Fences, cooking and veg box delivery

This morning I was pleasantly pleased when I got up to do the animals as the ponies were still in the paddock I had left them in.  Sounds normal right?  Well one of the ponies jumped out of the paddock the other week and I worried he would get caught up in the stock fencing, so it’s on my mind every time they use the small paddock.  I set about letting the ducks, geese and hens out.  Everything was fine so I headed in the house and got on with my morning jobs.  At 7:25 just before we were due to leave for work, I dashed out to put a pile of hay in the paddock so they had something to keep them occupied whilst I was at work.  The field is sparse.  Anyway, I noticed a pony poo in a place where ponies shouldn’t be.  Turns out Jake had snapped the electric fence (this one isn’t on and they’ve never been interested before, plus we don’t have another battery for it) and gone for a wander round before retuning himself 'present and correct' in the paddock!  Dashing around I brought the 2 ponies in so they are now sulking in the stables until I get chance to fix it.  They won’t be going out any more in that paddock when I am not there.  We have plans to put a new fence up but finances and timing is against us.  Steven is working double shifts effectively for the next 2 weeks and being a butcher, this is physically draining, so he has nothing left in his when he gets home and it’s not fair to ask him to start putting fences up when he’s in pain after work.  He’s taking a few days off at the end of July so hopefully it’ll get done then.  I’m going to use the time in between now and then to overseed the paddock and get the grass up so I don’t have to supplement it with hay.  We managed to leave the house at 7:40, which given what happened, wasn’t bad going!      

I’ve still been working on my grocery / menu plans.  Steven’s asked if we can put a loaf of bread on every night, or every other night, as what we don’t eat, the hens will.  So last night I put a wholemeal loaf on and we had fresh bread toasted this morning with the strawberry jam that I made.  It was lovely.  I made a couple of mistakes with the jam which I will remember for next time and avoid.  It only made 2 family size jars though and that was 1kg of strawberries.  I will pick more this weekend and see what else I can make.  We have family over on Saturday night so I plan on making strawberry shortbread with extra thick cream – a recipe from Caroline on The House Hoarder.  It went down well with her builders so I think it’ll go down well here too!

Tonight I am making rhubarb and gooseberry jam, something we haven’t tried before.  I also desperately need to harvest the cauliflowers and turn some into cauliflower and cheese soup and blanch the rest and freeze. 

We are due our first veg box delivery today which I am ridiculously excited over, so I will take some photos and let you know how impressed I was (or wasn’t) with it in tomorrow’s post and will also update more on the grocery shopping thoughts I have been having.

Finished product - strawberry jam, only gets 8/10 from me though!

The toad that pops out to see me when I am locking up on a night.

My 2 Lakendvelder's and Jake, looking innocent!

Geese playing follow the leader when I let them out this morning.

Last night's small loaf from the breadmaker.  I don't make by hand as can't find the time so this is the next best thing.

More additions! Animals and veg!

I would like to introduce you to our very own smallholding chicks.  Now we've had chicks before and grown and eaten some however, these are different!  They were eggs from our own hens which were fertilised by our own cockerel.  The eggs we've had before we've bought in.  So we have been doing a merry dance in achieving (well we didn't actually do much!) our own home raised chicks.  These guys were incubated as we don't have a broody hen and we have 12 all together of 20 eggs.  Considering we weren't even sure Big Red was having any luck, this is a huge success! 
I had my first sungold tomato fresh off the vine and it was delicious.  We're harvesting strawberries every few days and the raspberries are showing their glowing red faces.  The currants are still trying to develop before the birds take them and I have a feeling this one will be a losing battle this year.  Fruit cages next year I think.
The local supermarket had iceberg lettuces on offer so I bought a load in for the hens and we tied them up to keep the hens entertained.  The rescue girls weren't interested at all but the old ones went through 2 in no time.  I have been told hens love natural yoghurt and it's good for them so I will be getting them a tub of that to try soon. 
As planned, this weekend we harvested some Elderflowers and I set about making cordial.  It was my first attempt and I must say I was very impressed.  It tastes very refreshing.  It will take some time to get used to it over supermarket drinks (squash) for the kids as they are so used to the sugar, sadly.  Although Elderflower cordial has sugar in it, I'm sure it's 100% better for you than every day squash.
When we went to the farmers auction on Saturday, we had a great time and learnt a lot.  We came away with 12 Jersey Giant fertile eggs which will be going in the incubator tonight or tomorrow (we have 1 eggs left in there which I don't think is going to hatch), a Buff Orpington cockerel (now called Henry VIII) which we've been looking for one for a while and 3 brown hens for laying.  They are young healthy birds and have fit right in with Big Red's flock.
At the farmers auction we enjoyed some home made pies, sausage rolls and some rather poor sausage buns.  The home made stuff was fab, the sausage bun was cheap and tasteless.  You live and learn.
Finally I managed to give the pantry a good sort out so we know where everything is and the shelves are nice and clean, ready for the strawberry jam I'm making tonight with out 1kg of strawberries harvested yesterday.  YUM.

Chicks a couple of days old.

Apologies for the blurry pic, this is the auction about to start (eggs in this room).

Another cheeky face enjoying a steak pie.  My everything <3

Our selection from the farmers auction.  Girls are in the washing basket and cockerel in the Port a Pet

 

Cheeky, how did she get in here.  Also my everything <3

Seconds old :)

One of the new brown hens.  Clipping wings before putting out with the other girls and Big Red.

Elderflower cordial being made

My first sungold tomato!  In fact, my first EVER tomato!

Rescue girls wondering what on earth the green ball is :D

Bored by the green ball

 

 

Strawberries are coming thick and fast.  There runners are too!

Spot the raspberry?

Our old faithful hens who we brought with us that laid the eggs which are now the chicks.  Big Red in the top next to the tree.

The new chicks at 1-2 days old

Meet Henry VIII the Buff Orpington cockerel (and my husband Steven :D)

Looking forward to the weekend

This weekend is going to be a busy one, so tonight I am going to relax with the family after spending some time grooming my horse.  I don’t get to spend a long time with her since we’ve moved in, which sounds silly now she is at home.  My plan is to do some housework whilst waiting for the shopping to arrive, sometime between 4 & 5pm.  I need to get the washing on, dry a load on the Aga and sweep the kitchen, utility and boot room floors.  Tea will be simple for the kids, they get to pick what they want on a Friday.  They never want anything difficult so this isn’t a problem.  It’ll most likely be fish fingers for Jack and beans on toast with cheese grated over it for Grace.  I have Thai Green curry to make for Steven and I.  This will be out of a packet that you throw other ingredients in with and I’m not ashamed! J

Then once we’ve had tea, I’ll put the ponies in the field for the night and spend an hour with Lydia (my horse) and I might even take a glass of wine in there!  Once all the animal feeders are topped up and their waters checked, we can think about relaxing in front of the TV.  I’ll get a shower first as tomorrow morning we’re heading out to Thirsk Farmers Market Auction and I won’t have time to wash my hair before we go and it’s in dire need.  I can nip back outside at 10pm and lock up in my PJ’s and just hope nothing’s happened meaning that I need to get dirty.  If we get peckish later on I have a fried cauliflower recipe to try.

We plan on leaving around 7.30am tomorrow however before this I need to nip out and get some Elderflower heads from the bridle path outside the house.  We’ve found a tree that we pass daily so hopefully I can take a nice harvest from that.  According to research you need to pick the flowers before noon and when they’re not we.  Then I can get that started and hopefully we will be testing Elderflower cordial on Sunday with our Sunday roast.  I’ve read it’s good for hayfever and fever in general, so that will be interesting to see as it seems a bad year for hay fever.

The auctions we’re going to are new to us and I have no idea what to expect though I hope to come home with something new and untried before.  Maybe just hatching eggs rather than livestock at present though!  Then back home for the Saturday bacon and egg bun ritual we seem to have developed and on to do some cooking and baking for the coming week.  Ideally I really need to organise the pantry at some point, but we shall see.  Saturday evening we’re out at a friend’s house as she is throwing a fund raising party for Macmillan (summer lights) so we are heading along to support her in that and enjoy a drink or 2.

Sunday my friend and I are going on an extended hack out.  This means going onto roads, only for a short period, but it gives us the chance to enjoy hacking out further and longer.  We will be setting off at 8am to keep the risk of traffic down.  The road isn’t a busy one, but it’s one that boy racers like to see how fast they can drive along on occasion.  Hopefully they will all be in bed when we go on our little adventure.

Then Sunday afternoon will be a Sunday dinner using as much veg as we can from our veg plot and lots of jobs that need doing around the farm.  We’ve had nothing but rain for a few days, so here’s hoping we have a break from it for the weekend to give us time to do things.  It’s due from 1pm tomorrow afternoon for a few hours but supposedly the rest of the weekend will be dry.

In grocery news (how un-thrilling you may think, but it’s becoming a big deal in this household!) I have found a veg box scheme supplier who are delivering to us on Wednesday.  Now if their produce is nice and fresh, it provides an excellent top up to what we have produced, means we can support local businesses and focuses the mind on using those items that week in the menu plan.  It also, importantly, means we can eat seasonally which is a big deal for me and hopefully in time Steven and the kids.  The sell milk from a local dairy so we are trying that along with some of their raw milk which I hope we like. 

In between that I have Tesco delivering the items that they don’t sell, to keep up in stock and by doing this is focusses the mind on sticking to our already low budget, only buying what we need and reducing waste.  All things I need to practice at and really want to achieve.

Finally, as I’ve rambled on long enough, I have started to create lists and checklists meaning we all know what’s to do that day in the house.  The kids have to pick 2 a day to do and Steven and I can share the remaining jobs between us.  One of the checklists is for the meal plan to be written up for the coming week so that’s on me to do.  I’m on it!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.  I’m pleased to be back blogging as normal as I hate it when I am disrupted!  Inevitable at times.  Hopefully I will be back with picture to report on the auctions and Sunday’s cooking session.  On Monday we’re due our next batch of chicks which will hopefully become table birds for the most part.  If not, layers are fine too!  All large fowl so should hopefully be a good size.

What the weekends are for.

Now that things are getting back to normal after the moving in/birthday party,  holiday and travel with work, I am pleased to report we have had a lovely weekend.
Having already decorated the snug, we have started to decorate our main living room. The house was built around 1850 and is a farmhouse. We would like to try and be as sympathetic to how the house would have been when it was built as we can. We've knocked out (well Ste has) the fire place that has be filled in over the years and yesterday we picked out a multi fuel stove to go in the space that he's created. The space is how the fireplace was originally built as you can make out the natural space and the brick surround. It needs some TLC but once the stove is in place on the new flagstones that we have bought, it will look fabulous.
We haven't decided on carpet or wooden floor but as the house is so cold I am veering towards a nice thick carpet.
The room will be the main more formal room (if this house can have one with 3 dogs, 2 kids and other animals whose bedding sticks to our clothes) as we use the snug during the week and to watch films in etc.
That's what's happening inside. Outside were having to do more fencing sooner than planned as the pony has decided to jump the stock fencing that's in place and now I am worried he will get hung up on it. Eventually we will replace all the fencing here but I was thinking over a few years, not months! Anyway we have some posts left over from the last fence and they are going in soon as there is a priority section as the horses have leant on what's there almost snapping it.
Today we had Sunday lunch and I am mightily impressed with Steven and myself as we pulled off a tasty and mostly homegrown dinner. The chicken, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage were all raised by us. We had strawberries to follow and have gooseberries and rhubarb ready to make more jam with. The rhubarb and ginger jam I made last month went almost immediately despite me saying I was making the first preserve to see us through the winter!! It didn't make it out of spring.
I have all the ingredients to make more, now I need to find the time. Happy Sunday everyone.

Summer is here

Summer is such a happy season it seems. In our previous house I didn't really acknowledge it but now we live here, I am really noticing the seasons changing. The strawberries are turning red and the most delicious tasting, the horses are happily staying out overnight and the hens are almost refusing to go to bed!
My daughter had a lovely ride on her pony tonight and we walked him down the lane to cool off afterwards. It's just so relaxing and enjoyable living here in the summer. Next week we are back to the usual routine until the kids break up.
Has anyone else had horrendous hay fever this year?

3 nights away

What a difference a few nights away makes. I have been to Italy for work which really isn't as glamorous as it may sound. When I came back this bounty was waiting for me. I can't believe the growth that's been put on after a few days.

Quicky supper

It's been a non stop kind of week. I find you get those cycles where life flies by and you don't get time to do anything. So tonight, as I only had myself and Steven to feed I made tortellini soup. It's so quick, easy and tasty that it's a must on my quick supper list.
Recipe as follows:
2 carrots and 1 onion sweated (roughly chopped is my preference but you could grate )
Add 1 tin tomatoes and 1l veg stock with some frozen peas and cook for 5 mins. Then add 1 pack spinach and ricotta tortellini and cook for 5 mins more. Voila. Sprinkle grated cheese over to serve.
It is so tasty with crusty bread and amazingly filling. So now I am putting the kids to bed,  doing all the animals and sitting down for a well earned rest to watch a movie with Steven. It's Friday eve after all.
I forgot to get an in between picture :) oops.

Picture updates

We have had a brilliant last week which I haven't had time to post about so for tonight I will just post pictures showing what we've been up to. This includes a very successful and happy party, 3 night UK break, veg plot and greenhouse updates and our first chicken ready for the table. I'll go in to more detail over the next few days. However for tonight I'm chilling and enjoying my time off. Bliss.