Onions and shallots

   Well that reasonable day to plant onions and shallots over the last week has not arrived. There has been a couple of dry days unfortunately not contiguous and the ground is so wet it is impossible to work or sow unless there is a few days where it does not rain.
   On one short of dry day, it drizzled a bit, I managed to get my bonfire lit and the branches etc from the cut down pine tree burnt. It was a good bonfire and I am pleased that I have managed to get it done. I have replaced a number of posts in the fence lines with the idea that our "jumpy" rams would be kept in. They had to be moved from my daughters next door neighbours garden as there really was no grass for them. I moved them and guess what? Two of the so in so's jumped my efforts at making Ramstag IV. I got them back but one is a persistent so in so. One sniff and one look at a ewe and he is off! Cut a long story short three times he jumped higher and higher fences. The third time the fence was at least five foot ten high, that is, as tall as me and he still got over it. I spent a half day trying to catch him and had to give up however I finally got him through his own greed and desires. So now he is back in my daughters Sophie's garden away from the ewes. He has to go.
   In the garden it has been a case of digging up parsnips and leeks, picking sprouts, cutting cabbage and getting muddy! I tell you digging up a parsnip when the soil is liquid mud is not a pleasant job. Now is the time I need to make the decision to sow tomato and sweet pepper seeds. Onions, shallots and parsnips are going to be late this year I fear.

Cress grown on a piece of kitchen roll!

Male pheasant in the field

Where did that time go?

   Well I do not know! My last blog posting was on the 2nd February and here we are at the 13th February (shrove Tuesday in the UK). So where did those eleven days go? 
   The weather has been mixed. Cold, ice, snow, rain, sun. Had the lot! On the animal front one group of rams has been moved from one paddock to another. Grass is getting short now. Four of last years lamb rams have been moved to my back  garden and they are doing a great job of getting the grass down. Usual maintenance done, that is, cleaning out coops!
   For a laugh and because I remember doing it as a child I sowed some cress on a piece of damp kitchen roll on a plate and hey presto up it came. Looking forward to egg and cress samwiches. Not a lot done in the garden generally other than dig up leeks and parsnips, pulled carrots, cut cabbage and oh yes I took down an overgrown small fir tree and removed the stump. That was a bit of an effort but now I have a good view over the front garden, not mind you that is much of a view!
   I am now looking out for a reasonable day to sow the onions and shallots and parsnips. In the mean time I have a bon fire to light and to give some thought to sowing tomatoes! Few more days maybe? Umm.

Now you see it!

Now you don't!

The removed stump

Mud! Glorious mud!

   I have bought my seed potatoes, onions and shallots. I had a nice surprise in that I did not have to pay anything! My fidelity card paid for the lot.
   The wet and miserable weather has given me an opportunity to clear the cobbles from grass and mud outside the front of the house. Normal maintenance work done despite the weather, that is, clean out the coops! As well as that the ram lambs have been moved from the neighbours garden to my garden! Also the adult rams who were living in a paddock at the back of the main chicken coop have been moved to a fresh paddock where they have taken great delight is having some grass to eat! This means I have two big piles of dirty, wet and smelly hay to move to a compost site in my garden. The chickens are also very happy as they are being allowed to wander the garden and they have already found my spinach. No great loss as far as I am concern! 
   In the garden carrots are being pulled, as are swede and sprouts are being picked. The sprouts are coming to an end now and I will probably give most of what is left to the sheep. I had  left my tree onions in the ground over winter to see what result I would get. I have weeded and gently forked their bed. They look ok so far! My over wintering peas are still thriving but I fear the next week will test them. The weather forecast is for several nights of below zero and so I expect there will be a frost. I have pruned the japonica. Probably the wrong time to it as it is starting to produce flowers and leafs. Needs must! I need to have a bonfire!!
   Nothing to say on the animal front that has not already been stated. All continue to thrive but the darn chickens are not laying as many eggs as they should be. Spring is just around the corner. I have daffs in flower and the snow drops on the ditch bank are out in full splendour.

Snow drops 24/01/18

Daffs in flower 29/01/18

2017 Ram lambs in my garden