new raised beds, broody chickens and washing line comparisons???

A busy day today! Caught up on nearly all the washing, how lovely is it when you can dry your washing outside! Makes things so much easier! Whilst on the subject of washing I have to mention that Mel (the other half of honestly its easy) cane over last weekend for a cider and a chat (as you do). During her visit our conversation skills hit an all time weird level, we talked about the benefits of a rotary washing line compared to a normal washing line, good lord!!! We obviously need to get out more!!

The bloody chickens got out this morning and I think luckily I may have caught them all in time – they only managed to destroy the Kale that was springing up and dislodge a few onions, we have now purchase another lock for the coop gate to make sure this doesn’t happen again!

We have a broody silkie chicken which is sat on a few of or fertile lavender pekin hatching eggs! Yay, will give you an update on whats going on with them in a couple of weeks when I go and try and candle them.

We’ve sown some more vegetables as well and I’ll update my little diagram next week with our new additions and there are also two new raised beds to add to it as well! We are also going to try growing some peas alongside the lavender pekins run, not entirely sre if this is going to work or not but only time will tell! In theory we are hoping (in or experience the girls don’t like peas, or not cooked ones anyhow!) that the peas can grow along side them and although we will lose some of the crop to little beaks most of the crop will be ok and the chickens will help with a bit of pest control, hmmmm, nice try we’ll see if it works!!

Here are the new beds we’ve put in, We are hoping that the bean pole’s will help to hide the oil tank a bit when they have things growing over and up them!

I do hope everyone is enjoying all this extra time off we’ve been having and have spent in wisely, in the garden as we have tried to!

All the Best!
Claire
Xx

Twitter:
@CropredyChicken
@Honestlyitseasy
@steelsyrockitup

PS The grass is starting to come through a little bit as well – all my hard work watering it all the time seems to be paying off!!

Happy Easter, Grass and a little update for you all!

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Well it’s Good Friday at around 8am and I’m sat in my garden in glories sunshine already!!!

So with coffee in hand I shall give you a bit of an pdate as to where we are with the garden.

A few months ago we had the boiler moved which meant a trench had to be dug across the garden for the oil hose. It’s been a huge, brown, dry lump cutting through nice green grass ever since. But no more! Spen has been hard at work removing said lumpage! It is now nice and flat!

And we plan to sow some grass seed over it this weekend. There are a few other patches we want to fill in as well. To sow the seed though we needed to sort out somewhere for the lavender bantams. They have been enjoying free reign in the garden (excluding the vegetable plot after last time) for the last couple of weeks. So we’ve made them a temporary area next to the other girls, touch wood so far they all seem happy with the new living arrangements!

So anyhow we have gone for Tesco Grass Seed, mainly because there was a good offer on it. IN the past I’ve always gone and got grass seed from WIlkinsons, but Tescos’s had a great offer of two boxes for £6.00 so we’ll wait and see for the results in the coming weeks, but it seemed very cost effective.

And finally I would like to wish you all a very happy easter, I do hope you enjoy the sunshine, and spend time with those nearest and dearest to you, speaking of which the in-laws are due over today for lunch so I best get cracking on baking! And for all of you that have booked the 3 days off work next week to make it a staggering 11 days holiday for 3 days entitlement used – well done you lucky so and so’s!!

All the Best!
Claire
Xx

Twitter:
@CropredyChicken
@Honestlyitseasy
@steelsyrockitup

I’m sure this is meant to be for eating out of, not sitting on top of, but our table bird doesn’t seem to care!

Veg Seeds & Sunflower Challenge!

Finally the first seedlings have made an appearance..with avengence!

How exciting! So far our tomatoes, cabbage and chilli seeds are coming through, and all the seeds that my other half of Honestly Its Easy, Claire gave us too are doing brilliantly!

It wont be long before I'm re-potting them ready to transplant into our raised beds!

I love this time of year, everything starts a fresh, you know that summer is arriving and very soon, home grown veg will be on my dinner plate!

Fab!

I've also managed to get my two little boys into the first part of the growing season, I've challenged them to a Sunflower Growing competition!!

They filled our old toilet roll inners with some compost, popped in some sunflower seeds and gave them some water. They are both excited and eager to be the "winner", and so far we've heard alot of "mine's gonna be bigger than yours"!!!!

I'll keep you updated as to who is currently in the lead...Anyone want to put a wager on it???

Mel
Twitter
@Tikobear
@Honestlyitseasy