Yesterday’s visit to do the hens at Starnash was a bit of respite from the torrential rain. Thankfully there was a watery sun and a fresh blustery breeze which made a delightful change from the endless downpours we’ve had for the past week thanks to Storm Claudio and his showery following.
The poultry are now under a Housing Order for avian flu, so apart from a few minutes while we moved the coops, the chooks stayed in. One advantage of all this mild wet weather is that the grass is flourishing making the hens relatively happy to stay confined. This batch of 8 are in a permanent run with a paved base which we can sweep down with a stiff brush and hose, and they have a large house too. There are plenty of treats from the garden to supplement their pellets while they have little access to grass.
Vicky showed me her fig tree, which after the ground-breaking summer weather, has seen fit to produce a crop for the first time. And not just one or two, but a proper tree-full:
I am going to get some goat’s cheese to have with them!
I am making plans to start a video diary of my new home and some of the activities at Starnash. Our house is called Beaverdell, and this month’s full moon – which has been spectacular when the clouds have cleared sufficiently – is the Beaver Moon, so called as this is the time of year they are making preparations for winter with their dams. I have never been that fussed about these reintroduced mammals but it’s funny how serendipity plays a part and now I want to visit Knepp to go on a Beaver Safari…
Wayward Bee 