Ouch... That Had to Hurt!

So another day's leave spent on the plot yesterday, got quite a bit done and it is starting to look just about there, probably another good few weekends to go and we might be at a place where I have 6 crop family areas  (Solanaceae, Cucurbiteae, Brassica, Legumes, Alliums and Roots) and its manageability will be near possible....will the day ever come?

Hang on, snap me out of that dream.....So back to yesterday I cleared all the weeds from the salad bed, it's looking a lot nicer, don't you just get a great burst of satisfaction when an area become clear of weeds.  The only downside was something has munched on one of my iceberg lettuces that I planted out at the weekend, so now I'm one down.  I suspect a pesky pigeon so I covered the remaining ones with a metal grate, it was just the right size.  I also cleared the weeds from half the bottle grow-house, gosh don't weeds grow extremely quickly, I'd bet money that they weren't there a couple of weeks ago.  Tomorrow evening, all being well, I'll clear the other half of the grow-house.

Weeded a few other beds, these ones had been cleared over the winter and it was just a case of putting a hoe through it to clear the new growth.  When all the plot is cleared and I'm on top of things (I can see the light at the end of the tunnel) then weeding shouldn't be such a momentous task.  I also sowed some broad beans and beetroot direct into the soil.

When I arrive at the plot, (yesterday it was about 8.45am), the first job (other than putting on my boots if I'm staying) is always to feed and water the girls.  I opened the caged area and got their food tray, filled that up, got the water tub and went and filled that up.  Then the next thing I do is collect the eggs so that during the course of the day they aren't broken when the girls go and do their stuff... when I saw what was there, well it made my eyes water.  That poor girl, boy it must have hurt!

 the egg was nearly the size of my hand!

left egg (dinosaur egg), right egg (normal Hazel egg)

You can see the shear size of it, it measures approx 3.5 inches and weight and weighs 118g, that is compared to a normal Hazel egg which I've measured at just over 2 inches and 68g.

We have the Girls!

Yes, the day has finally arrived, well actually it's been and passed. Yesterday we travelled up to Durham and collected our four hens. We have a Rhode Rock, who has been christened "Mrs Pepperpot", a Coral Nick, named "Daisy", a Blue Haze, aptly known as "Hazel" and a Columbine who now goes by the name of "Chestnut". They all seem to have settled in well at their Winter home, though I did have to persuade Chestnut to go to bed last night, she was sitting in the pop hole doorway and at 10.30 I went out and forcefully 'persuaded' her to go inside the house so that I could close the hole. I knew there was a frost due and I wasn't sure how much 'cold' she would be able to stand. One thing that I have noticed today is that one of them seems to have very loose droppings, i'm going to have to keep an eye on this and if it prolongs then find out which one it is, I hope that none of them have anything wrong with them.

I have still to dig up the maincrop potatoes, the weather has been quite lousy over the past couple of weekends and with the nights drawing in, i'm not able to get to the plot on an evening anymore. I've got to make time one way or another.