Back on track

Gorgeous day yesterday but no time to visit the allotment. I kept my fingers crossed for continued good weather today and I wasn't disappointed. Mrs. G. and I met up at the unusually early hour of 10 o'clock, ready to tackle some digging. I will easily confess that the thought of spending hours digging had filled me with dread but I really enjoyed today's efforts.

It was an unusual day in more ways than one. We actually spent most of the time working, not drinking coffee whilst chatting. As neither of us had brought any coffee and all the allotments around us are looking very nice and tidy, we probably felt that we had no time to lose. I'm saying probably as we didn't talk about it at all. We just got on with it.

We never overdo things and today was no exception. We dug over and weeded two beds, ready for potato planting next week. 

We put some of the chicken manure into the soil, hoping that it'll make the spuds grow nice and big.  There's still a fair bit of manure left in the corner of the plot. 

The smell is still very strong!

It was time to harvest the remaining parsnips and some of the leek, which is always a pleasure. I always plan my meals for the week ahead and haven't planned anything where I could use any of it. However, it will no doubt last until next weekend. Our nice neighbour Bob mentioned while passing by that the rhubarb is ready to start picking so there will be a rhubarb crumble in both Mrs. G's and Mrs. M's household this afternoon!

Going up to the allotment early in the day has meant that I've now got the rest of the afternoon to potter about. If by pottering I mean washing and cleaning the house.... Oh and of course, making and eating a rhubarb crumble!

Mrs. M.

Menopause

Well what do you know? Our three little chickens have reached the menopause! They've been laying soft eggs for a couple of months now, mixed in with the odd normal egg, and Mr. M. has tried everything, and I mean everything, to get to the bottom of this. They've had calcium supplement in their food, their coop has been blow torched to get rid of mites, you name it and Mr. M. has done it. In the end he contacted the farm we bought our little dears from and they said that this was normal. They've come to the end of their egg laying and have consequently reached the menopause. 

So that's it? We've only had them for 2 years. Apparently, chickens lay a predestined number of eggs in their life time and when they've laid them that's the end of eggs. Hm. I suppose we've been very spoiled getting 3 eggs a day, 7 days a week for almost 18 months. If a chicken lays for example 4 eggs a week, their egg laying period will obviously last longer than if they lay day in day out. Mr. M. was told that they will still lay proper eggs for a while yet but nowhere near as frequently as before. Who knows? We might have to buy eggs one day soon.

On top of this, Gwen has been on an adventure again. This time she decided to visit our next door neighbour on the other side. Luckily, he wasn't afraid to pick her up and put her back in our garden.

Mrs. M.