Anyone Fancy a Fruit Tea?

 This blueberry bush I planted a couple of years ago had a few little berries on it last time I looked but the chickens have obviously got there first - oh well never mind - next year I may move it or cover it with a little light netting to protect the crop - which is tiny anyway to say the least! I need to read up on what sort of place they like to be in and maybe increase production next year.

 If there is one thing that grows in abundance it is sorrel. I wish there was more use for it, what with the garden and field I could produce a tonne of the stuff easily each year! There is an endangered bird called the Twite which feeds on the seeds of the sorrel plant and so therefore I guess I can live with the abundant growth of it. Although I am not a great fan [ there seems to be a feathered friend who is!

Onto my herbs and although I do not have many at the moment, those that I do have seem to be growing in abundance. Another herb that grows like wild fire is fennel. I bought one plant from a garden centre about 3 years ago - what a mistake - it is wild. I now have fennel making up part of my lawn, the majority of my weeds. It comes up through the tarmac, through walls - advice for this thing is do not touch it with a barge pole! No one likes it here at Nunnery Farm even the geese steer clear and that is saying something. It is typical the things I don't like grow like mad!

Although saying that I do pretty well with the herbs dotted here and there and I will certainly be re-stocking these to include more sage which although invasive and quite tough has not come back this year and it was an amazing plant which served me right up to the middle of winter which was a shame.

My thyme is fantastic, so is my rosemary. I have a bay that is plodding along but to date has never let me down. If you want any mint then look no further there is tonnes of it but I rather like mint, the flowers and the bees that is attracts so for me it can be as invasive as it likes. I also have what I think is lemon bergamot - no idea what to use it for but I do like to smell it now and again!




I have marjoram which always appears year after year.  I have tried for years to grow dill unsuccessfully. I think it may be time to try and grow some in a pot, everyone elses dill that flourishes seems to be contained so maybe thats the way to go! My wonderful sister has attempted a dill plant but as yet remains just soil. I will keep you updated on Sis's Dill Developments!

Molly in the sun - she lies in the same place for hours, thats a berner for you, just wait until she meets her new baby sister Elf!

I only realised that this cherry tree was in fact a cherry tree a couple of years ago. There are 3 close together causing disruption to my telephone lines given  chance. The third one is just straggly and needs to come down but the other two are fantastic and this year seem to have gone mad. The trouble is because these trees are so big there is no way I can cover them with net to protect them and the majority of cherries are to high for me to harvest which is a shame. I will probably get a pot of jam if I am lucky!

I plan to get a couple of apple trees, a couple of pear and seek out some good grafted ones that will produce some nice fruit in quick time.

If you haven't noticed I am on catch up and for the record I am not doing too bad!!

This is Bean in the sunshine just about to get the hose pipe!

Meg is keeping well away from Bean. Bean drives Meg mad and here is Meg doing what she does best - chilling!

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I don't need to tell you who this lump is, she will not lie outside but insists on the settee. This one is about to get replaced and so she doesn't know it yet but her days on the sofa are numbered!

Minnie Margaret Myrtle Moo

Oohh forgot to say I have discovered the nest of one hen so my egg collecting has increased slightly. Most of my hens are larger ladies and they only have to sit down in the sunshine for a rest and they go broody so that is the current reason for lack of eggs both for me and my Honesty Box!