Haven't posted for quite a while, so here are a few updates about what we've been up to:
Cider #x
On further investigation of our woodland, my most optimistic suspicions have been confirmed! I've been aware of the ancient Perry pear tree for ages, and with neighbouring houses named 'Berllan' (Welsh for orchard) and 'Orchard House' I had suspected that there was a cider orchard on our ground a hundred years or so ago, but had been unable to find any evidence. However, I fought my way through the undergrowth the other day I found some apple trees!
There are
four trees, ancient, standard size. There are a few fruits forming.
I have started to remove dead wood and also to cut down trees which are crowding / shading the apples. This will be a massive task and obviously better performed in the Winter, but I'm so excited about finding the trees that I can't help trying!
I'm hopeful that the trees will prove to be interesting cider varieties, and provide the basis for a fantastic orchard. Once these four old trees (and the Perry pear) are functioning again, we can start to think about taking graft material from them. We couldn't find more suitable, local, adapted species than these anywhere!
Camping #
We had a lovely weekend camping with Mel, Huw & Charlie recently at 3 Cliffs Bay on the Gower. They have a wonderful view, but a sloping, windswept site which they have done a good job of making the most of. They have also diversified from camping into holiday cottages and shepherd's huts (which look extremely cool and very cute). As is my wont I have returned home full of inspiration to create a little campsite here, starting with brilliant tent camping spots, and later adding shepherd's huts. The view would be very nice from our most level, sheltered field.
Cattle # 1
Roger's cow has had a very beautiful little male calf. Despite being completely inspired by Joel Salatin's "Salad Bar Beef" I hadn't really seriously considered keeping cattle before (with only 16 acres not enough ground), but seeing the little fellow has made me think again. James is recommending Dexters which have the treble benefits of being: Dual-purpose (good for milking and beef), Small (to suit our small acreage) and relatively old (potential suitable for our semi-feral or "Lean-Passive" farming model). I'm tempted to agree - hopefully within a few generations we would be able to 'unimprove' them to the point where they would be able to be fairly self-sufficient on grass all year round on our small acreage!?
Tractors # 1
I've seen the ancient, decaying tractor for many years now in the hay-barn field, and given it a cursory look over. My main plan has been to get the local scrap dealer to take it away at some point when we get sufficient sustained dry weather to get a big vehicle into (and more importantly out of!) the field. However, as money is tight, reusing is preferable to buying and a host of other good reasons, I decided to look more closely at it, with the possible idea of getting it to run again.
Doing a bit of research I think it is probably a David Brown 880 implematic, dating back to between 1961 and 1964 (it is a 4 cylinder diesel). It certainly has good 'bones' - loader is attached, 3 point linkage, various implements including a muck fork, loading shovel, and a 'flat 8' bale grabber are also rusting around the place and potentially re-useable.
The dipstick is clean and oily. Might try it with a fresh battery on the weekend!
Playhouse # 1
I'm close to finishing Ben & Kate's playhouse - 90% found materials. Wood from work which would have otherwise been landfilled, stuff which was already here, or in a few small cases new, bought materials.
