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 →
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 →
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 →
Spotting the rain this morning, I delayed going down in a fruitless effort to stay dry. As I was chatting to Phil, the heavens opened and we sprinted to our respective sheds to shelter from the pouring rain. After several minutes, it didn't seem to be stopping or even lessening. Resigning myself to getting utterly... Continue Reading →
Today was a manic day at the allotment. With no broody hens, I could finally clean out the new coop and whilst I was at it I thought I might as well do the other two. The first nest box was so much easier to clean now that Will has added hinges to the roof.... Continue Reading →
Another busy morning today saw me arrive mid-afternoon at the allotment. Upon my arrival, I walked down to the main coop to check on Millie. She seemed alright although she is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. What was wonderful to see was that all of the girls were on the perches including... Continue Reading →
With the weather still dry, despite the promised torrential rain, I ambled down to the allotment with no particular plan. Upon arrival, I sat with Geoff and Mick the Greek and we put the world to rights. This is an absolutely essential part of allotment life - so many world issues could be solved if... Continue Reading →
A quick visit to the allotment today ended with a surprise harvest of strawberries! Over the past few years, we have struggled to get any fruit from our strawberry plants. Happily, Geoff has let us grow some in one of his raised beds. We arrived ready to give Millie a dose of cider vinegar as... Continue Reading →
So today was an interesting day. If broodiness was as infectious as Covid-19, I would have less broody hens. At home, Stratus was still sitting in the nest box, blocking Nimbus and Cirrus from getting into it to lay. I had arranged to collect six hatching eggs from Trixy's breeder this evening. As soon as... Continue Reading →
Yesterday was so busy that I completely forgot to update the blog! Mid-afternoon I ambled down to the allotment, mainly to check on the chickens and to feed them. Four hours later, I was still on site covered in dirt with several blisters on my hands. It always seems to turn out this way! After... Continue Reading →
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