the daydream fund challenge thread

Lotus-eater

lostinrates wrote: »

Question: howmany of the daydreamers shoot and keep either rifles or even airguns.

I have been shooting a coupole of times WAY back....probably only a couple of times since a student. Not really thinking as a recreation, but mainly as vermin control. We get a few partridge and pheasants, but not enough to want to shoot them here, and tbh, people seem to want to give me pheasants all the time....and I don;t even like them very much!

I've got a couple of airguns, had one since I was a kid.

I don't really use them anymore, the last time was out of an upstairs window trying to kill a rat in the chicken run.

I sometimes go with someone else who has rifles and shoot rabbits on a local estate, but even though I like eating rabbit, I dislike the smell it makes while cooking, so I've still got a couple in the freezer I can't bring myself to cook.

Keeping a firearm isn't an easy option anymore, it's difficult to get and keep a certificate.

alfie_1

ive never owned an air rifle but i remember when the mink were released in the forest and somehow some got to beaulieu?/ they got in and anialated some very expensive blue ornamental pheasant that had taken me a LONG time to source...so i borrowed a gun and sat the next night and as they came over the old tall brick wall of the garden ...I SHOT EM !! i was not happy doing that as they were only "surviving" but needed to be done... it was a bit like a funfair shoot game tho which didnt help my conscience... the next door neighbour had about 8 "bodies" under her apple tree !! bless her she was in her 80s and puzzled till i explained when i went in the morning to remove them ! had no more problems after that and i must admit i was rather egotistical about my shooting skills !!

rhiwfield

Mid August and I'm wearing a fleece to keep warm. Miserable weather and so gloomy

Might light a fire just for the cheer.

kazschow

We feed the pheasants we get whole to the dogs, feathers and all lol So long as you keep your dogs well up on wormers, it's an ideal food sourse, same goes for the bunnies and pidgeons that meat a quick end

The last 36 hours have been the wettest I can remember in august!!! I live on a hill, and look down into the valley, it's completely flooded, and our wee burn is thundering a a frightening speed, bursting it's banks all over the place, it's like mid winter!!!

lostinrates

The rain here started overnight. Our ground is rock hard atm so I'm ok with it.


Bad news is we've had the vet out today for special girl horse. She's perking up this evening but the vet was rude and a flannel merchant so I've been in a filthy mood ever since!

We had a defra inspection earlier in the week and the defra guy said he can see we've made some improvments since he was last here. Though he looked a bit grim at our winter field thistles he was quite impressed with where the horses are now....(none of this was what he was here for, but it was nice to get some feedback and ideas). Anyone here in the ELS scheme? We're considering it not for this year bit for the future. I think, generally, it might favour larger farms rather than smallholdings...not sure how the points for eligability are accrued and whether we are eligable or not. This year, in any case, I definitely want to hedge cut again, ours need more growther from the bottom again.

Davesnave

Mizzle here too, but warmish until this evening, so the weeds will be accelerating ahead again. Planted out some celeriac & lettuce and sowed another trough of cut & come again greenery - I do about one of those a month. Luckily the hens like courgettes....:o

Meanwhile in the hen orchard, Ozzie, our new coc kerel, has settled in OK with his harem. It was so funny to see the Vorwerks line up in front of him, as though asking, "And who the heck do you think you are, lanky?"
A few nifty pecks, however, and that was him established! :rotfl:Our top hen, known as Mrs Welsummer, merely peered from behind a plum tree. She saw what happened, and there was no challenge from her!

I've no idea what the ELS scheme is, lir, though I could Google it, I guess. Not sure that we want anyone from Defra poking about here ....._pale_

Our little stream is still just a trickle, but the recent rains have helped the rivers look healthier. If the grass keeps growing, Pete will be taking another cut from it instead of bringing sheep here, but maybe that's the plan. I wish he'd tell me!

The 3 days of decent weather this week made a big difference to the polytunnel , so I'll end with a piccie of what it's like now:

Rummer

Wow Dave that looks fabulous, you really have been hard at work!

The weather here has been dreadful for the last couple of days and you can almost see the weeds growing by inches every day :eek:. We are lucky though as a lot of the local areas are flooded quite badly, at least we can get out and about (with loads of water proofs).

I have been annoyed at not getting out into the garden so I have started planting up basil and some other herbs indoors . Think I am also going to plant up some spider plant runners as I have reading about how good they are at clearing the air of toxins and I want to take some into work with me so I can feel calm .

alfie_1

lostinrates wrote: »

The rain here started overnight. Our ground is rock hard atm so I'm ok with it.


Bad news is we've had the vet out today for special girl horse. She's perking up this evening but the vet was rude and a flannel merchant so I've been in a filthy mood ever since!

We had a defra inspection earlier in the week and the defra guy said he can see we've made some improvments since he was last here. Though he looked a bit grim at our winter field thistles he was quite impressed with where the horses are now....(none of this was what he was here for, but it was nice to get some feedback and ideas). Anyone here in the ELS scheme? We're considering it not for this year bit for the future. I think, generally, it might favour larger farms rather than smallholdings...not sure how the points for eligability are accrued and whether we are eligable or not. This year, in any case, I definitely want to hedge cut again, ours need more growther from the bottom again.

LIR...i did ask my amazing mobile horse vet if hed go as far as you and he tentatively said yes...???

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

LIR...i did ask my amazing mobile horse vet if hed go as far as you and he tentatively said yes...???

I have antibiotic and bute from the stupid rude vet. I'll see what happens. Thing is I was actually half way convinced we had very early tetanus (panicking!) so needed someone here quick-quick.

That's the problem, I very rarely need vets and when we do its urgent. There is another practise, and they come out for next door but are still close for quick quick SOS calls.


(it it had been the case I would have had no hesitation in making the decision, I've seen people try to save a tet case and it was one of the most dreadful things ever). Anyway, buted up to the nines Special girl is thrilled she's back in the yard and not exiled to summer grazing. (she'd quite like to come in the house, sleep on the sofa and have a cuppa tea...but she'd break the furniture )

choille

Amazing polytunnel Dave - Huge. Ours still isn't skinned & is only half the width of yours - if that.

Thistles seem extra this year LIR - I've dug some out but should spend Sunday on it if not midgy as it is today - disgustingly so & pouring down now. I don't seem to have as much Ragwort but have been on thatcase for a few years - although there's a lot on the roadside down the road - i'll do it if I find the time.