Far Lands

Yesterday was the end of the road for our first livestock, O&G our turkeys. For a Christmas interpretation of the day see http://thefarlandsturkeychronicles.blogspot.com/ On that blog I promised more photos and a sideways video (!):- Although the day was bright and sunny, our mood was reflective. They had a nice life, we kept telling ourselves. 10 and 15 pounds in weight. We also reflected that killing is almost completely alien to our modern life, yet the results of killing are so prevalent. Other Xmas preparations have been more jolly:- cake, sweets, wrapping, invites to three parties on three consecutive nights (we feel we have arrived in Hayfield (not quite local , that being only when several generations are in the cemetery)). Tomorrow we will pick the first brussels and take them with the turkey lurkey to Reading. Happy Christmas to all my blog followers (I hope the plural term is not too optimistic).

We moved to Farlands a year ago (yesterday) in 3cm of snow and -4C. Nothing has changed:- we have been snowed in over the weekend.   But, then again everything has changed. Our lives, well my life especially could not be more different. At Cherko Ri we used to spend weekends relaxing - walking, going to church, sometimes massage or yoga. Sarah read the entire Guardian and I may have finished off a philosophy essay. At Farlands it is life on a smallholding. I feel a lot of sympathy for David (R4's Archers) and our real local farmer Tony. They work hard all day every day. So this weekend we fixed a leaky gutter, and installed metal grids in the top of our 6 downpipes. Chopped wood (we have just finished our big wood bin next to the house), put up shelves in our office, sketched plans for our new heating system, and husbanded (?) the turkeys. We had to cope with a power cut, and being snowed in. Good stuff too though! Sarah starred in her church panto, and took gr

Its been an exciting week! We have made the decision to extend Farlands, and to replace the entire heating system. Boilers, biomass, solar thermal, solar PV, wood chip, RHI, pellets, logs, heat pumps (ground and air), insulation, garages, sheds, hoppers, log stores, chip stores, surveyors, building & planning regulations and so on has been whirring round and round my head for months. Almost since we moved here, when we realised that oil is so expensive, and that we needed a bigger kitchen / utility room and a gym! It whirs and whirs round my head. I write lists, get quotes, have meetings, analyse all the figures. But, I can't decide. Enough to drive a man to drink, or worse... That's where Sarah comes in! Interestingly, this process (I gather info, she decides) is not unique to us. A few years ago we did a yoga course with Charlie at Braziers Park in the Chilterns. It was founded in 1950 as an educational trust, and is "is a continuing experiment in the a

Today I launched our cottage for 2012 with a blog running for 12 consecutive days and ending on Xmas Eve; see http://thefarlandsturkeychronicles.blogspot.com/ Will the turkeys make the New Year? You'll just have to read it!

It's been blowing a hooley all day. Lashing rain, gusting winds. Warmer than last few days (10C) but does not feel like that. We seem to be surviving - only one window now leaking (needs sealant) which is great, wood stacks still covered and turkeys still here (not on Kinder). But going outside, even for me, and even with my early Xmas presents from Sarah of fur-lined boots, new puffa (so I have a garden one!) and thermal salopettes-under-suit, has not been that attractive an option. This is to the L of the water tanks. So, inside jobs! More loft insulation, office work in respect of our RHI / biomass boiler plan and kitchen action. I have frozen beetroot (trial), made more sloe gin (thank you Prescotts), made mincemeat (and whilst I did that I experimented with drying apple slices - worked quite well), and fed the cake. Cake, mincemeat...and the PM. It really is true that once you are Prime Minister you really do get everywhere! Take care in your hooleys!

The snow came overnight; the first snow for Farlands this year, and the first snow ever for the turkeys!

A quick quiz (2 questions):- 1. what are stillsons? a) a pair of pistols (as sported by Eastwood in Pale Rider ) b) a pipe wrench c) small stiletto heels Stillsons are in fact a pipe wrench (invented by Daniel Stillson in 1869 in the US), and should be an everyday term of smallholding managers or wannabees. My Uncle Jim has just been to stay, and amongst a myriad of jobs (more later) we attacked our water issues. Stillsons were necessary and not only did I not know what they were, but every one of my neighbours (irrespective of age or gender) knew exactly what they were. We borrowed 17 sets. We first attacked the stop cock outside the house, and ended up fitting a new piece of pipe (complete with new olives (not edible ones)). Although this photo shows Jim out of the hole, he spent several hours in it, in the rain and the wind. I acted as chief Stillson-handerer-overer, and I now like to get Stillsons into as much conversation as possible. But, the real action came insid