Eventful week!

   Well it has been an eventful week. One of our sheep gave birth to twin lambs. One we believe was still born and the other only managed to survive the day. We have also lost two chickens.   We suspect that their time had come rather than anything untoward but who knows! We wait and see what is going to happen with the rest of them.On the plus side the other two lambs are thriving.
   In the garden the week began wet and cold and ended warm and drier. The couple of days of warmth has encourage everything to start growing and as I look out the window I can see leaves coming on next doors willow tree and the forthesyia has a yellow hue to it. The first grass cut of the season has been done.
  In the outside garden the shallots and onion sets are sprouting. I have picked more sprouts but I think it is time to call it a day and give the plants to the sheep. I am going to need the space soon. I have planted the remains of my red onion sets and garlic amongst the strawberries.  I have sown a short row of organic Early Nante carrot seed. The Lucerne that I sowed last Autumn is growing fast. Hopefully it will flower for the bees before I need the ground! Rhubarb, garlic, peas, broad beans and spinach are all growing well. The broad beans are showing signs of coming into flower. There still a few Chou Milan cabbage, carrots and some leeks still to harvest. My potatoes are chitin away albeit a little slowly but that I do not mind and I am planning to plant most of these over Easter.
  In the poly tunnel/porch tomato's are growing. I have transplanted the remaining Latah tomato's to pots and put them in the poly tunnel fleece cloche. My own gathered yellow tomato seed has germinated and have now been designated "Champeau Yellow Giant". These were seed collected from harvested "giant" yellow tomato's that were grown from side shoots. My hope here is to breed a giant yellow tomato by selecting only seed from the biggest yellow tomato's. We shall see. 18 Jour (18 day) radish has germinated and the red salad bowl is not far behind. Broad beans and kohl rabi are growing well. One of the two cauliflowers is suffering from mould but I am hopeful it will still produce. No sign of the asparagus yet. A little early I think.
   The herb beds look "alive" and are developing a vista of shades of dark green.
   It is not going to be long now and the planting and sowing will really get underway. I have asked my farmer neighbor to drop some cow manure over. Hopefully it will arrive before I plant the potatoes.