We came up with a chicken-keeping plan several years ago, which we have been working on here on the smallholding ever since. Our ultimate aim was to create a happy, free-ranging and organic flock that lays a multicoloured array of eggs and produces some of the finest meat we have ever tasted. This is the…
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Blackcurrant and Bay Leaf Jam
Jam making is very much an activity we reserve for the colder months of the year. Rainy days especially. There is something very cheering about having a huge pan of brightly coloured fruit and sugar bubbling away on the stove, while rain patters against the window panes. This weekend though, it was not only rain…
Keeping Geese Part 3: Fencing
Prior to moving the goslings from their brooder (see Keeping Geese Part 1 and Keeping Geese Part 2) out into the orchard, we gave some careful thought to fencing arrangements. Our initial plan was to allow the geese to free-range and not to worry about fencing but, after further consideration, we decided this wasn’t an…
Coriander Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Primroses
We awoke to a grumpy sky of grey fog and drizzle, pulled on our wellies and coats over our pyjamas, and headed out into the feathery rain. The ground was wet and muddy, and there was a bitter chill in the air, but a closer look at the garden revealed some cheering signs of spring…
Planning the Vegetable Garden
With the February days slowly starting to lengthen and the garden beginning to show signs of creeping out of its winter slumber, we decide what to grow in the vegetable patch during the year ahead. We start by trawling through the huge metal cake tin we use to store seed packets and envelopes of hand-collected…
Spiced Christmas Porridge with Cherries and Apple Crisps
Porridge is our go-to weekday breakfast. We cook the rolled oats simply with water and a pinch of sea salt, and serve them with a splash of milk and a dollop of raw honey. We find it to be one of the only breakfasts that powers us through the first half of the day until…