Wednesday 18th January 2012
A Change in The Weather
Grey skies and drizzle overnight at least meant a rise in temperatures, the cue for a spot of digging. I've still got a huge task to get the last few veg beds converted from weed-ridden ex-pasture to perfectly tilthed patches of goodness just waiting to nourish oodles of healthy home grown food. I find the best way to tackle this is to do what I can whenever I can, gradually biting chunks out of the task until the end is in sight.
I thought my pig ear tags had arrived today. I need them to come, but at the same time feel a little apprehensive about the prospect of attaching them to the pigs' ears. I want to do it well in advance of them going away, otherwise they will distrust me (more than they already do) and enticing them into the trailer will be tricky!
As it was, it was my first consignment of seed potatoes, Swifts, one of the earliest of First Earlies. If I can get a quick enough harvest these potatoes will command a premium price for a couple of weeks.
There's a Mouse in the House
Tell tale signs...
Occasionally, of an evening, you hear scratching and scurrying from inside your walls.
It sounds like something of the approximate size and grace of a porcupine!
Your cat is desperate to access cupboards, under sinks, walls, ceilings...
The poison tray which has sat empty for a while has been nibbled.
I once even found a nest of leaves inside my welly.
Now, as much as we have tried to catch the little blighters in humane traps, they are clearly a lot cleverer than we would like to think. We do have several plug in rodent deterrant devices, and these do seem to work quite well, but nothing is 100% effective. We are scrupulously clean, especially in the kitchen, and all food is in cupboards, plastic boxes, tins or jars. The presence of a cat obviously keeps them well hidden, but as they are capable of living entirely in areas which even the cat cannot access, there is not really any option but to lay poison down for them.
We only do this when absolutely necessary and try to target its use efficiently.
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