organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes.
I've planted a few potatoes this week, although it's possibly too early as the shoots won't enjoy a late frost. I've mulched them with shreddings from pruning the fruit trees. We'll plant some more on the fresh food garden courses on Saturday 2 and 30 October 2010. The other opportunity to visit The Kitchen Garden is to come on the very popular … [Read more...]
Our three pure bred Dexter heifer calves are for sale. Very handsome, hardy and hairy. Well washed and blow dried. Frida, Flora and Fifi were born February / March 2010. If you'd like more information, please email me. If you haven't planted your garlic yet, now's the time to get it in the ground. If you're fed up with the rain, try some indoor … [Read more...]
Pickings can get a bit thin in winter, even for free ranging chooks. Here a few treats for your chooks: 1 worms - high in protein, with that added 'thrill of the chase' element for bored chooks. If you've turned your kitchen waste into worms in your wormery, you'll be turning it into eggs and meat via your chooks. 2 silverbeet (swiss chard) … [Read more...]
I've sold my two charming black pullets, hatched end of January 2010. They have the right heritage to be both excellent broody hens and egg layers. Their mother, Mabel, is a small, black hen of unknown parentage who lays large, brown eggs. Their father, Rodriguez, is a very fine Rhode Island red rooster. If you want to hear about when I have … [Read more...]
These are Mabel's six little chicks - grumpy like their Mum, Mabel, and proud like their Dad, Rodriguez, our Rhode Island red rooster. Not sure whom they'll resemble in looks. Here are some tips on raising chicks if you feel you'd like some of your own. Some books don't recommend raising your own chooks, but if you want to keep a particular breed, … [Read more...]
There's a world of difference between the yellow-coloured white sauce you make from custard powder and real vanilla custard. It's easy to make, so don't compromise with anything other than the real thing. It's the perfect accompaniment for rhubarb crumble. If you use genuinely free-ranging chicken eggs it will be bright yellow without any … [Read more...]
Ten Plymouth Barred Rock chicks to be precise - raised in an incubator as Mabel resolutely refused to go broody. Now fostered by a most diligent and experienced hen who happened to have just brought one of her own little chickies into the world and had room under her ample wings for a few more. The best way to raise chicks is under a broody … [Read more...]
I've just started to get a regular supply of some vibrant, yellow-yolked eggs from Rodriguez' five wives. Mabel lays slightly smaller eggs than her Rhode Island red counterparts. There are still lemons on my Meyer lemon tree. Time to make a batch of lemon delicious. Makes 16 slices or 30 mini-bites. It freezes well. I might repeat the lemon/egg … [Read more...]
Just because you don't see them, don't pretend they're not there. If you keep hens or have ducks around, sooner or later you'll get a visit from a mustelid pest. I'd never seen a live stoat or weasel around here, but we've caught quite a few over the last few years. Nothing for months and then this female stoat appeared in a our DoC 200 trap near … [Read more...]
There's not room in everyone's life or garden for a rooster. They are noisy at very unsociable hours. But if you want the patter of tiny chickie feet, keeping a rooster is one option. If you would like to give a very handsome pure-bred Rhode Island red rooster a good home, please email me. This is a photo of their dad, Henry. … [Read more...]
