The Cottage Smallholder

  In my late twenties I took a post graduate teaching degree. My subjects were Drama and English (subjects that I’d studied at University). I did my post grad year at Goldsmith’s College in London. The majority of the course consisted of placements in London secondary schools. One of the schools that I was sent Read More »

  Our farming friends dropped by for afternoon tea on Sunday. They are easy and relaxed and their little girl A is divine. She gave our biscuits the thumbs up – the past selection weren’t up to much and we found little pieces of half eaten biscuit hidden in the kitchen for several days after Read More »

  I have spent the whole day in bed. Not snoozing though. I’ve been planning the make over of our herbaceous borders. On the south side of the garden they measure 21 yards long and are 7 yards deep. On the north side the borders are 21 yards and will be about five yards deep when Read More »

  Yesterday Danny bought two T bone steaks from Tennant’s in Newmarket for a treat. He also grabbed a bargain at Waitrose – 150g of shitake mushrooms for 29p. “I’m going to try making a simple mushroom sauce like the one you made to go with the calves liver last week.” The calves liver came Read More »

  “It’s best to make things from stuff that you find hanging around. That’s what it’s all about.” Last spring S had made a new chicken house out of bits and bobs he had found in his sheds. He was pleased with the final result. It’s a great chicken house – roomy and low. A Read More »

  Inca came home this afternoon. Svelte and so much better. Fingers crossed that the steroids work – she’s back in a months time for anoither spinal tap to see how things are progressing. Thank you for all your support which has bouyed us up over the past week.   I celebrated by putting up Read More »

  Our fridge freezer has been a bit of a trial for quite a few years now. It has problems coping with external high and low temperatures and generally performs best in the spring or autumn. So it was a bit of a surprise when we found the larder floor covered in dark water. We Read More »

  Inca is still being cared for at the Animal Health Trust. We get daily updates from the vets. She has been stable for three days now and is eating. The infectious diseases tests are due back today. Depending on the results they can balance the correct medication for her condition. I also got a Read More »

  I stared at the dinky little pelargonium plants on my mother’s sunny kitchen windowsill. “I will never grow them again,” she announced. “Why on earth not? They’re so cute” “They have taken ages and ages. I’ve got fed up with them.” My Waterloo was growing strawberries from seed this year. Suddenly I understand how Read More »

  Last week I popped into Homebase to see if they had potted up flowering spring bulbs on sale. And they did! At 25%-30% of the usual price these are even cheaper than buying bulbs. They would enable us to start selling posies on the gate side stand and then plant the bulbs in the Read More »