Adventures in the life of an English allotment
So here we are again, loading up the car with wood to attempt to shore up the main coop roof. Thankfully, the rain has held off for most of yesterday which means we could actually catch up on jobs at home for the first time in three weeks. However, lunchtime saw us jumping into the... Continue Reading →
There has been so much rain this week that I have been obsessively checking the main coop roof each time I have been down. I couldn't get down yesterday so I dashed down before work this morning to check on the girls (and the roof!). Most of the roof has coped well with the relentless... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I walked down to the allotment before work to feed the chickens. Granted it was still quite dark and I was half asleep but I quickly noticed a problem with the roof of the main coop when I struggled to open the door. The roof panel by the door had bowed downwards... Continue Reading →
Armed with only a vague plan and a handful of tools, we headed off to the allotment early to tackle the roof. I'm not going to lie, it was rather a daunting prospect to get the scaffolding netting, greenhouse shield and old roof panels off and put up the new roof within a day. Especially... Continue Reading →
As I was busy working this morning, there was a loud knock on the front door. Dashing downstairs, I thanked Amazon Prime for delivering emergency coop supplies so quickly. Upon opening the door, I discovered a delivery lady who looked rather confused. She was looking at a piece of paper and muttered "Oh dear, I'm... Continue Reading →
It is with a weary resignation that poultry owners read the news that the next Flockdown will begin on the 7th November today. Considering the massive cases of avian flu throughout the year, it had a feeling of inevitability about it although that doesn't make the Flockdown any more welcome. My main frustration is the... Continue Reading →
Late morning, I dragged my husband down to the allotment to help me try and make our main coop biosecure. DEFRA have introduced restrictions for poultry due to several cases of pathogenic avian flu across the UK. Unfortunately, this seems to be happening more regularly, with last year being a particularly bad year. To be... Continue Reading →
Over the past two days, the rain has returned spectacularly. Sheets of it for several hours at a time combined with the darker nights and mornings signals the official start of autumn. It's a season at the allotment tinged with a little sadness as all the greenery is removed and there are fewer people on... Continue Reading →
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 →
Today was boiling hot. So hot that we decided to do very little apart from feeding the chickens. With the weather being so hot, it's incredibly important to keep their water bowls full. Whilst my husband refilled all the water bowls, I got busy checking the next boxes for eggs. Not a single one! Moving... 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 →
Up bright and early this morning for my Covid jab and it seemed churlish not to go down to the allotment straight afterwards. Sporting a rather dead arm, my plan was to feed the chickens before watching the world go by from the shed. The bantams greeted me with shouts, complaining about the lack of... Continue Reading →
Today was going to be the day that we moved the nest box from Andy's plot to ours. Quite how we were going to do it, I had no clue but it would be done somehow. When we arrived there were quite a few people on site who I felt sure we could rope into... Continue Reading →
The skies were blue, the air crisp and there wasn't a rain cloud in sight when I arrived on site this morning. Lots of people were down, making the most of the dry spell before the inevitable rain forecast for the entirety of the rest of the week. I said hello to Geoff and Andy... Continue Reading →
Today was a plottering day at the allotment. One of those days where you arrive and don't really have much of a plan and spend the day drifting between little jobs. When I arrived, I immediately went to check on the girls in the new coop and say hello to Liz, Sarah and Andy. To... Continue Reading →
An early start this morning saw me down the allotment and sorting out Roxy and Trixy wondering how on earth the nest box would be moved. To be honest, this is the panicked thought that has haunted me over the past few weeks. Will appeared around the shed door and said he and Cliff were... Continue Reading →
Today I ran down to the allotment ready to work on getting the new chicken run into place. When I arrived, I said hello to Sarah and Cliff who were busy working away on the new greenhouse. By the time I got there, they had managed to get in one of the front panels and... Continue Reading →
Today I arrived on site at lunchtime armed with a cool bag full of food. After a busy morning at home, I was looking forward to having some time outside. Even the most boring foods taste so much better when eaten outside. Liz and Sarah appeared and we set up the table. With the stove... Continue Reading →
This morning was cold but clear with a nearly cloudless blue sky. I ambled down to the allotment wondering whether to add the chippings into the coop or just to enjoy the day. When I arrived, I found Geoff, Phil, Steve and several others pottering about. The sunny weather is beginning to bring everyone out... Continue Reading →
Yet more snow arrived overnight! I have never known so much snow since we moved here several years ago. There is nothing more exciting than opening up the curtains to find everything covered in a layer of pure white. Sometimes if the snow is thicker, the sounds of traffic and other noises of a busy... Continue Reading →
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