http://www.clydevalleylavender.com en-gb clydevalleylavender.com 2009-9-29T00:00:00Z clydevalleylavender.com http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#49514 Been a bit lazy with the blog recently so here a quick update. The first wave of fruit ahs been harvested with some good quality cooking apples harvested and sold. Unfortunately I missed the Victoria plum harvest because I was away at work and by the time I got home they were finished. The Pears also gave a good crop this year but with hem being small Maggie and Hassel pears there isnt a market for them so I juiced as much as I could stand to pick. Managed a good 20 gallon some of which has been pasteurized for juice and the rest laid down for perry. Its my first attempt at perry so heres hoping itll work. The damsons also produced an exceptional crop this year with more available to me than I had time or resource to pick. I did manage to get 4 litres of damson gin made so Christmas will hopefully be a home brew affair this year. Also managed 5 gallons of apple juice splut between juice and cider. Looking forward to getting home and getting the rest of the apples picked. 2009-9-19T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#49515 Well my first attempts at grafting my own fruit trees have been compelte. You may think this is a funny tiome to tradionally graft fruit trees but I carried out bud grafts which need to be done August and very early September. I managed 80 in all 40 plum on St Julian A and 40 Apple on MM106. The apple was by far the easiest to graft as it hadnt been as vigerous and the stems matched better with the donner buds. Heres hoping they take. 2009-8-8T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#39299 Its becoming like work now. Every bit of mechanical equipment I go to seems to be breaking down. First a hydraulic hose failure on the back actor on a Friday afternoon Fortunately I managed to get one from a local agricultural supplier then the Land Rover wont start. After a few days this was traced back to a cracked fuel filter housing and drawing air into the fuel system then the tractor gear box wouldnt allow it to be put into forward gear. This was the most worrying as potentially it meant splitting he tractor. With the help of my father inlaw the problem was rectified and the tractor was back in action. Not before I had lost almost a week but still its better than having o replace the gear box 2009-3-28T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#39297 As part of the over all Pathhead improvements Im planning on replanting an area with native woodland. Eventually Ill have a good cross section of native trees and some wild growing fruit trees in an area with some paths and woodland plants. Ive began by clearing some old suckers and planting a dozen Silver Birch and Scots Pine. Ive also identified an area which could be sued as a pond which will keep the geese happy and allow us to get some call ducks. This will also improve drainage in the orchard. Weve got a problem with un maintained ditches and surface water run off from further up the valley side. 2009-3-23T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#39295 To replenish my our dwindling poultry stock Ive set 40 eggs ready for Easter. Crested Legbar Exchequer Leghorn and Maran as well as green eggs from last years hatch and a few other of unknown origin from a neighbour. The goose is sitting on 16 eggs and Ive got 7 in a incubator also. Hopefully well have some real Easter chicks this year. 2009-3-18T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#39294 To continue with our inhouse training the CVOG Clyde Valley Orchard Group has purchased 100 root stock plants 50 apple on MM106 and 50 plum on St Julian A. We have selected 5 sites and give 10 of each to those members whove volunteered to be custodian of the rootstock. This has involved planting and tending the root stock for 18 months until they hopefully will be ready for planting as maiden fruit trees. The plan will be allow the root stock to grow come August hold various grafting sessions for members to have a go at grafting there own trees. We will also supply our own bud wood grafting materials from within the group. Hopefully if were successful we can become self sufficient in replanting stock as well as learn new skills along the way. As you can see fromt he photos I had a couple of helpers while planting mine 2009-3-15T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#39292 The first Clyde Valley Orchard Group in house training session was held. I had last years trees to prune and I offered members to come along and see how I was proposing. We had held a dozen folk turn up it was dry and sunny although there still was a winter chill to the wind. We all had a good discussion during the event as to our own understandings of pruning and I hope we all gained some confidence for pruning our own trees. 2009-3-14T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#37233 Well Ive managed to get 30 more fruit trees planted. Including Bramley and Monarch Apple Victoria Czar and Marjory seedling Plum Green Gauge Sweet Cherry and quince. Ive also planted my first nut Plat as a trial. the term used for a nut tree orchard Ive planted 8 commercial hazel nut trees as a trial as well as a walnut just for show. 2009-2-20T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#37328 Last night I was woken by the geese hissing. When I looked out the bedroom window a fox was 4 feet away from them The geese were holding their own but by the time I got the gun out the fox had disappeared The traps been empty each morning apart from the cat being caught a few time trying to get at the rabbit bait Its learned its lesson now though its managed to get the rabbit through the cage the other night. 2009-2-14T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#37277 A fox has struck again This time it mamanged to get on of the bronze turkeys my only remianing hen and a peking bantam cock The traps set and the gun is out 2009-2-12T00:00:00Z http://www.clydevalleylavender.com/page11.htm#9992 17th June After a heavy downpour a fantastic rainbow appeared over the lavender field. Hopefully itll be leaving a pot of gold when it goes. 15th June A couple of thousand new residents arrived at Pathhead today. 2 hives have been placed in the lavender field and come August hopefully they will be exploiting the blossom. 31st May Before they were killed I had set 7 green Legbar eggs and 3 Rosecombe bantam eggs. 5 Legbars hatched and 1 Rosecombs. At least we have the start of a new flock. Need to get rid of the fox somehow before these disappear as well 21th May Disaster The fox has killed all 30 of our rare breed poultry It managed to get in the hen hut via a nest box lid. The sight which greeted Kimberley when she went to feed them in the morning wasnt pleasant. The garden is a lonely place now without them running around. 15th March Night off tonight The kids are with their grand p... 2007-4-9T00:00:00Z