plan on getting them scanned in February I think it is, to see what’s what.  Sorry to those who don't agree, however the pigs and lambs will all be for meat/sale.

Fifthly (that doesn’t sound right), we are going to have a separate fund for 2 new bathrooms.  This again is something that is a long term investment. It’ll keep the house in good condition and sort out a damp/mould problem we have in our bathroom. That won’t be until after the summer that we do that as we need to save first and I think we have enough on in March/April and May!

Finally, we don't know when this one will happen, but Ste is going to convert one of our small outbuildings (or find something suitable) to turn into a workshop which he desperately needs and will be a must for when he works from home and runs this place full time.

So this is the start of my planning posts, sorry there's been a lack of photos.  I'll put some below as there's always a cute puppy one to be had!  As we start to put these plans in actions, I'll of course keep the blog updated.

In the mean time, I'm sowing seeds and looking for potato recommendations (maincrop for north east planting that are good storers anyone?) which I will post about this week. 

Have a lovely New Year's Day evening.  After going to feed the horses now, we shall be mostly sitting down as I have caught the lurgy (cold/throat/chest) that is doing the rounds and need to recharge.

Footprints in the snow and Saturday soup

The snow always tells a story. It tells me that we have lots of night time visitors as these (rat?) prints weren’t there when I locked up at 9:30. Ste will have to get out with his gun (and try to not nod off whilst waiting), which is his favourite past time!

Today we moved the geese, as every night since the fox came, they have been squatting in the sheep stable. The sheep are coming indoors for January and February, so the ever indispensable mesh covered greenhouse frame, which housed the Ross Cobbs (meat birds) until recently, was set up ready for the geese tonight. When changing the bedding over, we found broody gooses eggs so we’ve moved them.

Every animal is getting additional feed at the moment, the sheep are having hay morning and night as there’s no grass for them. One of the horses decided she fancied some too this morning, which was cute!

I tidied the pantry out yesterday as it was becoming our dumping ground for the Christmas chocolate and food gifts we received. I had been moaning to Ste about the spice jars in there as there was a few and I kept knocking them off. An hour later he walked back in with this:

I was very impressed and pleased. How kind.
Something I need to get back in to is cooking all of our meals. We’ve been lucky enough to be invited out by friends and family through December, which has taken its toll on the hips and how we feel. We are feeling the need for clean eating, if you know what I mean? Starting off with Saturday soup! Today is pea and bacon from bbcgoodfood and it was delicious.
Chop an onion and soften, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and a spoonful of my souper mix and fry for a minute. Add 3/4 bag frozen peas (this was around 750g) and 750ml stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins whilst you grill some bacon.

I blended mine immediately with a stick blender then served. Add bacon bits on to the top if you’re a fan, I am and it was amazing. Highly recommended.

In other thoughts, I buy Grow Your Own magazine as one of the treats to myself (some may laugh!) and they send seeds with every issue. I recently received some cauliflower seeds, all year round variety, which I decided to sow today. A bit early maybe, but what the hell.
I also purchased onion seeds from Real Seed which means I can keep some for saving the seed at the end of the season. It’s a very reasonably priced website that has a lot of heritage seeds which I love. These are the onion seeds I got delivered which were also sown.

They went into the Vitopod as onion seeds won’t germinate in cold soil. 4 trays, 1 for each variety. The cauliflower seeds went into an unheated propagator, however after testing it,  I have put the kerosene heater on in the shed, just to keep the edge off. It will be interesting to see how cold it gets in there. All learning for us still and I love that!

The heater is on a flat stone just to be safe and I’ve checked it a few times until I am confident it’s safe.
Finally, here is Buster and Annie this morning after breakfast having a relaxing time together. Rodney watches over them but never lays with them, so far!

Today I made a list for our 2018 plans using my new notebook which was a lovely surprise from Louise. I love it!!

Brining the leg of pork and winter fun

When the pigs went to slaughter early August, we filled the freezers to the brim. We made bacon which was nice, just not very big on the medallion (pigs were lean from their breed and free ranging).  I brined the topsides and thick flanks which we then cooked and used as ham. I also froze a leg ready to brine for Christmas. We had so much meat that I decided to hang fire and do it now for mid January when we can have it as a centre piece for a get together or just turn into slices.  We scored the skin and prepared the brine. We used the river cottage brine last time which was lovely. I added slightly less sugar this time, purely as I didn’t have enough.



Once ready I put it all into the wine bucket and put it outside on the step as we have cold enough weather at the moment. In fact, I’ll have to bring it in tonight as it’ll freeze!  This will stay in here for a couple of weeks, after which it’ll be ready to cook (or smoke?).



It’s snowed here today and this is the first proper snow we’ve had that has stuck around. The kids loved it and had a good time playing out before they got too cold and came to warm up in front of the Aga.





As we’re in the thick of winter, we’re having to find alternate methods to exercise the horses. Sometimes it is simply too slippy to ride out safely. Our parking area is all stones which doesn’t get slippy, so we put the horses in there to let them have a roam around whilst the fields are out of action.





Annie got to meet the sheep yesterday before the snow came. I got the impression she was telling them a story!



No time in the potting shed today. I have onions and cauliflower that I want to get in. I’m also putting the project list together for 2018. We’ve some big ideas! More about that soon tho.

Getting back on it

I’ve been looking forward to today, for many reasons. The madness has died down, I am off work and can enjoy my family and home life and we have another addition!
I woke up at 5 to the alarm as Ste was going to work and headed downstairs to let the dogs out for their morning ritual. Except today we have one more, meet Annie.

Our 8 week old bullmastiff. We picked her up late last night from a very reputable breeder and drove the 2+ hours home. She was a bit out of sorts due to inoculations and the car journey, however she had lots of cuddles and soon settled in to her new home on our Smallholding.

Back to this morning, after I’d sorted the dogs out, I got ready and took a moment to look out of the bedroom window. It was pitch black still but the moon was out, lighting up the field to the left. We had a frost again, giving everything a lovely shimmer. To the right, I can see the farm next to us in darkness apart from one soft glowing light, presumable where the farmer was working feeding his cattle. I always appreciate where we live, I love life here, it’s just been so hectic lately that I haven’t had enough time to stop and smell the coffee. This much needed time off is sorting that out.
The potting shed I told you about before, well it’s pretty much finished now.  Just the electrics to go in for the vitopod (propagator) that I got for my birthday. I’m going to set some onion seed away as soon as possible. My only worry is that it’s still so cold on a night and it can only increase the temperature 12c higher than what is outside.

Jack was lucky enough to get a ‘diy’ birdbox for Christmas which he has put together himself and asked if I would like it for my shed exterior. Who wouldn’t?!

The plant pots have all been moved from the greenhouse to the potting shed now so I am starting to get organised. I have my seeds to sort out as I’ve acquired too many. I will do an inventory of them and try to keep it up to date.
For now though, I’m going to get organised in the house as Christmas has been amazing but  has taken its toll! Also, we’ve been slacking on the self sufficiency front and we are fully concious of that so I tend to get back to basics and get our lives back with it starting now. Plan, plan, plan!!
All the ross cobs have now been processed, so we’re stocked up with chicken again. That and the pork will see us through to the spring when we’re getting the next round of ross cobs, pigs and hopefully lambs. We won’t over winter any ross cobs again. Learning from this year is to stock up in the summer. Freezers are your friend!!

New life - in December

The last thing I expected when we went out the other day, was what happened. Driving down the lane to pick up some items from Wilkos, I got a phone call. 5 minutes later we were heading to our friend across the river. He had a ewe that needed stripping of milk and he wanted to show me how to do it, given we will hopefully have some lambs in April!
He lambs from December onwards as they show their sheep and in order for them to be a decent size, they have the lambs now. Bit chilly if you ask me but they seem to thrive.
We arrived to happy faces as always. A lovely couple who we have very similar interests with. We stood having a 2 minute catch up when David turned round and said “great timing, this ewe has just started lambing”!
Off we went with them and moved her to a pen on her own. This was her 2nd lot of lambs and according to their scans she was having twins.
David grabbed a bucket, washed his hands and told Ste to do the same. Ste looked shocked but did as he was told. 2 minutes later he was elbow deep and helping out. David delivered the first one and Ste delivered the second.
It never ceases to amaze me how amazing nature is. I managed to get it on video.
So we’re getting ready for our little lambs come April, fingers crossed we’ll get some!

Some people won't want to watch this, so don't.  For those who are interested, please enjoy!  Ste delivering his first ever lamb.

David told us about a couple of things to get in for when we lamb, iodine which I have and something else which I can’t remember the name of. You squirt it into the lambs mouth within a few hours of birth? Any ideas?
Finally - I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me whilst life is busy.  I'm not posting as much as normal, but that will pass once December is through.