HOME PAGE

Self-Sufficiency in Style

march 2003 diary

 

As the springtime primroses blossom by the pond, attention switches to the animals.
On the last day of February, we had collected two new point-of-lay hens - and popped them in a special pen overnight, to give them a chance to look at their surroundings before release in the morning.

Alas, although from the same farm, they were from different little batches and decided overnight to establish a pecking order.

One was a bit battered by the morning, so they were separated into two pens for another 48 hours to regain their composure before being introduced to the cockerel, Walter..

Well a girl has to look her best...

Split into separate accommodation.

 

An elderly Rhode Island was quickly traced laying an egg.

 A few days running about, and away from his existing squaws, seems to have established an equilibrium between them all.

We set out to take a few photos. 

The first job to find them, then to get them to stay in one place for long enough....

Chickens have their little routines depending on the weather.

Mrs. P always knows where to find them, notices if any are missing or unwell.

She knows which are laying where - usually somewhere inconvenient for the writer.

The cockerel, Walter, a Maran is there with a Buff Orpington, another Rhode Island and a Black Rock.

Where are the new girls?

A favourite corner when the weather is windy or wet.

 

Eventually, they are spotted: a rather windswept Blue Orpington by the caravan.

... and the belligerent Maran taking herself off in the opposite direction.

Now comes one of the big events of the year. 

The writer has been away on a mysterious errand, to kill a lot of birds with one stone, so to speak.

All male smallholders have a bounden duty

... to be nice to the lady of the house...

...supportive of anyone helping in the cause of freedom...

...to protect their livestock...

...to ensure the survival of rare breeds...

...to make sure the elected government behaves themselves...

...and to breakfast on fine home cured bacon.

Annoying the future King of England is an optional extra.

11 Million animals

to protect crooks.

They could not even tell the truth about the numbers killed.

As regular readers will know, the writer bought Mrs. P a sow as a birthday present. 

Knowing that even for a smallholding lady that this was not exactly romantic, he did cover his back with a bottle of perfume.

All went well, until the government killed the healthy pig to cover up the fact that some of Prince Charles' mates had disgraced themselves. They killed the sow, but did not succeed in silencing the writer.

We were not alone,11 million animals perished in the Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth epidemics.

Not a nice story - and broken hearted we could not bring ourselves to get a replacement.

Anyway as it was our 39th wedding anniversary, the writer decided to chance his arm, but with a few strings attached.

We bought a Tamworth sow. An ancient English breed, well known for escaping from abattoirs, swimming rivers and generally causing chaos.

A difficult, noisy, awkward and fractious breed. It is generally agreed, by all acquaintances to be the perfect pig for the writer.

Whilst the compliment is accepted with gratitude, the pig is actually to be owned by Mrs. P.

Water reconnected and scrub cleared.

Straw and electric fence readied.

The question of the name arose. 

Obviously the sow has a posh breed name, and was, it seems, informally called "Barbara" by her breeder.

One son-in-law suggested "Ginger" in honour of his sister-in-law - our eldest daughter, who is known by the nickname for fairly obvious reasons.

We could see his logic, but had other plans...

We decided to honour Mary Critchley, a lady who has done more for Britain's smallholders and small farmers than all the politicians and veterinarians added together.

The sow is called Warmwell after her famous web-site.

Mary has become famous in Britain. Her praises have been justifiably sung in publications as diverse as the Daily Telegraph and Country Life.

She came racing back to Britain from France to tear into Britain's scientific and political establishment for allowing the fiasco to develop.

No shallow animal do-gooder, tree hugger or biased vegetarian, she taught herself the relevant science.

She penetrated the hallowed halls of Westminster with good old fashioned commonsense and information gleaned from her many farming friends.

Warmwell

Freedom Sow.

The writer and Mary are often in disagreement.

In fact, we usually disagree, but her achievement, at great personal expense, has been breathtaking.

Free-speech is not just something for people that agree with you, real free-speech is for people who don't.

Something that our American allies will remember when they read her views on the US and war in the Middle East.

This is the freedom we will probably go to war for; to restore to the people of Iraq. 

The freedom to disagree with us, with anyone - and to say so, loudly and clearly, without the fear of the knock on the door.

Mary has provided a vehicle for the unheard; the ignored, but often eminent, scientists, the bullied smallholders, the frightened farmers and many, many more.

She may well prove to be one of the best friends that the United States ever had:

- to keep the great grasslands of the New World free of the animal plagues, that have all but destroyed the livestock farms of Britain.
There was another reason that the pig was called Warmwell.

One that Mary will regard as adding to, rather than subtracting from, the honour to her.

The people that still rule this devastated landscape are not going to be too keen to ill-treat and kill a pig called Warmwell.

There will be no repetition for this sow.

"Vera" ill-treated and killed - Never again.

Between the middle and the end of the month, we enjoy a glorious spell of warm weather, dry and sunny by day, even if a little chill at night. The first lunch is enjoyed on the terrace; otherwise, hard work all day.

It is time to step up the pace in the garden and greenhouse. We watch the thermometer for any chance of a severe frost and start to take a few chances with tender seeds and plants.

Timperley Early is early.

 One of the earliest crops is the Rhubarb. 

It takes a year or two to become established, but is very worthwhile for an early "fruit" pie.

Rhubarb is an important crop, especially in the north of England.
After WW2, some entrepreneurs tried to establish peach orchards in England.

Alas, we are too far north for commercial peach production, but  reasonable crops are possible especially on a south facing wall.

Peach Blossom on the south facing wall.

Almond in the orchard.

The closely related almond has similar problems, but you can get good crops some years even in an open orchard.
It is always a wise idea to "hedge your bets" in gardening.

There is also an Almond on the wall near the Peach and Apricot.

On a south facing wall too.

The greenhouse is now full of seeds germinating in propagators, soon they will be repotted as seedlings.

For the next few weeks we will be vulnerable to night frosts so the greenhouse will be heated when necessary.

Timing is important - too early and big heating bills will be the result.

The potatoes are now in the greenhouse "sprouting" before being planted outside - again a question of fine timing.

This time of year can be a little nerve-racking. 

We have a very good crop of sprouting broccoli all ready now, red, purple and white - all of which taste much the same.

We are freezing a lot and giving some away.

Good green vegetables are very welcome at this time of year.

Pigeons also like something green about now.

So the cabbages are well netted under a fruit cage.

They will be ready soon too.

British readers will be well aware that our dreadful government veterinarians have recently taken much abuse for producing a set of welfare rules for pigs that owe more to Charlie Chaplin than reality.

As usual, the factory farmers will get away with cruelty, whilst honest decent small-holders will be driven mad by a mass of trivia enforced by outright crooks. They don't like the smallholders and small farmers, who are usually the only people with enough guts to stand up to the corrupt bullies.

Oddly enough the only thing the media picked up on was the supply of toys , including footballs. They thought that was funny. 

Footballing Warmwell.

Mrs. P has been "sloping off" to play with her new sow.

Actually pigs really do enjoy a game.

Out-manoeuvring the government

  at Hangman's Cottage, just to the south of Misery Corner.

HOME PAGE or Go to the Diary Index