05-25-04

It's a bit cold today, I've been making nettle hay.  Do you make this in the USA  ?

It's nettles of course, pulled up and tied in bunches, preferably sun-dried (although there's not much chance of that in the UK) stored and used in the winter as fodder for the goats !  they love it.  it helps with the feed bill and it's free.

 

Also I've been making nettle soup, and nettle pudding and other recipes for the freezer for the winter months.  My motto is 'If  you can't beat 'em  -  eat 'em!'

 

One of my pygmy goats has been a little off colour for a while, I studied my 'goat' books, and I think she needed more 'hard food' i.e. branches of trees, shrubs etc., so I've been gathering, cutting and chopping branches for her, she's really enjoyed her change of diet, so I hope she will be better now.  I love just wondering about the fields and woods gathering food for the animals and myself, I feel so 'alive' I'm sure you and your readers will understand.

 

One of my rabbits had to have an abscess removed from her jaw today, she is fine thank goodness, but unfortunately, she doesn't have a sweet nature, she will try to bit and scratch me at any opportunity, it's not her fault, goodness only knows what she went through before I 'rescued' her.  She is a lovely ' red' colour, I'll send a pic if  you like.  I also have a guinea pig with an infection in his leg, and have 'saved' two ewes today from fly strike.  I'm very happy about that.

05-22-04

Our crazy British weather strikes again !!

 

We've had a few lovely days, now it's gone back to frost, and it's freezing again !  I always think it's no surprise that most British folk never have a smile on their faces, we are deprived of a decent climate !  we never know how to dress from one day to the next, and growing stuff can be a nightmare, we just get plants set out thinking the last of the bad weather has gone, and then ZAP !  back it comes, and wipes out all our efforts, oh my ..............  I read lately,  that the weather is getting so bad here, that many British fruit and salad growers are having to invest in giant polytunnels, because they just can't grow outdoors anymore.  It's no wonder that Brits are leaving these shores by the bus load.

 

Now this sounds silly because of what I've just said, but I'm going to have a go at making a solar oven, well we may just get one or two hours of sunshine this year, you never know !  I have some plans to make one from cardboard boxes, foil and black paint, has anyone ever tried this ?  I should think you would get better results in USA though as the weather is more reliable.  I'll give it a go anyway, and let you know how I get on.  I think that every little bit of power I can save will help.