A lot being going on over the last few weeks. Some good, some bad.
Managed to move the IBCs up, all cleaned and now being filled, slowly but over the winter they will get sorted out. Soon dotted around where needed will be 4K lt of grey water for animals or plants,
Chopped some trees down and made a pile of wood that I can’t use at the moment. It’ll take time to season so perhaps when it is ready I’ll be in a position to use it.
I’ve also sorted out the rubbish heap I found at the back. An old metal barn or something. All the panels are now in a neat pile and the posts in neat rows by the entrance. Pity there are no metal merchants floating about at the moment but when the market picks up I’ll transfer them and get them disposed of. They are out of the way.
Been looking at the pond, now named Crocodile Lake by one of the kids that sadly lacks crocodiles is still looking green and full of logs. I’ve had a look at a neighbouring pond that was worked on earlier this year. He brought in an excavator, dredged the pond, removed all the dead wood, installed plants and fish and it looked good. Now it is back in the same state as mine, obviously with less deadwood and some fish, he thinks. All that work and money wasted. I’m going to plan out what I need to do and start on my ponds next year. Got some books to read to get started.
Something that has not gone so well. My Five Rhode Island Reds have vanished. Anything could have happened really. Fox, Dog, poacher or they just wandered off. None of them make any sense though. Last time a fox got one there was blood all over the place, five have gone and no sign of blood or violence. If it was a pacher why would they leave the four big Buff Orpingtons and take five much small Rhode Island Reds. I’ve never had any birds wander away from their homes either. I’ll probably never know unless I come across carcasses in the woods but I’m going to go with a poacher.
Built a nice shed for some bits. Moving them into there for the winter.
Looking at building a lean too to put some hay and feed in. I’ll put it right where the old metal one was and it will be nicely positioned. Should be easy enough to build so need to get started before it gets into Winter.
Not much else to say. Been busy at work as well.
Have you looked in the lake for the Rhode Island Reds?
Time to get a couple of those compact GO Pro digital cameras set up so you can record anyone coming on your land
on the subject of wood seasoning….
With all the Ash die-back at the moment (and I have lost about 4 trees)
Ash is one of the best woods to burn – Green or seasoned!!
So Ash-die back is not a good thing for our woodlands, but is a boon for stocking up on firewood
Logs to Burn
Logs to burn! Logs to burn!
Logs to save the coal a turn!
Here’s a word to make you wise
When you hear the wood man’s cries
Beechwood fires burn bright and clear
Hornbeam blazes too
If the logs are kept a year
To season through and through
Oak logs will warm you well
If they’re old and dry
Larch logs of pinewood smell
But the sparks will fly
Pine is good and so is yew
For warmth on wintry days
But polar and willow too
Take long to dry or blaze
Birch logs will burn too fast
Alder scarce at all
Chestnut logs are good to last
If cut in the Fall
Holly logs burn like wax
You should burn them green
Elm logs like smouldering flax
No flame is seen
Pear logs and apple logs
They will scent your room
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom
But ash logs all smooth and grey
Burn them green or old
Burn up all that come your way
They’re worth their weight in gold
The ash die back is a real pain in the backside for me, once defra or the forestry commission are aware of ash die back you are prevented from moving the ash as felled timber, even as firewood. It’s already showing up in my area where ash make up over 80% of the tree stock. Even if I had all my wood burners going 24/7 I couldn’t dispose of it all. It’s a gigantic pain in the neck.
If there is absolutely no trace of your hens I would put my money on it being a fox. If you search further afield you’ll probably find feathers where they were stashed as a temporary larder.