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Well its April already, and we've had lots going on.
November through to February was a complete wash out...... rain, rain and more rain.
If someone says theres a hose pipe ban later this year I will scream. But knowing the powers that be we've probably had
the wrong type of rain....Too Wet!!!!!!
It's been a bit demoralising though, trying to get jobs done and things cleared up has been a bit of a problem. At one
point we actually had a river flowing off the road, through the chicken run, around the leeks, through the pigs and into the
pond. I thought about turning the pig ark into Noah's Ark!!!
Its not been all that bad though, our chickens have been laying right through the winter, and we've still been eating
and drinking our home grown and homemade produce.
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| Our Tamworths and Large Black, Glouster Old Spot crosses |
But what a diference a couple of months make......
We've been really enjoying the weather, and so have our animals too....
Our last lot of Gloucesters went off in January.......Sad but they were delicious. In their place we have got some Large
Black, Gloucester Old Spot crosses from our friends Tony and Melissa. These two lovely ladies will be with us until September
as they will be going as baconers. Get your orders in now for lovely bacon, gammon and maybe a ham....If I can spare one!!!!!
We also decided to try another pure breed....the Tamworth......Fred and Ginger arrived from Church Farm rare breed centre
and will be with us untl the end of April/May.
And as if that wasn't enough we have got too more Gloucesters from Helen and Graham, Ben and Jerry are very cute
and will be going for pork in August.
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| Some of our new Buff Orpingtons |
For our Wedding Aniversary this year Jackie allowed me to indulge and buy myself some Buff Orpingtons. They took a lot
of finding but eventually I found someone from Diss who breeds a variety of Chickens and he had some available.
Charlie the Cockeral and his ladies are now well settled in. Infact so much settled in that one of his ladies has gone
broody and is sitting on a huge clutch of eggs.......Watch out for some cute little chicks sometime in May. We have
got some in the incubator too, so we should have quite a few new arrivals soon.
 We've been after some ducks for a while now....Or should I say I have......I think thats more honest.......
Anyway what we were after were Indian Runner Ducks for eggs and Some Aylesbury and Silver Appleyard for breeding some
table birds.
We were checking out ebay for hatching eggs when we found someone here in warboys selling Indian Runner eggs. We got
in touch and they also had some birds for sale......So we bought them today....1 Drake and two lovely ladies....We haven't
named them yet but no doubt Joy will have by tomorrow.
Anyway I guess thats all for now.......
Check out our website next month for more news from the Pidley Smallholders.
Bye for now
Julian and Jackie
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