Far Lands

After T shirt weather last week, it was a bit surprising to wake up to snow this morning . . . The chicks were also a bit surprised; especially as at the weekend they had their first foreign foray:- Betfair has opened up a book on whether the chicks are male or female. (Look up Poultry under Sports if you can't find it.) Go on, it's worth a flutter!

Our kale bed has been the revelation of this Winter. I had a new plan which was to only pick the bottom leaves of each plant (rather than whole plants), and now, rather than 1 or 2 sad-looking Kale plants, I still have the original 30 and all of them have started growing like crazy! (See photo.) There's plenty to eat - every day! In terms of taste I really like it, and the newest leaves are, arguably, quite similar to broccoli. So the kale is keeping us (well, me (Sarah can't / won't eat it every day)) going until the Spring crops arrive - lovage is growing an inch every day and will soon be ready to eat (but is definitely an acquired taste). And in the greenhouse, our hot box (see photo) is about to be ready - I had my first radish (in photo - 10p sized) yesterday. The chicks are also growing every day - and they are beginning to imitate the Wright Bros! (Or maybe that should be Icarus and Daedalus.)

. . . sorry, if this is becoming Chickens' Corner. Normal service will resume next week (NB rhubarb, garlic, lovage all beginning to grow and grafts beginning to move). But while the chicks are still quite sweet . . . but their wings are already beginning to develop, and Sarah and I have had a bet on when they will start to roost. Sarah thinks 5 weeks, and I think 3 weeks. Anyone else? (Oh, and the (booby) prize . . . is cleaning out until they move back into the main chicken house.) So, the terrible twos . . . that's two-days old. And it seems to be continuing all week (y'day they were a week old).

Finally, it happened! Maybe she got off to a slow start bringing the eggs up to temperature. Who knows, but a couple of hours ago (by our count, Day 23) suddenly we saw a head, and then a second. A really FANTASTIC moment!   

New research has shown that it is better to wear safety goggles above your eyes rather than - as is traditional - to cover the eyes themselves. It seems that water vapour and other gases condense on the goggles and then drip down. This dripping creates a curtain-like effect  for the eyes and better protects them than the plastic of the goggles themselves. So, with that research in mind, I finished my latest batch of lime pickle at the weekend. The photos show me pouring the boiling mustard oil into the bowl of limes and spices (which have been maturing nicely for the last 6 weeks). Clouds of smoke as you can, but I least I was protected by the new hot-off-the-stove research. Excuse the pun!  If you would like the recipe, please get in touch.