Sunday 8 September 2019

Rose Gall

I found this beautiful and fascinating Rose Gall on the banks above the Burn yesterday.



Saturday 7 September 2019

Golden Hornet

Our domestic Crab Apple, Malus Golden Hornet is laden with fruit this year, not quite ripe yet hopefully they will end up in something delicious in due course......


Chicks

I couldn't resist another photo of the chicks today, they are growing so quickly and becoming a little more independent every day.


Thursday 5 September 2019

Mother and Child

One of our Dorking x Light Sussex hens enjoying a dust bath with one of her chicks this afternoon.  All the poultry are moulting at the moment so egg production is significantly down but they are laying just enough to  keep our customers happy.


Malus sylvestris, Native Crab Apple

The Crab Apples are looking good this year, on this tree in particular, one of two in our orchard. I sense a bumper jelly season on the horizon....!!


Monday 2 September 2019

Worcester Pearmain Apples

The Worcester Pearmain eating apples are almost ready to eat.



Three headed Self Heal

Among the large variety of wildflowers we have here at the Cottage, after Common Field Daisies Self Heal must be the most common.  This morning, I think for the first time ever, I found this three headed Self Heal on the scrub banks above our little burn.  Looks just like a beautiful little candelabra.....


Sunday 1 September 2019

Heartbreaking

Driving from Consett back to the Cottage this afternoon I passed these fields full of hay bales, perhaps 2/300? They have been lying there for a couple of months now, rotting away in the rain. I can't understand why do this? At current price perhaps £6/9000s worth.... As a smallholder constantly searching for decent hay, it just breaks my heart to see such waste........