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| Me - so you can put a face to a blogger |
Hello world - this is my first blog! It's for Woodford Organics www.woodfordorganics.co.uk and I'm going to keep a seasonal diary for the organic smallholding. We are based in North Cornwall and today it is raining so I have finally set up a facebook page and this blog page.
I set up Woodford Organics in 2008 with my wife and we have two young children.
Doing a blog? Why - it's good for business (maybe) but mostly I hope I can share ideas and conversation with other like minded people, I've still loads to learn. What to put in the blog? - I'm sure no one wants to be reading about my daily routines so what I'm going to do is a rough seasonal diary about what works and doesn't in this North Cornwall (UK) organic smallholding (which is just fruit, veg, hens and bees) and to highlight some distinct projects which I will grandly term as 'research'. I shall list my findings as the year goes on with conclusions etc and I hope some others will find it interesting enough to a) read and follow and b) contribute with their ideas and results.
So what's happening in April 2012? Seeds have been set and planting has begun. Potatoes and Onions have already been planted outside but the other planning has all been in our polytunnel - Tomatoes, Courgettes, beans, peas, radish, spring onions, early potatoes. The rest of the time has been spent preparing the bedding sites; the most tedious of the jobs. this year I have tried using black out geotextile over the raised beds. It is definitely an improvement on last year with out but still some root based weeds grow (docks in particular). The bees have been busy for about a month now so expect a good honey output this year. the hens have got their new fox proof run finished this winter after having lost a lot to Mr fox, I'm planning a fruit cage extension to their run this spring.
Had the wierd experience of going out in the pouring rain to do the watering ...polytunnels!! I have designed a sort of self watering system (guttering in the outside feeding in underground) but not good enough on its own and tands to block up. I have rigged up a system of guttering from roofs down to the polytunnel with fills up 2 x 1000 litre tanks. That fills up the watering cans right by the polytunnel but it means it's pretty labour intensive so I need to create a (very) low pressure perforated pipe system with some sort of timer/flow measuring device that is solar powered. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteThis weekend 14/15th April will be mostly building the children's play area. This hopefully will be well used by our children, their friends and guests. I'm trying to make a garden that is not only productive but also a joy for all ages. Inbetween the serious gardening sections (which are fenced off to keep the rabbits from nibbling our food) are wildlife areas and play areas. It's still all being developed but I hope to add some photos soon. Some more tatties have been planted outside and peas will be soon. Lots of tomatoes to go into the polytunnel as well. Last year we didn't savagely prune our tomatoes, as always advised to in all the gardening book, but just left them 'au natrel'. We were surprised at the results. While maybe our peak yield wasn't best (guessing) the yield carried on until late December, whereas the savagely trimmed and defoliaged ones last yearstopped producing in autumn ...interesting. So this year we are going to do some tomatoes (of same variety in matching locations) by the book - pinch out all excess foliage etc and some we shall leave to their own ways and be able to give a comparision.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful sunny weekend. Worked mostly on childrens' play area but managed to get in some grass cutting and preparing raised beds. Tomatoes and courgettes planted in the polytunnel. Harvesting radish, rocket, asparagus and parley this weekend. Lots of blossom coming out on the fruits though ...yum!
ReplyDeleteQuite rainy this week so no rotivating done and mainly worked on the garden play area. Bit of grass cutting and planting out of peas. Tomatoes and beans planted on in polytunnel.
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