I was just looking my very first blog and spotted that next week will be the blog's second anniversary. A lot of words have passed under the bridge since then. Whilst I was doing some tidying up at work I discovered that I had my tenth anniversary of working for the same firm occurr whilst I was on holiday. A lot of words have passed under that bridge too. In contrast time at the lottie seems to have stood still. It always feels like that at his time of year. The winter is not quite over and spring has not yet sprung. There are signs though. The mornings and evening are perceptively lighter despite the rain clouds. The Witch Hazel in the front garden is coming into flower. That reminders me, I must prune the Willow "hedge" in the back garden before it wakes up.
Work at the lottie last weekend was restricted to dumping more manure on the long border. One more load should see it complete. I also created a proper path half way up the plot. Whilst I had the tools out I dug out a new drain. The new path has been made from formalising the end of the each bed with a plank thus creating the path. A large puddle regularly forms where the old path finishes adjacent to the ditch. It fact it has been there for most of the winter. I fossicked a four foot length of 110mm uPVC. By trenching and tunnelling I drove the pipe through the bank so that the puddle can now drain into the ditch. The new path leads up to the drain into the ditch. The other end of the path leads to the drain under the central path. Now I have a route by which the sub-surface water can get across my plot without creating puddles. My plot is at the bottom of the slope so I "benefit" from the run off from plots up hill from me. I have the germ of an idea to fit a land drain by the boundary of my plot and the next one. It would intercept the sub-surface water before it got on the my plot. It will cost money as well so I will have to have a hard think about that. Perhaps a job for next winter. Surely flooding won't be a problem in the summer!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
One Shovel & One Wheelbarrow
I had a rush of blood to the head yesterday. I collect yet another trailer full of manure from A&C and spread it on the long border. Whilst at the lottie I harvested some Swedes and Cabbage. I got over come with enthusiam. I resolved to go the lottie the next day [Sunday], today if fact. And thats what I did. I took my tea bags, clean water and milk and shot off to the lottie. Unfortunately my enthusiasm did not get me out of bed early. Even so I had my task to do. I set about shifting the half ton of manure that was sitting in the bottom poo bin. Within three quarters of an hour I had barrowed enough muck to cover the dug over area of what would be this years potato bed. Next I tackled the bed that would be the brassica bed. I got almost exactly half the bed covered when I ran out of A&C's manure. I have still have a binful from a different source that I got earlier in the year but where is it to go? The Potato bed or the Brassica bed. I have not even mentioned the Pea bed. The Pea bed will have all the peas, beans and pumpkin. They are greedy feeders so I need some for that bed too.
Having used up all the available manure and still having some time on my hands I set about putting a couple of drains in under the central path. The path has been acting as a dam, stopping the water drain across the plot. I have been minding a piece of 100mm uPVC pipe for ages. Finally it's time had come. I cut the pipe to size. One piece is going just inside the door to the plot, the other half way down the plot. I raked back the stones that make the paths surface then dug down the make a trench. When it was the right depth I just dropped the pipe in the covered it up and laid out the stones again. That job went quickly too.
The clock and had not yet chimed "times up" so I thought I would have a go at levelling out the area of the patio that is not paved. If it is not paved I guess it is not a patio. Anyhow, it is the area that will be the patio when it is paved. The "soil" for the want of a better word to describe the area was very soft from all the rain. A light dabbling with the mattock loosened the soil which made it easy to skim off the excess with the shovel. The area is more level than it was before. I will leave the final levelling until the actual lying of the errant paving stones.
The weather was breezy with a little bit a rain in the air. It was quite invigorating after being inside all week. It was really quiet at the lottie. No one else there, no birds, not even the seagulls.
Since I was on a roll, I went straight out the greenhouse when I got home. I cleaned up the bit a of rubbish that was on the floor and sorted out a few deep trays and the 100mm seed bags. I had about half a bag of seed compost. I fill as many trays and bags as the available compost would allow and planted the first of this year crops. White Sutton Garlic, Jubilee Hysor Broad Beans and Bedfordshire Champion Onions. It seemed to me that the year was truely under way again. What will it bring, drought? flood? My prediction is for a stable year with no great weather event. Will these words be prophetic? Only time will tell.
Having used up all the available manure and still having some time on my hands I set about putting a couple of drains in under the central path. The path has been acting as a dam, stopping the water drain across the plot. I have been minding a piece of 100mm uPVC pipe for ages. Finally it's time had come. I cut the pipe to size. One piece is going just inside the door to the plot, the other half way down the plot. I raked back the stones that make the paths surface then dug down the make a trench. When it was the right depth I just dropped the pipe in the covered it up and laid out the stones again. That job went quickly too.
The clock and had not yet chimed "times up" so I thought I would have a go at levelling out the area of the patio that is not paved. If it is not paved I guess it is not a patio. Anyhow, it is the area that will be the patio when it is paved. The "soil" for the want of a better word to describe the area was very soft from all the rain. A light dabbling with the mattock loosened the soil which made it easy to skim off the excess with the shovel. The area is more level than it was before. I will leave the final levelling until the actual lying of the errant paving stones.
The weather was breezy with a little bit a rain in the air. It was quite invigorating after being inside all week. It was really quiet at the lottie. No one else there, no birds, not even the seagulls.
Since I was on a roll, I went straight out the greenhouse when I got home. I cleaned up the bit a of rubbish that was on the floor and sorted out a few deep trays and the 100mm seed bags. I had about half a bag of seed compost. I fill as many trays and bags as the available compost would allow and planted the first of this year crops. White Sutton Garlic, Jubilee Hysor Broad Beans and Bedfordshire Champion Onions. It seemed to me that the year was truely under way again. What will it bring, drought? flood? My prediction is for a stable year with no great weather event. Will these words be prophetic? Only time will tell.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all my readers.
I had a very restful Christmas & New Year break even though I had to go to work on Christmas and New Year's eve and the Thursday between the two festivals. We had lots of folks visit leading up to and including Christmas. Hazel worked hard looking after us all. I just tried my best to behave and not get in the way.
Nothing much has happen at the allotment over the Christmas break. We have had visitors or it has been wet or frosty when not wet. The trailer has been filled twice since my last post and spread along the long border. The long border is begin to looking better as the manure gives it a uniform look.
The weekend just gone was the first time for about six weeks that I have got out and about to do something. I have said in previous posts that I had resolved to make a path down the outside of the beds. Well I have started it! It looks good. That took a few hours on Saturday. Now all I have to do is continue right down to the end of the plot! On Sunday I tidied up where I had been working on Saturday. I got a fire going and burned up the left over stalks of Artichokes and Sunflowers. The fire also consumed all the spare bits a wood I had collected over the Summer.I have had a trailer load of manure sitting on my lottie patio for a few weeks. I barrowed the poo pile from the patio and spread it on what will be the potato bed. I am going to pop up to the lottie tonight to empty the ash into the compost heap. I remembered to take tea bags and milk to go with the trangia so I was able to have scalding hot tea by the side of the brazier. It was very nice sitting out watching the birds flitting about whilst drinking tea and warming my feet. The thermometer only got as far as 4 degree C even in the middle of the day. Mind you shovelling, barrowing and tending fire gets you hot and sweaty.
When I got home I looked out at the garden at the back of the house, yet again and wondered just when I was going to find time to tidy up the beds in preparation for the spring.
I had a very restful Christmas & New Year break even though I had to go to work on Christmas and New Year's eve and the Thursday between the two festivals. We had lots of folks visit leading up to and including Christmas. Hazel worked hard looking after us all. I just tried my best to behave and not get in the way.
Nothing much has happen at the allotment over the Christmas break. We have had visitors or it has been wet or frosty when not wet. The trailer has been filled twice since my last post and spread along the long border. The long border is begin to looking better as the manure gives it a uniform look.
The weekend just gone was the first time for about six weeks that I have got out and about to do something. I have said in previous posts that I had resolved to make a path down the outside of the beds. Well I have started it! It looks good. That took a few hours on Saturday. Now all I have to do is continue right down to the end of the plot! On Sunday I tidied up where I had been working on Saturday. I got a fire going and burned up the left over stalks of Artichokes and Sunflowers. The fire also consumed all the spare bits a wood I had collected over the Summer.I have had a trailer load of manure sitting on my lottie patio for a few weeks. I barrowed the poo pile from the patio and spread it on what will be the potato bed. I am going to pop up to the lottie tonight to empty the ash into the compost heap. I remembered to take tea bags and milk to go with the trangia so I was able to have scalding hot tea by the side of the brazier. It was very nice sitting out watching the birds flitting about whilst drinking tea and warming my feet. The thermometer only got as far as 4 degree C even in the middle of the day. Mind you shovelling, barrowing and tending fire gets you hot and sweaty.
When I got home I looked out at the garden at the back of the house, yet again and wondered just when I was going to find time to tidy up the beds in preparation for the spring.
Monday, December 17, 2007
A Busy Weekend
As well as bottling marathon I tackled the poo pile on Sunday. Steve called for me early on Sunday morning. When we got over to the pile we first loaded up his car and then my trailer. The first trailer load had a lot of fresh stuff so we spread that over the long border at the Lottie. Steve only had time to shift one load. I soldiered on and did a further two trips. We have managed to move all but the one trailer load. We will finish this off next Sunday and no doubt we will have a little alcoholic tincture for them by way of a thank you. It is a neat relationship. They need to get rid of the horse muck and we can use it. The jobs made easier because I have left my trailer with them so they can fill it as they need. It seems to work quite well so far.
I usually make a wreath for the front door. On Sunday afternoon I went on one of my wanders to see what the Leicestershire hedgerows could yield. H cried off. She had been out with her teacher buddies on Saturday night and was counting the cost....very quietly. L was still out at friends for the sleep over. Off I went. There was still an hour and a half of daylight left but the temperature was dropping. I was well wrapped. An old chap I knew said that there was no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes! For added atmosphere, if more atmosphere was needed in the frosted forest under a watercolour sky, I was listening to a multi-national carol concert on Radio 3 via my ipod. I was not trying to be quiet yet I still walk up within fifty yards of a group of young deer. For a change I spotted them first and stopped behind a tree in the hedge line. They must have got wind of me as after a few minutes they walked off. I continued down the hedge line and jumped into the dry ditch at the end plantation. The herd had walked down the other side of the ditch line to the end of field. They were doing that funny cantering gait, all four legs at once, that is more than walk but less than a run. At a certain point the herd found a gap in the hedge, one at time hopped through it and were gone.
I made my way back to the car via the holly bushes, fir trees and ivy covered trees I had passed on the outward journey. I had a bagful of cuttings and a handful of holes from the spikes on the Holly. When I got home L had pitched up. H was had the kettle on and was making tea [Evening meal as well as the hot beverage]. I cut a two long Willow whips from the hedge at the end of my garden. In the garage to wrestled all the components into a creditable wreath. H had a red ribbon to hand. It took longer to tie a nice bow than make the wreath. The wreath is on the front door if you want to see it.
I usually make a wreath for the front door. On Sunday afternoon I went on one of my wanders to see what the Leicestershire hedgerows could yield. H cried off. She had been out with her teacher buddies on Saturday night and was counting the cost....very quietly. L was still out at friends for the sleep over. Off I went. There was still an hour and a half of daylight left but the temperature was dropping. I was well wrapped. An old chap I knew said that there was no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes! For added atmosphere, if more atmosphere was needed in the frosted forest under a watercolour sky, I was listening to a multi-national carol concert on Radio 3 via my ipod. I was not trying to be quiet yet I still walk up within fifty yards of a group of young deer. For a change I spotted them first and stopped behind a tree in the hedge line. They must have got wind of me as after a few minutes they walked off. I continued down the hedge line and jumped into the dry ditch at the end plantation. The herd had walked down the other side of the ditch line to the end of field. They were doing that funny cantering gait, all four legs at once, that is more than walk but less than a run. At a certain point the herd found a gap in the hedge, one at time hopped through it and were gone.
I made my way back to the car via the holly bushes, fir trees and ivy covered trees I had passed on the outward journey. I had a bagful of cuttings and a handful of holes from the spikes on the Holly. When I got home L had pitched up. H was had the kettle on and was making tea [Evening meal as well as the hot beverage]. I cut a two long Willow whips from the hedge at the end of my garden. In the garage to wrestled all the components into a creditable wreath. H had a red ribbon to hand. It took longer to tie a nice bow than make the wreath. The wreath is on the front door if you want to see it.
Bottling the Summer
The time came this weekend to finally bottle the wine that has been brewing since September. I though a would wash a few bottles, do a few labels and cork a few bottles. I did a quick sum in my head. I get five full 75cl bottles from each demi-john. I have seven demi-john that 45 bottles...more than a few. I like clear glass for the "white" wines and green or brown for "red". I had a rummage in the bottle pile to find 15 clear bottles. Upon cleaning I found a couple of bottles where I could not get the smeg out of the very bottom of the bottle. Another rummage and I came up with clear bottles that would clean up. I went through the same exercise for the green bottles.
I don't buy bottles. I come by them via parties, wine we have bought and recycled one from previous years. I also try to get similar bottles for each batch. I also try to have the batch all screw caps or all corked. I just like it that way.
Each demi-john H and I have a look at the colours carefully put on the stool which has been placed on the dining room table. The bottles, corks or caps, labels, Hydrometer and measuring tube and note pad are set about the table. Off comes the airlock and bung, in goes the syphon tube, a big suck and the juices start flowing. During the draw off I fill the measuring tube for the hydrometer. I fill the remaining bottles. The specific gravity [SG] is recorded in my little book. I write out the labels which are small tags on strings. I record the source, Apple for instance, the date it was bottles and the SG. I top up any bottle that are short from the wine in the measuring tube. What is left after top goes in a glass for H and me to taste. But before tasting the caps or corks are fitted.
H and I have a look at the colour, have the sniff then a taste. Our only criteria is "do we like it". H likes dry wines and I don't. I like sweeter wine and H doesn't. In shades of Jack Sprat and his wife the wine rack has something for everyone. The process finishes with the demi-johns, airlocks and syphon being cleaned, sterilised and put away for next year. The bottled wine is taken to the shed and loaded on to the waiting shelves. The Beetroot and Elderberry feels like it is going to need some time the mellow out so they are put in the top left of the shelving where they will be out of the way. The more palatable wines comes next. They make up the middle portion of the shelves. I still have 15 bottles from last year so they take space on the right hand side of the shelves, near the door.
The surprise wine is the Pea Pod Burgundy. It has smelt really suspect all the way along. However on bottling it has come of age. It is clear as a bell and tastes really nice. It might be nicer still in the summer, if I keep my hands off it! The jury is still out on the Elderberry and the Beetroot wine. It is better than it was. It might just might need time. The apple wine is nice an light. One batch to drier than the other and of course I prefer one and H the other. The Blackberry is fruity, as you would expect, but not too sweet. This year I halved the amount of sugar in the recipes which has led to drier wines. I will report back if they have lost the alcoholic punch of previous years.
Next year, more Pea Pod and anther batch of Dandelion.
I don't buy bottles. I come by them via parties, wine we have bought and recycled one from previous years. I also try to get similar bottles for each batch. I also try to have the batch all screw caps or all corked. I just like it that way.
Each demi-john H and I have a look at the colours carefully put on the stool which has been placed on the dining room table. The bottles, corks or caps, labels, Hydrometer and measuring tube and note pad are set about the table. Off comes the airlock and bung, in goes the syphon tube, a big suck and the juices start flowing. During the draw off I fill the measuring tube for the hydrometer. I fill the remaining bottles. The specific gravity [SG] is recorded in my little book. I write out the labels which are small tags on strings. I record the source, Apple for instance, the date it was bottles and the SG. I top up any bottle that are short from the wine in the measuring tube. What is left after top goes in a glass for H and me to taste. But before tasting the caps or corks are fitted.
H and I have a look at the colour, have the sniff then a taste. Our only criteria is "do we like it". H likes dry wines and I don't. I like sweeter wine and H doesn't. In shades of Jack Sprat and his wife the wine rack has something for everyone. The process finishes with the demi-johns, airlocks and syphon being cleaned, sterilised and put away for next year. The bottled wine is taken to the shed and loaded on to the waiting shelves. The Beetroot and Elderberry feels like it is going to need some time the mellow out so they are put in the top left of the shelving where they will be out of the way. The more palatable wines comes next. They make up the middle portion of the shelves. I still have 15 bottles from last year so they take space on the right hand side of the shelves, near the door.
The surprise wine is the Pea Pod Burgundy. It has smelt really suspect all the way along. However on bottling it has come of age. It is clear as a bell and tastes really nice. It might be nicer still in the summer, if I keep my hands off it! The jury is still out on the Elderberry and the Beetroot wine. It is better than it was. It might just might need time. The apple wine is nice an light. One batch to drier than the other and of course I prefer one and H the other. The Blackberry is fruity, as you would expect, but not too sweet. This year I halved the amount of sugar in the recipes which has led to drier wines. I will report back if they have lost the alcoholic punch of previous years.
Next year, more Pea Pod and anther batch of Dandelion.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Ever the optimist!
H's buddies visiting, my parents visiting and foul weather have kept me away from the lottie for the past two weeks. I have taken waste from the house to the worms or the compost heap each weekend. Last weekend when I checked in on the worms they were almost swimming. I had to cut a hole in the bottom of the wormery to let out the water. I got about a gallon out. I bobbed the worm juice in to the adjacent water butt. This week has been very cold, several degrees of frost each night in fact. I hope the worms are up to the challenge.
The new arrangement with horse poo and trailer had its first test. The call came to say the trailer was full. I was busy over the weekend so popped over the collect the trailer on Monday tea time. It took about an hour and a bit to complete the round trip. Only one light bulb on the trailer needed changing so that was alright.
I found that a local carpet shop, near where I work, throws out the remnants at the back of the shop . A quick word and now I have free access to the offcuts. The offcuts will used to suppress the weeds on the lottie.
I went to see the Potato men on society business and came away having bought some new seed trays. In the weeks leading up to the winter solstice it away feels like the deepest, darkest part of the year and spring might never come. Since science tells us the world turns I don't think I will need to go to the trouble of a sacrifice [human or otherwise] to ensure the return of the sun. Ever the optimist I checked my seed collection again.
On the way back from Newall, through Church Gresley I spotted a banner for the Church Gresley and Weston on Trent Model Railway Engineers Society Christmas open day. I parked up and paid my two quid on the door and was let into a light and warm wonderland. A wonderland if you like massive "O", "OO" gauge train layouts. The society has been running since the early sixties. I spent over an hour browsing the sets. There were a few smaller sets in "N" gauge and a number a tram sets. The big "OO" gauge set had a couple of long trains running on the long up and down loops. A couple of chaps were running sidings and trams on the same layout. It was all very busy. The ladies of the Society had made truck fulls of mince pies, sandwiches and lashings of steaming tea. Tea at 40p and mug. What a bargain. The next open day is Easter weekend so make a note to go. It is a rare treat.
The new arrangement with horse poo and trailer had its first test. The call came to say the trailer was full. I was busy over the weekend so popped over the collect the trailer on Monday tea time. It took about an hour and a bit to complete the round trip. Only one light bulb on the trailer needed changing so that was alright.
I found that a local carpet shop, near where I work, throws out the remnants at the back of the shop . A quick word and now I have free access to the offcuts. The offcuts will used to suppress the weeds on the lottie.
I went to see the Potato men on society business and came away having bought some new seed trays. In the weeks leading up to the winter solstice it away feels like the deepest, darkest part of the year and spring might never come. Since science tells us the world turns I don't think I will need to go to the trouble of a sacrifice [human or otherwise] to ensure the return of the sun. Ever the optimist I checked my seed collection again.
On the way back from Newall, through Church Gresley I spotted a banner for the Church Gresley and Weston on Trent Model Railway Engineers Society Christmas open day. I parked up and paid my two quid on the door and was let into a light and warm wonderland. A wonderland if you like massive "O", "OO" gauge train layouts. The society has been running since the early sixties. I spent over an hour browsing the sets. There were a few smaller sets in "N" gauge and a number a tram sets. The big "OO" gauge set had a couple of long trains running on the long up and down loops. A couple of chaps were running sidings and trams on the same layout. It was all very busy. The ladies of the Society had made truck fulls of mince pies, sandwiches and lashings of steaming tea. Tea at 40p and mug. What a bargain. The next open day is Easter weekend so make a note to go. It is a rare treat.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Lost Weekend
I won't be doing much on the lottie this weekend except feeding the worms. H has a bunch of her Manchester buddies coming for dinner on Saturday and stopping over. It will be nice to see them. It has been a while since their last visit. I have to run over to Newall to drop off my seed potato order on Saturday morning. I also have to drop some seeds to a lottie member and the Insurance receipt back to the Society's Treasurer and H wants me to make some Soda Bread. I might get it ready before I go out so it proves whilst I am running errands. It has also been lashing down this evening so the ground will be too wet to dig. At least I will not be wasting fair weather doing non-allotment things.
I got some freeware off the Internet to recover my data off the PC that crashed. I put the old hard drive in a spare PC, which was a complete pain. The mechanics of fitting the drive and hooking up the various leads was easy. It was the faffing about the jumpers to make the new hard drive be recognised as the the slave unit that tested my patience. The recovery software has been running for three hours and says it has seventeen to go! I won't stay up for that.
I got some freeware off the Internet to recover my data off the PC that crashed. I put the old hard drive in a spare PC, which was a complete pain. The mechanics of fitting the drive and hooking up the various leads was easy. It was the faffing about the jumpers to make the new hard drive be recognised as the the slave unit that tested my patience. The recovery software has been running for three hours and says it has seventeen to go! I won't stay up for that.
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