the daydream fund challenge thread

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

hi,
LIR.. i would like about half dozen chickens but could be more ! im hoping the geese hatch for you [if you still want?] they have a good self hatch rate... so same applies ,let me know how many if u still want some?
I LOVE LILACS.... i keep them clipped and almost big standards. i could give you LOTS of pots ! got too many and always begrudge throwing them away...can i post you a box full !!
im going to be background working this "lovely" panto this week, its on wed to sat. apparently only 40 tickets left out of 520.....
judging by the the rehearsal yesterday i think the humuor is going to be more in the c**k ups than the actual script !! my good deed for the year is nearly over !!

i still have not sorted my big shed..keep walking in it and RUNNING out...

Yes please to geese!! Do you think a trio is a good number to start with? I can bring/you can collect chicks when ready and collect pots?

I offered for a community good deed this week too...I'm hoping that I wasn't the only one to and that someone else really WANTS to do it. I have a feeling this one is a double edged sword!

Rummer

RE pots, remember they often give away pots free at big DIY stores

lostinrates

Rummer wrote: »

RE pots, remember they often give away pots free at big DIY stores

Really? If that's the case I should GIVE lilacs away to get people buying the eggs!


Its great out there this morning, despite the frost. I've replanted the pots by the door, got some discounted pinks in the new bed and cut some grass. I have to rake the other lawn before cutting because there are still sharp bits from our garden destruction at the weekend.

DH's chain on the saw is blunt....not surprising when you consider how much its done. Need to sort that out this week doubt we'll need it soon, but as well to be prepared.

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

At the end of 2009 we pulled out what ragwort we could and treated the rest. Last spring, we had about 50 come up, which were instantly spot treated, and now we seem to be totally clear. Early days yet though!

Missed this earlier..that's impressive. I tend to find it has a two year pattern....one year bad, one year good and so on.

Thing is of course, in our (correct) fear of ragwort where animals graze it is essential, AIUI for some native butterflies. I find it odd that this is always picked out as such a baddy over others that you see animals grazing among.

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Missed this earlier..that's impressive. I tend to find it has a two year pattern....one year bad, one year good and so on.

Thing is of course, in our (correct) fear of ragwort where animals graze it is essential, AIUI for some native butterflies. I find it odd that this is always picked out as such a baddy over others that you see animals grazing among.

DW walked the top field yesterday, collecting up stones, and she didn't see any signs. We have a neighbour who cultivates it in his yard though, (he's a thatcher, not a farmer) so the butterflies should be OK.

alfie_1

i have clipped/cut all my hedges today, iv built a bonfire which is blatantly way too big and unless i want to make tea for the fire brigade again i need to reduce it !!

iv cut out all the dead amongst a climbing rose up a tree in the hedge including lots of ivy which prompted the "tree" to fall over !!:( it was all obviously holding the tree up..... iv wedged a couple of posts under the branches and righted the tree as i like the rose!!:rotfl:
i hunted out my hedge trimmer and in the process found an old iron mop bucket with 8 bantam eggs in the bottom.... little b****rs ! left one in there so at least i know where they are laying... i feel like anneka rice hunting for eggs each day BUT they are increasing in numbers. gave half dozen to my postie as hes very good and leaves "to be signed for" packages in a secret place if im not in so i dont have to trek off to wherever to retrieve them!:)

not sure if i said but on saturday miserable man [who sells the fruit and veg ] at the market told me im not to take the left overs by orders of the council?? so i went to council today and asked... the guys that PICK UP the waste have got no problem, so will check with the actual council dept that gives them that job and if ok, i will be there next week for my "mabel" food with weapons drawn !!:rotfl:

the man is just miffed that im not buying it i reckon but its waste??
also the ladies in the shop by him have told me once they wanted some so i said well take it ! but they dont finish work till 5pm and im there at 4.45...... so sorry but tough!!:D

right im off again now to another rehearsal of panto.... not staying all evening as i need bath, hairwash and i dont want to be doing that at midnight !!:(

lostinrates

well, got a bit done. ANOTHER fire.....we're about half way through what was the coach house now....its very wormy, I don't want it in the house or stacked by it, and lots of it is very damp, so bonfires really the simplest if not the thriftiest way forward.

One of the chicks died AND it was a girl I put it out for the owl...hope he finds it. Its on a roof under his flight path. a neighbour told me the farmer here before fed the owl. There are a couple under the hen, and one cracking in the incubator, but its a slow start. Hope it picks up a bit....not a very eventful start to my chicken year. Still, last year we had 100% success rate, so almost anything wasn't going to be as good.

Davesnave

Did a bit of Creocoting on the mini hen house as I didn't quite finish it in the autumn, so we'll be ready for our new Welsummers on Friday. We'll keep them in isolation for a few weeks, using a run we're constructing from old sheep hurdles and Cintoflex-type netting. It'll be on our 'lawn,' so safe enough.

About 2/3 of the elm saplings are in now, but I'm worred the beech and yew will arrive before I've done them all! Another batch of dahlias is arriving on Wednesday, but they're easily dealt with.

Meanwhile, out front, I'm still putting in fence posts to take the windbreak, but it's a slow job because we seem to go into rock at about 25cm there. Not solid rock, but it still needs levering out. I'm also gradually re-excavating the polytunnel foundation holes which filled with water and leaves in the autumn, before the sides fell in during the frosts! :rotfl:

It's weird; in the front garden the soil is really dry at a depth of 20cm, yet down there, the spring is keeping the water table just 15cm below the surface in places. I may need to drain one end of the polytunnel, but we've not had enough rain this winter to know for sure.

Seeing rhiwfield's photos reminded me I haven't started a new 2011 photo stream yet. I won't need to do so many this year, because there will be lots of repeat activities.

rhiwfield

Ragwort, a real two faced plant, excellent for invertebrates (especially cinnabar moth) but potentially fatal to some grazing animals (theyll prob avoid it in the field but not be able to avoid it in hay) Got mixed views on this, should it be pulled on land not used for livestock?

Our hens are now all in lay after two decided to have a winter break. Will be moving them back onto grass soon, leaving them in their winter quarters makes me a bit lazy

Just ordered 4 cu metres of green wood, will stack it this week, hopefully can use it next winter, we'll see.

Fires, love 'em! Must be the caveman in me (no other means of telling ), thoroughly enjoyed burning the masses of gorse from the flower field after scrub clearance, prob visible from space!

Davesnave, dont envy you the posthole digging, bedrock is all to close to the surface here, nearly as close as the old septic tank under the raised beds

Joyfull, I'll take some fresh pics this year, most of the others are a few years old as I lost nearly all due to not backing up the desktop properly. Lost one of a variegated wild orchid, simply stunning!

Rummer

My blueberry bushes arrived today :j Now I need to get the right compost for them!