Adventures in the life of an English allotment
It was meant to be just a quick visit to the allotment this morning to check on the chickens before having family arrive. I stopped to say hello to the Weed Destroyers and bundled them a large handful of kale to keep them happy whilst I refilled their food and water bowls. Down in the... Continue Reading →
At lunchtime I went out into the garden to check on the chickens. As usual, I had to turf Stratus and Cirrus out of the nest box. As I tried to move Cirrus, I realised how dirty she was. Her previously snow white feathers were approaching a mid-grey with brown muddy flecks. On impulse, I... Continue Reading →
I rolled up to the allotment this afternoon to find Cliff sitting on the main path enjoying the sunshine. Grabbing a drink, I joined him as we discussed what has been happening on site over the last few days. It's always fun to sit and chat with the guys at the allotment as we put... Continue Reading →
After lunch I ambled down to the allotment where I caught up with Cliff and Alan. It seems there has been quite a stir about the Community Garden and two opposing points of view about what should be done about it. Our Community Garden was created several years ago and so many people put so... Continue Reading →
With the wild weather continuing today, I thought it would be a good time to do an update on Trixy's chicks. They are now nearly seven weeks old and fully feathered. The millefleur chicks I have been able to sex for three weeks - one boy and one girl. I am so pleased that the... Continue Reading →
Another day, another downpour! It was relentless! I just about managed to dash around the chicken coops, checking on the birds before running back to the shed. As I sat in the shed, waiting for the rain to stop, I pondered upgrading the social media for the plot. Besides this blog, I have been running... Continue Reading →
This morning was a total wash out. Really heavy showers and high winds which saw me curl up on the sofa and watch the Olympics until it stopped. After lunch there were signs of a break in the rain so I grabbed my keys and ran down to the plot. Releasing the Weed Destroyers, I... Continue Reading →
One universally acknowledged trait of the British is their obsession with the weather. After greeting a fellow Brit, the conversation always turns to the weather. It's an inexhaustible subject which can be used in any conversation. When I worked in Italy several years ago, I completely baffled my colleague by cheerfully chatting about the weather... Continue Reading →
After a sociable morning, I ambled back through town to the allotment. No one was on site, so I opened up the shed and turned on the radio. A shrill yell made me jump and I turned to find Trixy angrily pecking at the run door. Rolling my eyes, I opened up the coop door... Continue Reading →
It was definitely a day of two halves - one quick dash to the allotment in the morning, chicken cleaning out at home in the afternoon, and a second visit to the allotment in the evening! Busy it was, but very enjoyable! The first job of the day was to collect Trixy and take her... Continue Reading →
Yesterday afternoon, I arrived at the allotment mid-afternoon with no real plan. With rain forecast, I thought I wouldn't start on any big jobs. Once the chickens were fed, I let Roxy and Foxy out for an explore. Roxy immediately came out and began scratching but it took a while for Foxy to join her.... Continue Reading →
With the clouds looming and a forecast of rain, I dashed down to the allotment quickly this morning. All the chickens were present and correct with Tommy strutting possessively around the main coop. He is definitely starting to behave more like a cockerel and less like a marshmallow. With all the chickens fed and some... Continue Reading →
When I arrived on site, it was a blistering 26 degrees despite being mid afternoon. I opened up the shed and let Roxy and Foxy out to have a quick roam. Next I ambled down to the main coop to see how the chickens were getting on. Right by the door I spotted Hattie. Sometimes,... Continue Reading →
With the heat beginning to lessen, my husband and I walked down to the allotment to feed the chickens. As my husband walked between the coops, refilling the food and water, I got busy weeding around the Omlet watched closely by Roxy and Foxy. Much to their delight, I threw in several handfuls of weeds... Continue Reading →
The weather is absurd. When I woke up this morning, it was already 20 degrees. Knowing that it would 9nly get hotter, I dragged myself to the allotment to feed the chickens. Happily, most of the girls had enough water and I planned to pop back this evening to refill with cool water. Tommy has... Continue Reading →
So today saw the temperatures rise yet again. Landlocked Crewe is absolutely sweltering in 30 degree heat. It's utterly relentless, with no breeze to lessen the intense heat. Chickens are especially prone to hear stroke and days like today pose some danger. A fresh, cool supply of water is essential as birds don't sweat. Panting... Continue Reading →
Apart from feeding the chickens and checking that the new girls are coping in the main coop, we spent half an hour harvesting the first of our crops. As my husband got busy picking our white strawberries, I ran around making sure that all the chickens had a full water bowl. Chickens can't lower their... Continue Reading →
Despite having an allotment for over 7 years now, I can safely say that growing plants successfully is still a skill that alludes me. What I seem to be able to grow brilliantly, and without any effort whatsoever, is a wide variety of weeds. Personally, I think they sense my lack of ability and take... Continue Reading →
With the end of a truly dreadful week at work, I trudged down to the allotment. A few weeks ago, I spotted an advert for point of lay hens from a local farm. I contacted the farm and to my delight, found they had pullets available in two of my favourite breeds, Black Rock and... Continue Reading →
Over the last couple of days, the chicks have grown massively. The milliefleurs are feathering up rapidly, their beautiful light yellow fluff giving way to pale grey and cream secondary feathers. Even the smallest chick is doing well, keeping up with the others and cheeping as loudly! Trixy on the other hand, is moulting feathers... Continue Reading →
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