The Summer Of 2018

As we roll into autumn I thought I better wrap up summer and what a busy one it has been. So settled down for long post.

So in no particular order here is a round up of summer

 The five female kids have all been sold on and gone to live in new homes, the three males have moved to the bachelor quarters until they reach a good freezer size.

 This years weaners being raised for the freezer are Tamworth Pietrain cross and have all settled there ginger rumps in well.

 Turkeys are back on the cards again, Norfolk Bronze and Roly Poly Whites, the arrived as day olds now off heat and growing well. 

 A new run was built just for them, we are waiting for there new house to come later this week.

The Ross Cobb chicks that are being raised for the table are now

 Full size free ranging and the first will be going this week.

 Compost and Speak No are now young adults Compost is male and his partner is female so we hope next year to have the pitter patter of waddling feet, they are waiting to move into Duckville.

We have had a few excursions out 

 Strawberry Cream Tea down in the village

 I had a few days away at the Quilt Festival stayed at my daughters over night so I was there for my granddaughters birthday

 Three nights away

 Two days spent going around the festival with a friend was brilliant.

 A farm sale were we grabbed a few bargains, a polytunnel for £10 the frame we want to use to make Duckville

 Hay rack £2 never have enough of these

 a lovely old wooden hay rake and old pitch fork for £2 each

There have been a few visits to the National Botanical Gardens, I went with my friend Mandy when she was down visiting, took Martins Mum when she was over from France visiting, today we were there again with Sol and Tess as it was doggy day.

 We took a trip out on the old Steam train

Its all run by volunteers

 Cream Tea on a steam train

 This was our train for the afternoon.

An artist friend of mine had her first exhibition I took some time out to go and visit. 

 A trip to Many Tears Dog Rescue, I had been collecting doggy things and making beds for them, they gave us a lovely tour around the kennels, I was so tempted by this little lady she was so like Tess.

Back on the Trains again this time with Martins parents for a fish and chip supper.

 Flies have been in an abundance this summer

The many baited fly traps we have around have worked overtime

 Wasps have been in abundance as well, this was the result of disturbing a wasps nest I didn't know was there

 It may be a work of art but lethal.

There has been lots of craft markets to attend

 Its been fun going to them and selling lots of crafts 

I am still making lots of cushions for the shop in town 

 I am working on a new range of little ones clothes that is going to be launched next month

 Reversible dresses

 and hooded gilts are part of the range.

The veg garden has done really well this summer

 Lots of courgettes

 Which have been made into everything from Chocolate cake to Marmalade

 My biggest pumpkin to date and its still growing

 Field mushrooms have been popping up every where its been a fab year for them 

Tomatoes have been fantastic and still coming

 Lots of canning

 Lots of preserving.

Oh and the plant of the month, I coldnt justify buying any more plants when a local landscape gardener was selling off over 200 of his stock plants because his well had dried up and he was unable to water them

I was lucky enough to buy them at less than 50p a plant and they are all perennials, I just have to get them all planted out now.

So this about sums up the summer of 2018, now things are winding down a bit as we roll into Autumn I hope to get back to blogging on a regular basis and catch up with what every one has been up to in blog land.