KW-18 Let's get sowing

and mowing the grass which is growing

The first couple of weeks of May are entirely schizophrenic in their Orwellian Ministry of Truth duality.

We’re waiting for the Eisheiligen to pass.

I talked about the Frost Saints a few weeks ago. The point is, they are a pretty reliable indicator of when the last frost is going to be. As soon as it is behind us, everything gets a bit crazy with sowing many thousands of seeds - basically everything that is sown directly into the ground can be sown now. We want to get there.

We also are starting to panic that they are coming on us quite so soon. The more preparation of the seed beds we can do now, the faster we can get the seeds in, the bigger and better the crop, and the less weeding will need to be done once the growing gets going.

KW-11 Of Saints and pigs

This week, I had a bit of a pig scare. The place I order their food from used to use a delivery company who were constitutionally averse to coming out here into the middle of the forest. Once, the delivery took two weeks. This is no good. You can’t ask a pig to be patient. You feed them when they want feeding, no negotiation.

I complained quite a lot and they changed to another dude, who 100% reliably got the stuff to me within 2 days. Well, my order didn’t turn up last week, and I am pretty much out of food (I mean the pigs are, I’ve been basically out of food for weeks now!). I checked, and they have reverted back to the effinuselessbastards they used to use. So, I had to spend a day phoning round trying to see if there was anyone anywhere near who could take me to the (other, different) farm supplier. It all worked out, I got two bags of food, and now I am sitting here hoping like a fool that the big order turns up today or tomorrow.

And now, some pictures.

If I was a proper garden photographer, I would have removed that dandelion. No matter. Asparagus in the foreground, table tennis table in the background. I must be in Germany!

One of the learnings of last year was to not neglect the brassica. Sure, the main focus is tomaotes, beans, potatoes, but I have 5 trays of cabbage family all doing pretty much ok as well. Which is nice

Long-time followers of The Barracks will remember when I I sowed 300 pomegranate seeds from a shop-bought fruit. I, sadly, don’t remember when it was. I know this is year 4 starting now, So maybe they are now 3 years old? Anyway 15 pomegranate trees doing well!

It’s still nippy in the morning, but we’ve not had a frost in a few days, and it warms up by mid morning. But look! The palette of the barracks is most definitely turning from white to green.

In winter, a list of activities is fine to keep me occupied and make sure I don’t get too bored.

From the proper start of spring onwards, for the last three years, I’ve been trying to write a proper programme of events. They don’t always happen quite as planned, but if I didn’t have my plan for the week, I promise you, I would get a lot less done.

I don't usually write on it the daily things - pig feeding, mowing, napping - but seeing as this one is for your entertainment, I thought I would add them.

1. Extend the orchard

2. Plant the last three trees (and 6 gosseberry bushes)

3. Fix the mower. Anyone any good with engines and things?

4. Up beanpoles!

5. Choppy Chop (various places)

6. Sow the vineyard

7. for pig food

   • sweetcorn (3000 seeds)

   • sunflowers (5000 seeds!)

   • sugar beet (10,000 seeds)

   • carrots (too many to count)

   • mangolds (2000)

8. Re-prep the root break

9. Chainsaw 120m tree trunks into 2m chunks

10. Tidy the last two berry beds

11. Start clearing for the kitchen herb garden (unlikely to be finished this year)

12. Repotting action

13. Plant the last three rows of spuds

Right. Better get on with it.

What do you think of the extra-photos format? Now that things are achieving some growing action and things are colours other than “white”, would you like to see a more picture heavy newsletter? Is it starting to get too long? Let me know in the comments!

All my love, my hearties

The Pirate Ben

💚