December Snow

HenSafe Automatic Chicken Coop Opener. Robust, Rugged, Reliable.

Brrr....snow on the ground. If you need something reliable to open your chicken coop each morning, and to shut it at night, then HenSafe is your answer. This morning we woke up to freezing weather and lots of the white stuff but, as ever, we trusted our HenSafe to let our hens out - although, to be fair, they weren't that keen until we had cleared them a snow-free patch! 
To find out more about HenSafe, visit the website: www.HenSafe.net
or our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HenSafe/

Learnings:

• Choose HenSafe. Robust, Rugged, Reliable.

Polytunnel Repairs

Autumn into winter. This morning was spent sorting out the polytunnel and mending holes before winter winds take hold and destroy the cover. The hole in this picture was actually made by a small rabbit which got stuck in the tunnel and ate his way out! It’s important to make sure the cover is clean and dry, inside and out, on the spot where you are sticking the repair tape, so try and pick a sunny day if possible to wash and dry each bit of damage. I like to stick tape on the outside first, then go inside and reinforce it.

Learnings:

• Give your polytunnel its annual MOT before winter sets in.

Crab Apple Jelly Recipe

September is the season for crab apples. What better way to use them than to make a crystal clear pink jelly, perfect with lamb dishes and also with cheese. Crab apples are high in pectin so you don’t need to add any, and ordinary granulated sugar will do. The recipe I use is so easy, here it is:
Ingredients:
4lb crab apples – washed and dried
2 pints of water – just to cover the apples in a large pan
Sugar at the rate of 1lb per pint of juice (see method)

Method:
Bring the pan to a boil and simmer until the apples have cooked to a pulp and the liquid has reduced by a quarter to a third. This will take around 40 to 60 minutes. Strain the fruit in a jelly bag over a basin – be patient and do not squeeze the bag or you will have cloudy jelly! While this is dripping away, pop a couple of plates you’re your freezer to test setting point later.
Measure the juice and put back into the cleaned pan with 1lb of sugar per pint of juice. Heat the mixture slowly until the sugar melts, stirring all the time. Once the sugar has melted, bring it to the boil and simmer until setting point is reached. Depending on how dry your fruit was to start with and how much water has evaporated, this could take 10-30 minutes.
While this is happening, put your oven on low and heat up your clean jam jars.
When things start to thicken, grab a plate from the freezer and drop a teaspoonful of jelly onto it. When setting point is reached, a skin will form over the top after a minute which will crinkle when you push your finger into it. If there’s no crinkle, keep boiling away for another 5 minutes before testing again. I prefer this method to using a thermometer, but if you have one then setting point should be reached at around 220 degrees Fahrenheit or 105 degrees Celsius (but I would still also test on a plate!).
Now turn your heat off and let things rest for 10 minutes or so and bring the jars out of the oven. Pour the jelly into the jars with the aid of a jug and a large funnel and pop the lids on while hot. I don’t use waxed discs and have never had a problem. Wipe the jars down and label them when cold and then store in a cool, dark cupboard.

Learnings:

• An apron is essential. And keep a wiping cloth handy.
• A shop bought straining set is worth getting hold of.
• Hot jelly will scald – be careful!

Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs

Our pigs this year have come from David Norman at The Ansty Herd in Dorset. Beautiful, good natured pigs that eat well. We’re feeding them sow breeder nuts rather than commercial food which will put too much fat on them.  

Lambs

Six sleepy lambs. We raised the floor of their shelter this year so if it rains they'll stay out of the puddles. This after last year’s mad rebuild during the pouring rain to lift them out of water. The joys of living on clay!
The upturned pot is one of two – easier on the back to sit down to bottle feed.

Learnings:

• Planning ahead and learning from experience – always works.