Scritch Scratch
There's a rodent in the kitchen. Heard scratching in the wall then scuttling in the ceiling! Happens at this time every year, but sounds a bit big. Maybe not a mouse. I've put Gerry up in the loft and laid poison in the boiler cupboard.
Dramatic sunset over the smallholding tonight.
Saturday 4th November 2017
The no-rear pig
Rain! Lots of rain.
This year it has only rained about a dozen times but each time we seem to get a month's worth at once.
I picked up half a pig from a farm along a very wet country lane out toward The Wash. With just the two of us and not wanting to get into trying to sell the meat, keeping a couple of pigs just gives us too much pork. So for the moment we are happy to support other smallholders and let them do the hard work!
Sunday 5th November 2017
Pumpkin harvest
No Fireworks, just a quiet day on the smallholding
I cleared the pumpkins ahead of the forecast frost and laid them out in the winter sun to dry off a little before they come inside.
The harvest is disappointing this year. Too much leaf growth and not enough fruit formation.
They have been very slow to form and to ripen too. Another four weeks of summer and it might have been a bumper harvest. Anyway, there's enough for us and some for the chickens and sheep still.
While I was in that area, I chopped down some of the amaranth plants for the sheep. They love them.
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| Amaranths aka Callaloo |
A wander around the perimeter path and I spotted a patch of scotch thistles. These are relatively easy to control manually but they just keep appearing. In the end I cleared well over 300! I am constantly amazed how the sheep, albeit gingerly, manage to nibble these plants. I sustain mortal injuries even looking at them.
There were 17 Whooper Swans in the far field today too. The Mutes have set up camp on this side of the river, so I can even scan through them from the conservatory. Unless it gets much colder, the whoopers won't stay. They'll continue on, probably to the feeding centre at Welney.
Another dramatic sunset. They are magical at this time of year.
And finally, a lazy end to the day.
