Once, twice, twelve times a mum...

So, quite unbelievably, several weeks have passed since I last posted and I think I can honestly say most of that time has been spent with my back bent over a newly sprouting something or other! Be it never-before-grown-by-me Okra plants or my super fluffy new babies (all 12 of them) I have been a very busy lady...

One of the first 'zips'...

Amazing to think I watched these guys hatch less that three weeks ago.

It's clear to see that Mr Tanglefoot has most certainly been getting the job done.

It has been the best hatch we have ever had  with two thirds of the eggs that were placed in the incubator coming out as a chick - that's good by anyone's standards. I'm thrilled that Mr Tanglefoot is managing to produce such pretty babies and the eggs I got from Paige's Poultry (see previous updates for details) did good too. In the mix I think I have 2 aracaunas and some sort of polish one plus some little black bantams too. Honestly couldn't be happier with the outcome. Once they are well established and outside, we will probably set the incubator going again and see what we get.

Higgledy Piggledy my black hen...

I've also let my black frizzle carrier bantam sit on some eggs. She was the first - and only so far - to go broody this year and I did promise that if it happened then I would let them have a go for their sanity and for mine. Not something we have never done before, but she has been good as gold and set about it straight away once I moved her out of the main coop. She's just over two weeks into her stint so this time next week we should have a few more chicks to worry about!

Along with all the animal life suddenly being in my hands, I have managed to over do it with the seeds again and am going under in seedlings. Frankly, not a bad thing and if I can find a spot for every single one then they will go in and become one days dinner!

Mint ( I think!)

Those bare rooted gooseberry plants I ordered online have found a good home and are doing really well - I'd actually recommend doing this if you want a fast turnaround on 'home grown' fruit as it looks like they are going to fruit really well.

Looks like we will be eating a lot of broccoli this year!

Absolute miles of progress on the veg plot...

The veg plot is really coming on with three raised beds now in place and beans, peas and cabbage already making a home there. We did order compost in bulk, but after a delivery that left the whole bag on the pavement giving us no choice but to barrow it off the street and into the back garden in one evening only to have it just fill one raised bed, I think I'm going to go back to popping to B and Q every weekend to but it in individual 125lt bags...
I guess having everything on the go at once probably seems a bit stressful to most people, but I absolutely love it. I can't think of a nicer problem than finding a space for just a bit more. The better weather is doing wonders for just about everything and that 'therapy' I spoke about in my last update has truly done it's job.

There's lots of cosmetic work going on at The Keep - all of the window lintels are being painted and trellis is being positioned nicely for some climbing plants... things are really coming together.


So, my back hurts, my arms hurt, I've got cuts and bruises I can't even account for but my raised beds have actual soil in them, my bean plants need canes because they are getting so big and I have more chickens than old MacDonald. A 'cluck, cluck here and a cluck, cluck there' does not even come close to the cacophony of cheeps that can be heard from our spare room every hour of the night or Mr Tanglfoot's newly discovered cockadoodledoo... Our eggs are selling out so I've had to invest in a 'queue' book and I have a list of people eagerly awaiting either plants or actual vegetables off our backyard farm. I have my volunteering induction next Sunday and a host of either vegan or craft fairs lined  up. Busy as the proverbial bee but hands down the happiest I've been for a while.

Come rain or shine, It'll still be mine.