Very misty this morning, but the rising sun soon burnt through and it became a lovely warm day here. I even managed to plough a little patch of land for my vegetables to grow in. As normally a devout pessimist the warmer days do make me feel a little optimistic.

Barney

Beautiful day here in Somerset, ideally the soil was a little cold for onion sets but I decided to get on and plant my red and white onion sets after first preparing the ground. I will plant some more next week if the weather allows me to.

I think spring has now sprung.

Barney

A pleasant dry, windy and sunny day to-day. Usual walk with my dog in the morning followed by sowing seeds in the glasshouse. After lunch I put up some barbed wire around the tops of the apple guards that I had been meaning to do for quite some time now. Sent my dog out to gather my lambs, he then e...

Yes Clive, that is something I keep meaning to buy, a heated propagator. I do have a double paraffin heater but seldom use it nowadays. Dry all day to-day and I managed to sow some broad beans in the soil and some backups in the greenhouse. Also started to prune some apple trees or should I say trie...

Not too bad a day to-day, sunny with some showers and very windy. Managed to sow some leeks and onion seeds in the glass house, just hope it soon warms up and dries up.

Barney

Shame about your broad beans O.H., still time to plant some more in February, I hope to if they don't get washed away. Managed to get to town and visit the dentist and afterwards bought 2.5 kg Maris Peer potatoes, some onion sets and a packet of chilli seeds. I was surprised that it came to £12.39 i...

Very wet here in Somerset, moor behind me is completely flooded, road is badly flooded but just passable. Waded down to check depths as I have dental appointment to-morrow morning and hope to get through before next downfall. Luckily rounded up all my sheep and sent them to market last Saturday, the...

Fieldfares visiting my old apple trees, it is always pleasing to see them but they do chase away the blackbirds. I shall be looking out for redwings in the next following days. Broad beans are now showing and I have managed to plant my hedging whips in this dry period. Hope all are keeping well, hap...

I spent sometime in Bath last week and was saddened to learn that the allotment holders at Combe Down had lost their campaign to keep their allotment plots. I know only too well how it feels to loose previous rented ground when the owners want it back for development. I used to enjoy walking past th...

I received a grant to plant a native hedge a year ago since I live in a flood prone area, but it did not do too well owing to the long dry summer and I lost almost 100 plants. To-day I drove through flooded roads across the moors to pick up replacement hedging whips that they are kindly giving me, t...

I managed to plant a double row of aquadulce broad beans to-day, a little late but better than not planting any. My leeks are now looking good despite struggling through the long dry summer. I hope to stay up at Bath for a break and see my sister-in-law next week, I love the countryside, gardens and...

We had a few showers today, all very welcome. Put all my onions into storage in the glasshouse and harvested my butternut squash under cover of a porch. All in all I have been quite pleased with this years vegetables, despite the lack of rain many have done well, but all would have benefitted from r...

That is an impressive batch of good looking potatoes Geoff, I have this afternoon just finished lifting my potatoes which I have been very pleased with. I grew, for the first time, maris peer but your maris piper do look excellent. I hope you enjoy your stay in Holt OH, I understand it is lovely ove...

We've had some rain at last and it does seem that my runner beans are doing ok in the drought. I have been picking some very tasty beans for a while now and this recent rain should help them.

Barney

I have now cut down all my laurel and it will all spring back again unless I take some glyphosate to the stumps. Finished lifting most of my onions, I have two thirds of them in the greenhouse and the remaining third in the outside porch. Despite my eldest son having some rain on Exmoor he has had t...