New Potatoes, New Chicks, & A New Cousin
The potatoes Johnny sowed in the tunnel at year’s end 2014 are completely out of the ground and the space is now occupied by lettuce and cucumbers. He reckons we got 25 to 30 kilos. We’ve given a few away, bartered some for car repairs, and the remaining should last us a month or so, but only if we alternate with some rice and pasta on occasion.
The outside spuds, sown mid March to early April, began being hilled up a couple of weeks back. There will definitely be a gap in our homegrown spud eating. With the extra space provided by our new tunnel, we should be able to double the number we sow next winter.
There is still no telling if the six gifted chicks are male or female though they are getting noticeably bigger everyday. I wouldn’t say any of them have ‘pet’ potential as I’d hoped. They scurry and hide from all humans, even though we bring them delicious kitchen scrap treats with nearly every visit. And they are very bold– they’ve begun to sneak under the garden gates that prevent the other chickens and ducks from visiting and dining on our lettuce and herbs. Tomorrow the plan is to tack on a temporary sheet of plastic across the bottom to block the gap.
The chicks in the incubator amounted to six in total being hatched and they’re all doing well. Not so impressive for having had twenty eggs to start, but it seemed upon inspection that many of the eggs were not fertile. A dozen new chicks is enough for now anyway. We’re still hopeful for a few hens who’ll give us more eggs, but cockerels will make nice meals too.
We had one chicken who was very broody so Johnny took the two-day old incubator hatched eggs out to her and she literally took them under her wing as if they were her own.
Tonight I came home from working a shift at the hotel to a wonderful dinner of scrambled eggs, new potatoes, stir fry, and garlic buttered bairneach. Johnny had taken the children to the beach to gather the bairneach as a surprise for me, a wonderful surprise it was. If you’re not familiar with these delicious gems of the sea, click here, one of my first ever posts about a beautiful day at the beach we had gathering them along with seaweed for the garden.
The stir fry contained our first couple courgettes of the year. Another polytunnel assisted treat, far earlier than those that are yet to be planted outside. Those are still sitting in eight inch pots, desperate to spread their roots. I got tomatoes planted this week also, forty-four in all– a mixture of cherry, slicers, salsa, and paste/sauce tomatoes. In between them and in outside beds is lettuce, lettuce, lettuce. We are barely keeping up with the demand and are very appreciative to be able to say that.
That’s all for now on our homefarm and garden update. The coming weeks should be plenty busy with planting out. Even if it’s windy and cold, they must get out of pots. Being pot bound will eventually do the plants as much harm as bad weather. I’ll keep you posted on that.
My last thought for tonight goes to Johnny’s brother and our sister-in-law. They are expecting their first child, actually a couple of days overdue. Big excitement in our house as we all await the arrival of another Gillan cousin. Sending them prayers, patience, big hugs, good health, and much love from us all. Melissa, Johnny, and the children Xx
p.s. There is a photo album that correlates with this post.
