Today I ambled down to the allotment determined to do something more productive than just feeding the chickens. I arrived to find the site busy, the warm sunny weather has brought everyone out. It was good to see Mick the Greek back after a short spell unwell in hospital. Chickens were fed and seem very... Continue Reading →
Chickens and Bees
Despite still dying of flu for the second week running, I managed to drag myself down to the allotment. Unusually for the UK, the weather is still good, a little cooler than last week but still lovely and sunny. Today, like an idiot, I decided it was the day to shift things around in the... Continue Reading →
Splitting the Hive
Today was the day for splitting the feisty hive on Phil's far plot. The build up was intense, everyone focused deeply the issue of putting down the main path.It was definitely a team effort with Neil and Steve taking the lead with Dave the Plod, Cliff and Will busy running back and forth to deliver... Continue Reading →
Enjoying the sunshine
Still bogged down with flu, I dragged myself down to get some fresh air. The sunshine finally has appeared and according to the Met Office, it will be here for the entire Bank Holiday weekend. I walked down to the chickens and was greeted by a chorus of disgust at the lateness of the hour.... Continue Reading →
Bogs and Bees
This morning we again pottered down to the allotment ready for a couple of hours work in the sunshine. Although the weather was finally clear, it will take several days of sunshine before the allotment stops being a bog and dries enough to properly dig over. Both of us got spectacularly stuck at various points... Continue Reading →
Chasing Chickens!
Today we both headed down to the allotment to medicate the chickens - their legs have been showing signs of sore legs. Scaley leg is easy to treat using either vaseline to protect the leg from infection or, even better, sudacrem. The antibiotic nappy rash cream is brilliant for treating their legs with an added... Continue Reading →
Feathers, feathers everywhere!
Another manic week at work (with an even busier one next week!) I dashed down to check on the chickens this morning. I was shouted at and roundly abused for not being quick enough to feed them. So nothing unusual! The community garden continues to be worked on - we now have 10 gold fish,... Continue Reading →
Autumn Bee Inspection
Last Sunday was the final bee check of the summer. I am not sure what we are going to do on a Sunday afternoon now! We removed the feeder now after two weeks. The feeder fills a super and is designed to allow the bees access to the sugar water without drowning (which they are... Continue Reading →
A relaxing Sunday
Yesterday I popped down to the allotment to feed the chickens - they are still in two distinct camps and never the twain shall meet except to peck at each other. Give it a few more days and they will have calmed down...hopefully! Birds fed, I started to clear more weeds from the centre of... Continue Reading →
Progress
Ambled down the allotment this morning to feed the chickens - Evie is still being grumpy and attempting to be broody. I am not convinced - she is a Warren and very old so it's unlikely she is actually broody. I plan to check with Geoff tomorrow about her. I have also begun to clear... Continue Reading →
First hive check
On first glance, this seems a silly title for this post. Anyone who has been following this blog will know the hives have been on site for over a month and I have been regularly helping with the weekly hive inspections. But today was different. Today I did the hive check! Well, not all of... Continue Reading →
Many great works
A massive day of works at the allotment today! We went down fairly early, determined to make serious inroads into the weeds and to sort out the mite problem plaguing the coop. Whilst the hubby fed the chickens (a difficult task when they always get under your feet and try to climb into the food... Continue Reading →
Bee updates!
Being Sunday, it was hive inspection day! Phil was back, dosed up on painkillers due to his back injury and was put in charge of hive inspection by Steve. Steve has led the previous hive inspections and decided it was time for Phil to get some practice. Hive 1 on Phil's plot has been massively... Continue Reading →
The hives are a-buzz!
Popped down to help Steve check the hives today as Phil has sadly done his back quite badly and isn't able to come down. I was on secretary duty to record how the hive was working. Carefully, Steve dismantled the hive, checking for brood frames (new eggs and larvae kept here!). There were significantly more... Continue Reading →
Give me hive!
Today was the first check of the new Bee hives on site. I have decided to do separate posts for the bees as this is different from my usual posts about chickens and the unending war on weeds. The bees have been on site for a week and appeared be flying in and out of... Continue Reading →
A-buzz with excitement
A rather momentous event happened yesterday morning on site - after months of waiting, the bees have arrived! Phil and Steve have been attending a bee keeping course and have mentors to help them if they are unsure - Bee keeping seems to be rather complex! Steve has built two hives and they look really... Continue Reading →
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