I grow my Crown Prince in raised beds and train them along the paths, which are chippings. Takes up very little useful space.

I'd mulch with compost or manure or mushroom compost, leave it over winter and lightly fork in in the spring. It will improve the ground, stem the overwinter weeds and keep the ground friable until the spring.

I've hit rabbit accidentally. They seem to run into the path of cars rather than stay put. I passed on after hitting one once, thought better of it , and we had it for tea the next night.

We've stopped feeding because of regular visits by the sparrowhawk, but there's plenty of food in the hedgerows, and as long as we don't start feeding again they won't miss it. Jonboy - we have tree sparrows - no house sparrows! They nest in boxes all round our house. My husband is a keen bird watch...

Moulting? One of mine lost a load last week and looks like nothing on earth now. If she's moulting, she'll get them back in a month or so.

I only started growing sweetcorn about 5 years ago and now I have an 'extended' season of it by growing different types. I couldn't go back to the starchy taste of supermarket sweetcorn! The other thing I would miss is Crown Prince squash which a forum member introduced me to about 4 years ago.

Why not try the lady doctor? You said you felt hormonal. I used to feel as if I had walked into a dark tunnel with no exit at certain points in the month and then a day or so later it would lift. I went to my doctor and talked about it and she talked for ages about whys, wherefores and strategies. I...

I went out this morning to feed the animals and there was a heavy frost on the ground. As the pigs emerged from their ark, steam rose off the roof of the ark, visible in the frosty air.

Johnboy - know that area of Wales so well. We went to Aberystwyth University 40 years ago when the kite was at avery low ebb and only holding out by Devil's Bridge. We walked there to see it and I will never forget the experience of seeing a kite circling just above our heads at tree height. Magical...

Parsnips?

Don't feel awful about thinking of the lamb as roast lamb, Jonboy. I feed my pigs and watch their hams fill out to gauge when they should go to slaughter. At least you know it hasn't been intensively reared and cruelly treated. After tasting my own pork I'd be vegetarian rather than eat supermarket ...

People think they can manage 2 things at once but another driver can tell if somone is on the phone just by their driving. I've followed cars up the motorway and known the driver is on the phone just by the way of their driving.

I found a nest of baby mice in a compost heap once and covered them up again and they ate my courgettes all summer! Needless to say I will dispose of them next time - how, I don't know, because I haven't got the killer instinct. Primrose - what about a differen poison - eradimouse? We keep traps dow...

I will have Berkshire weaners ready in a months time if anyone is interested in raising some. Must have CPH number. I'm on Leics/Rutland border. Also got older pigs going for slaughter in a couple of week's time.

Very busy and exciting. I hardly have time to go to work and am spending many nights pricking out, planting etc. I have 2 electric propagators going with seed - mostly flower; a 'hot' greenhouse which is jammed full and a cool greenhouse with hanging baskets hanging from the beams and tubs on the fl...