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Sunday 8 May 2016

Gardening in May....oh and more sunsets...




So let's start with a beautiful sunset on a calm evening in May......

And now move onto battles with hens in the garden! Hee hee!  Every year I attempt to grow some vegetables and fruit.  Most years I lose much of it to the hens.  In the past I've covered things up with netting till seedlings grow but the pesky hens would find ways in, and then get STUCK needing to be rescued.  So, at great expense this year, I purchased a chicken fence which is supposed to keep chickens IN.  However I am using it to keep chickens OUT.... they have the entire garden and several acres, but oh no, let's have a dust bath in the middle of the peas and have a snack while we are at it... So.....


Robust netting with robust poles and pegs.  The netting is big enough to not be a problem in the wind but small enough and tall enough to keep pesky hens out!   Though I do suspect they might discover they can fly over the wall.... we'll have to see.  The fence will be rolled up and put away in Winter, but for Spring & Summer, it stays!  S came round to help me put it together as she has the same netting successfully keeping her hens IN.

Hens spot The Fence, as does Button.  None are impressed.


These two are  definitely clocking the fence to identify weaknesses!


This is me INSIDE the fence.  There is a cunningly disguised gate for me to sneak in and out.


It's also quite unobtrusive and not that visible from the gate.....


So, INSIDE the fence is a patch of wildflower seed, courgettes (under cover), salad leaves, ruby chard, broad beans and peas. Oh and some shallots.  Though either the mice or starlings had uprooted a couple of THOSE today! There are also two gooseberry bushes and a black-currant bush.  I rarely get much fruit off them as the pesky hens love them when they are tiny.  So far the wild birds haven't investigated too closely, but I may need to put netting over the fruit bushes to keep them away.

Outside the netting is the rhubarb and the strawberry patch.  Strawberries need to be undercover too but that's doable as I have a custom made "hat" for them.  And in raised tubs are carrots So, all we need now is some decent weather!

And now back to evening sun.... these ewes and lambs were showing an interest when I went for a walk along the shore the other evening.  Only because they thought I might feed them!  The grass is very slow growing this year (well except in my garden!) so they are getting plenty of extra rations and equate a human with food!


Meanwhile the beach had a rosey glow from the sunset.


It's May but in Orkney the daffodils are still very much in flower! The rosa rugosa and willow trees are greening up nicely though.




And in other news, a pair of crows had built a nest in the willows by the house.  Poor things are desperate for anything resembling a tree. Often in Orkney they nest in the heather on the ground! Anyway I wasn't that keen on having a crows nest by the house and it was on the way to the washing line. But I think the chickens scared them off! They like to gather under the trees during the day for a preen, chat and a bit of a crow (the cockerels, obviously).  I think the crows served them an ASBO (anti-social behavioural order) and the chickens retaliated as the crows didn't have planning permission. Anyway the crows seem to have abandoned the nest, thankfully.  It's early enough for them to build another in, hopefully, a more convenient place for all concerned!



And to end today's potter, another sunset!


12 comments:

  1. The trials and tribulations of keeping chickens never cease to amaze and makes me smile. Beautiful sunsets.

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    1. At least I don't have to barricade the hens in from foxes or other predators, so they have a good life. And are great companions in the garden. AND eat slugs!

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  2. It's always kind of an escapism to visit this wonderful blog, it regularly makes my day! And your hens seem to be quite a handful, they put a big smile on my face! With best regards to Graemsay, Arletta

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    1. Oh thank you for your kind comments! Over the years I'm aware it's a bit same old same old on the island and wonder if folk get bored. I LOVE it, but it's not the most dynamic of blogs. LOL!

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  3. Lots of work to keep the hens out. Hope it works for you. Everything looks so nice and spring like.

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    1. Seems to be working SO far! As to Spring like, temperatures dropped this week so it's been chilly again and I've not been out and about much.

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  4. Hello from Sweden, actually Blekinge, called the garden of Sweden although I wouldn't dream of referring to MY garden! Where on earth do you live, I think it must be the most beautiful spot on earth. We have an Island on the eastcoast called Öland, which would in fact be translated; Islandland...if you wanted. It reminds me a bit of what I can see in your backyard and the neighbourhood. I love Öland, I think I would love your island as well. Thank you for the great henstory!!

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    1. Hallo to you in Sweden! If you like islands you would like the Orkney Islands (which also translates to island islands!). We are nearer to Norway than London :-) And share much history with Norway too. Glad you liked the hen story - they are very entertaining wee things! Thanks for stopping by to comment and sorry it took me so long to reply!

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  5. I had to take yet another look at your wonderful pictures and lovely hens. We've had a dream of keeping hens for quite a while, but I can see it's the keeping part that can be troublesome...they don't like to be kept anywhere do they?

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    1. Given the chance hens are free sprits and very good escapologists. They are fairly easy to feed and keep clean but all bets are off for everything else!

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  6. Crows 0 Chickens 1. I hope your fence keeps the chickens out of your garden patch, so far so good.

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    1. Yes and it's a VERY surprising result as it was expected the crows would attack the hens. But NO! I'm glad to say. And yes the fence is still excluding the hens!

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