Oh Good Morning!

It was a busy Monday morning, Henry has his final school exams going on at the moment, he is coping very well so far.  He has always been pretty laid back if I leave him be.  He isn't exactly a ray of sunshine in the morning but he takes after his mother!  Euan has been cough, cough, coughing pretty much non stop, so he was bleary eyed.  The dog is a sweetheart and 'asks' me for food when she wants it, she likes breakfast and dinner.  The chickens also need breakfast and letting out.  If I don't get out there early the chickens make their feelings known and you can hear them loudly clucking!  For the sake of the neighbours I try to get out there asap.  I live in a very noisy street though, so I am not to troubled by the noise the Chooks make, it is my payback for other peoples late nights, dogs barking, kids yelling, teenagers coming and going at all hours, cars revving etc etc.  If you can't beat them, join them.  Any noise me and mine make justs add to the hub bub.  As long as we are not the noisiest I figure that is ok.  This morning look what greeted me in the garden.  Wow, the first Poppy of the year.  Isn't she a beauty.  It looks like there will be plenty more where that came from too:

I thought I just discovered a stray egg in the picture, but I remember now, I chucked egg shells around the base of my Camellia.

              Today it has finally felt like May, the Sun has had his hat on.  It was lovely to get home from work and have some warm sunshine.  It motivated me to get out in the garden at last.  I found the very last of last years harvest.

  What a whopper!  I think this leek may be as tough as old boots!

Here is 'Chicken Proofed' Alcatraz.  I have to remove the fences to do any gardening.  Last week Euan and I weeded the raised beds and the chickens gobbled worms as fast as they could, they slurp them like spaghetti and ate loads of them.  I put them in their coop as they are just too helpful in the garden.  I was out for about and hour and a half and the poor things did not stop whinging and complaining the whole time they were cooped.

The poor things.  It was only because I was in earshot and they really think they should be out if I am.  I was determined to sow some seeds though and get the bean poles ready.  I planted two types of beetroot, some dwarf  peas, swede, turnips and kale in the raised beds.  I planted some oca in a large container.  Oca is a new one on me.  It is like a small potato.  I will let you know how I get on.  I should have photographed it for you as it is a bit weird.  Check out this link for Oca to read more about it.  If you have grown it, tried it, cooked it, eaten it, do let me know what you think....

   I planted the potatoes about a month ago and the spinach is left over from last year.  My next job will be weeding this bed.  The spinach is soon destined for soup or curry.

Meet my Fartychokes.  Jerusalem Artichokes.  They are delicious and come back every year.  Sadly now we just enjoy them for their tall yellow 'sunflowers' as when consumed they have some most unfortunate side effects which have earned them their pet name.  In the name of good manners I shall just leave it there, nuff said!

This used to be the chicken pen...how naive!  It is a large pen and more than adequate for a chicken run, but it simply isn't good enough for my girls!  They need half of the garden.  The biggest half no less.  Rhubarb is supposed to be poisonous to chickens so they leave it alone.  My chickens did not read that page of the book and ransack the rhubarb, hence the rhubarb is now penned in the chicken pen.  It seems to be their favourite and they would scratch it to oblivion.

The soft fruit is looking promising.  This old blackcurrant bush is heavily laden again.  The raspberries are also coming along ok.  They are not fenced off yet...  I don't know what to do about them.  I am sure as the fruit ripens it will take a greedy chicken ten minutes to strip the whole bush.  The rhubarb may be set free and the chickens penned again.  It is funny watching them jump for the fruit though.  Chickens can do quite high standing jumps and 'boing' like they are on springs for ripe juicy berries.  

          When my gardening was done and I had watered thoroughly and replaced the fences, I went to the coop to find three noisy, disgruntled girls.  They were elated to see me.  I opened the door to the coop and they shot out like 'grease lightening'.  

I love this photograph!  I know it is not the most aesthetic part of my garden.  I like it up there though.  As soon as the door is opened these girls move like a trio of 'Road Runners'.  Beep beep!  Just look at the speed and gusto in their sprint for freedom!  After the impertinence of their incarceration here they are doing what chickens love to do best;

Scratching and pecking.

Here's to hoping this is the first sunny day of many.  xxx

Do you know what these are?

I can't just leave you with a 'Monday' picture for the whole of Tuesday.  That will just mess with my melon maaannn!  I am very sleepy and trying to spin without nodding off, it can be a bit too relaxing you know!   I am starting to think about what to grow in the garden again.  It is all quite exciting.   I could really do with another bumper glut of turnips!  Then I need to turn the vegetable beds into something resembling a high security prison to keep the Chicken Girlies off!  They are so helpful in the garden.
            We are 'Living off the fat of the land.'  Currently up for harvest is good old Sage, Parsley, Thyme, all good for a 'Garden Herb Omelette'. Spinach and Artichokes (but I am afraid the artichokes have stayed in the ground this year, they are not called 'Fartichokes' without good reason) and 'these' little beauties in the photograph.  Euan and I love them.  I don't think I have ever seen them in a Supermarket.  So I will leave you with a little quiz.   'What are they?'  Answers on a Postcard please, oh yeah I forgot you can just leave a comment!   If you know what they are and eat them I would be interested to know how you eat yours.  I am very impressed with their hardiness and I am amazed my garden is producing anything edible at this time of the year.  I am still getting a kick out of collecting three eggs a day too!  Not quite self sufficient but I do like to pretend.    

Incarcerated!

Incarcerated, behind bars, harshly judged and an unfair trial!  Poor Chicken babies!  The Big Bad Man has had another meltdown about the 'fun' these ladies have!  I do not mind the Brassica Massacre.  I don't mind them rearranging the garden borders, I don't mind them camping out on the back step, but The Big Bad Man does!   As the garden gets seasonally wetter and muddier there has been a showdown, an 'In The Sky Style O.K Corral'.  It concluded with The Big Bad Man threatening to erect a large fence!  I agreed, a truly spiffing idea!  I will concede a little and agree, I wish the children would look where they were putting their feet!  So the result is a temporary loss of freedom to my girlies, but we all know 'When the cat is away, mice will play!'
      Today the girls were most appreciative of my titivating in their coop.  They came and admired the fresh covering of wood pellets and sawdust as I was putting it in situ.  They quietly cooed and clucked at the thick layer of warm straw I placed in their nest boxes and then as everyone else was out walking, they came out on the rampage again!  He he he!!!  They ran around at their leisure scratching, pecking, marauding and pooping wherever they pleased!
      I have a cookathon on Sundays, making lunch, then a homemade soup and usually Monday's  Main Meal too.  I wanted some Parsnips from the garden for the soup and tomorrow's 'Lamb Casserole'.  I dig for the parsnips with my bare hands, which is not at all good for the manicure but is the most effective way I have found of extricating the parsnips from the soil.  I use raised beds for gardening.  The chickens treat the raised beds as an Adventure Playground with tasty benefits.  Today I really struggled to get my parsnips, I tugged, and burrowed, wiggled and pulled for about five minutes.  I had two chicken helpers, Poppy and Daisy, in front of me, scratching the soil as I burrowed.  I pulled and puffed and puffed and pulled as they watched on in bewilderment and fascination!  Then I felt a little pair of feet on my back, Rosie had jumped on my back to peer over my shoulder and get a better look.  Obviously I could not take a photograph but I really wish somebody could have.  She sat on my back encouraging me in my parsnip digging plight.  I thought of the story of 'The Enormous Turnip'.  I really appreciated the help and support of my chicken buddies.

When the first parsnip came up they were fascinated but when the second Monster parsnip was wiggled free, I could tell I had earned their admiration and respect they cooed and clucked  in awe and wonder!   When push comes to shove... I would choose my 'Loyal Feathered Buddies' over many of the Human Beans in my life.  We have a bond and I love them!  Mess and all!  I have three lovely eggs a day as a reward for my earache!
      Therefore 'What God has put together, let no man separate.'   

Look what I pulled today!

I couldn't help it.  I am so proud of them.  I am sure they will look even nicer roasted for Sunday Lunch tomorrow.  :)

Showing off my Parsnips!

Dig for Victory

Today there was some long awaited sunshine.  I have been thinking about the garden a great deal, but the time is not right to do anything about it yet.  This week I have been buying vegetable seeds in anticipation to start the growing year again but the ground has been frozen solid.  I did manage to get out and mooch about and see what is going on out there.  It looks sorry for itself but already there are signs of life and rejuvenation.  The first plant to bud each year is my big old blackcurrant bush, I only have one and it grows enough currants for at least 5lbs of jam each year.  I wait for optimum ripeness then I have to race the Blackbird to get them all picked.


Big Old Blackcurrant Bush - Always the first plant to bud

 I also have Raspberry canes, they are rather intrusive and love my garden so now my neighbour has lots too, wether he wants them or not!


Somewhat invasive Raspberry canes

 Last Year for my Birthday I had three large raised beds put in to the garden, they do not look great at this time of year but there is still plenty going on in there and in the summer when they a brimming with fresh green peas, courgettes, tomatoes, broad beans, turnips, beetroot, lettuce, chillis, rocket, herbs, spinach, onions, potatoes and runner beans they look alot more inviting. 
Please note Percy Pigeon observing the goings on.  We rescued a baby pigeon last year and nursed him for about a week until he left.  We worried about him like you would a pet.  We kept releasing him and then finding him wondering down the path at night in the dark, looking little and vulnerable.  He would bed down in a wicker basket with a Digestive biscuit soaked in  milk for supper, then go about his business again during the day.  One day he was strong enough to leave the garden and now four regularly feed here.  I am sure one is Percy, he has that look about him.

On closer inspection today there are still small tasty offerings to be had, that have proven their resilience against the extreme winter weather.

Kohl Rabi

Lovely Leeks

Curly Kale

Jerusalem Artichokes

Parsnips

Amazing Sage will soon be covered in flowers and Bumble Bees

'Greensleeves' Apple Tree and Percy Plum Tree

I will find it interesting to Blog the garden and its produce as the year evolves, It doesn't look much now but in the Spring and Summer it is my favourite place.