Here at Smallholding Tips we never turn down the opportunity of a free meal yesterday Sharon called me and said there was a rabbit on the back lawn. I grabbed my .22 air rifle loaded it up and went outside. Unfortunately the rabbit was to far away so I had to get closer, so after crawling along on my belly at the edge of the pond the rabbit was in sight.
I should point out that when shooting a rabbit with an air rifle you should always aim for a head shot as hitting it anywhere else is unlikely to kill it outright and the chances are it will run off and die a long slow death, it will also deprive you of a meal as you probably wont catch it if it runs off.
You are much more likely to kill it or stop it in its tracks with a shot to the head. I have a telescopic sight which is zeroed in and very accurate.
Anyhow after getting in position I took aim, fired and the rabbit fell over and was just twitching a little I ran up and just to be sure I jerked the head back and broke its neck.
I went up to the house and after skinning & gutting it was passed over to Sharon for the next stage, OUR EVENING MEAL.
Here is a Recipe for Rabbit With Sorrel Sauce
1 Rabbit, Milk, Flour, Salt & Pepper, Butter or Oil for frying, 2 Handfuls of Sorrel, 14 gms Butter
1 Tablespoon of Flour, 3dl Milk.
Joint the rabbit and soak in the milk for 30 mins. Drain and pat dry.
Coat the joints in seasoned flour and cook in butter or oil for about 20 mins over a medium heat untill they are tender.
Wash the sorrel and remove any tough stalks. Chop the leaves finely.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sorrel and cook over a low heat for about 3 mins.
Mix in the flour and gradually blend in the milk. Stir continuously over a medium heat until the sauce comes to the boil and is thick and smooth.
Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of mace (optional).
Serve the rabbit with the sorrel sauce poured over it and accompanied by roast wild parsnips and wild green vegetables or leaf salad with chopped nuts. Pickled broom or gorse buds (in season) also go well with this dish.
As usual Sharon surpassed herself and the rabbit was wonderful
Thursday 28 August 2008
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Everything Back To Normal
Well for the past couple of weeks my son, his girlfriend and my 2 grandchildren Brandon & Brooke have been staying with us, They live on an estate in Southampton so they really love it here. Brandon is 4 and Brooke is 3. Brandon has recently been diagnosed with autism so he can be quite a handful but after 2 weeks here on the Smallholding I think he has been a lot happier, it has also given mum & dad a bit of a break.
Sharon has particularly enjoyed having them here as it meant she had 3 extra helpers at feeding time, their mum Rae helped with some of the heavier work while Brooke took great delight in filling up the chickens drinkers with fresh water.
Our 2 young Pygmy Goats were a bit wary of the kids but sort of accepted them eventually. The children particularly liked the pigs and liked to wander round the paddock trying to stroke them although the pigs were having none of it.
Another reason people like to stay is Sharons home cooking particularly her roast dinners.
We like to cook our own produce and with our own pork & lamb in the freezer plus we grow all our own vegetables it means we all eat a good healthy diet & know where it all comes from.
Im sure my son, Rae & the kids all went back looking better than when they came.
Everything is now back to normal and the whole place seems very quiet.
Sharon has now produced a list of jobs that require my attention so I will have to get stuck in or there will be hell to pay.
Sharon has particularly enjoyed having them here as it meant she had 3 extra helpers at feeding time, their mum Rae helped with some of the heavier work while Brooke took great delight in filling up the chickens drinkers with fresh water.
Our 2 young Pygmy Goats were a bit wary of the kids but sort of accepted them eventually. The children particularly liked the pigs and liked to wander round the paddock trying to stroke them although the pigs were having none of it.
Another reason people like to stay is Sharons home cooking particularly her roast dinners.
We like to cook our own produce and with our own pork & lamb in the freezer plus we grow all our own vegetables it means we all eat a good healthy diet & know where it all comes from.
Im sure my son, Rae & the kids all went back looking better than when they came.
Everything is now back to normal and the whole place seems very quiet.
Sharon has now produced a list of jobs that require my attention so I will have to get stuck in or there will be hell to pay.
Monday 11 August 2008
More Ramblings and a Tip
Ive had a few days off from posting as to be honest nothing very exciting has happened on the Smallholding lately.
Sharon has now sold all of her chicks that she has bread this year, a chap came to pick up the last 2 Silver Grey dorkings yesterday, he was trying to get her to sell some of her Lincolnshire Buff chicks but Sharon was having none of it.
We have so much Veg at the moment that we almost dont know what to do with it all, as there is only so much that 2 people can eat and our freezer can only hold so much, as it happens one of my sons Craig is visiting for a few weeks and he has the appitite of a horse even so we decided to put a sign out front saying Veg For Sale and have been pleasantly surprised at the amount we have sold. Sharon has had several trips up the polytunnel to keep customers happy.
The pigs continue to grow and have very nearly cleared the paddock for me it should make quite a nice winter vegetable garden. I do love all my animals but I think the pigs are my favorites, they are just so full of life and are great characters. We are currently having a rest from breeding pigs as we are resting the ground for 2 years.
The Pygmy Goats Willy & Milly are doing well but I did notice last week that they each had an infected ear around their ear tags. So I held them in turn each day while Sharon bathed the infected area with salt water, afterwards the infected ear was sprayed with iodene. I can happily report that both ears have now virtually healed up.
I am just soting out some permenant evening quarters for the Geese, who are both doing well & will post some pics when Ive finished.
To finish with here is a little tip for you. when you are out on the Smallholding doing some task or other it is very easy to lose track of time, and your lunch or dinner can easily get spoiled so to prevent this we have got an old dinner bell which Sharon rings when a meal or cup of tea is ready, it can clearly be heard and I can down tools and go up to the house for refreshment.
Sharon has now sold all of her chicks that she has bread this year, a chap came to pick up the last 2 Silver Grey dorkings yesterday, he was trying to get her to sell some of her Lincolnshire Buff chicks but Sharon was having none of it.
We have so much Veg at the moment that we almost dont know what to do with it all, as there is only so much that 2 people can eat and our freezer can only hold so much, as it happens one of my sons Craig is visiting for a few weeks and he has the appitite of a horse even so we decided to put a sign out front saying Veg For Sale and have been pleasantly surprised at the amount we have sold. Sharon has had several trips up the polytunnel to keep customers happy.
The pigs continue to grow and have very nearly cleared the paddock for me it should make quite a nice winter vegetable garden. I do love all my animals but I think the pigs are my favorites, they are just so full of life and are great characters. We are currently having a rest from breeding pigs as we are resting the ground for 2 years.
The Pygmy Goats Willy & Milly are doing well but I did notice last week that they each had an infected ear around their ear tags. So I held them in turn each day while Sharon bathed the infected area with salt water, afterwards the infected ear was sprayed with iodene. I can happily report that both ears have now virtually healed up.
I am just soting out some permenant evening quarters for the Geese, who are both doing well & will post some pics when Ive finished.
To finish with here is a little tip for you. when you are out on the Smallholding doing some task or other it is very easy to lose track of time, and your lunch or dinner can easily get spoiled so to prevent this we have got an old dinner bell which Sharon rings when a meal or cup of tea is ready, it can clearly be heard and I can down tools and go up to the house for refreshment.
Thursday 7 August 2008
Smallholding Tips with Vegetables
Here are a few tips on some general aspects of vegetables.
Storing Grains & Beans
To kill any insects or eggs that might be present in stored dried grains or beans, spread the grains or beans in a thin layer on a baking sheet and heat them for 60 mins in a 140-160 degF oven. Or freeze at O degF for for days.
Natural Sweetning for Tomato Sauce
If the tomato Sauce you are making isnt sweet enogh, dont add sugar. Instead, grate in some carrots, they work wonders.
Keeping Lettuce Longer
Moisten a clean kitchen towel, then wrap it round the head of the lettuce. Then place the wrapped lettuce in an open plastic bag and store in the fridge. The lettuce should keep well for up to ten days. (dont seal the bag, allow air to circulate). OR
Remove any bad outer leaves and close the lettuce in a clean plastic bag with a wire twist. The natural moisture in the lettuce will keep it fresh, as long as there are no holes in the bag.
Storing Half an Onion
If you only need half an onion, slice the top or sprout end, and store the root end. The root end will keep much longer in the fridge.
Storing Grains & Beans
To kill any insects or eggs that might be present in stored dried grains or beans, spread the grains or beans in a thin layer on a baking sheet and heat them for 60 mins in a 140-160 degF oven. Or freeze at O degF for for days.
Natural Sweetning for Tomato Sauce
If the tomato Sauce you are making isnt sweet enogh, dont add sugar. Instead, grate in some carrots, they work wonders.
Keeping Lettuce Longer
Moisten a clean kitchen towel, then wrap it round the head of the lettuce. Then place the wrapped lettuce in an open plastic bag and store in the fridge. The lettuce should keep well for up to ten days. (dont seal the bag, allow air to circulate). OR
Remove any bad outer leaves and close the lettuce in a clean plastic bag with a wire twist. The natural moisture in the lettuce will keep it fresh, as long as there are no holes in the bag.
Storing Half an Onion
If you only need half an onion, slice the top or sprout end, and store the root end. The root end will keep much longer in the fridge.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Recycling "The Ducks Are Happy"
View of the New Des Res for the Ducks and Rabbit
The Ducklings are now DucksHere at Smallholding Tips we are firm believers in recycling, we have the normal council recycling bin which gets put to good use,but as part of my day job I get to clear out houses it is quite interesting as you never know what you are going to find and some of the finds get put to good use on our Smallholding and some of the better things get sold and the proceeds go towards our rainy day fund.
A few days ago I was clearing out a house and garden and at the bottom of the garden was an old fibreglass fishpond which had three holes but I thought I might be able to do something with it. I put it in the van with the other bits and pieces and off to the farm.
Today the Ducks were the lucky recipients of our latest bit of recycling. My son who is staying for a few days set about fixing the holes with a fibreglass repair kit and I set about repairing and installing a gate to the little paddock, I also had to put chicken wire around the bottom of the fence to keep Scaty the Rabbit from escaping.
The pond was then installed and a few old stones put round the edge, we then had to build a ramp so the Ducks could get in the pond and up to their hut. Then Scatys hut was put in. The pond was filled up and did not appear to leak so fingers crossed.
The Ducks and Rabbit were then put in and seemed to revel with the new luxury accomodation. We were very pleased and satisfied another piece of recycling had been done.
Im just off to lock them up so Im probably in for a few fun and games
Friday 1 August 2008
Watch Out Swallows About
On our Smallholding one of my favorite ways to unwind on a nice summers evening is to sit outside with a beer and a fag and watch all the Swallows flying around the sky.
To night is such a night and I am sat outside with my beer and gazing skywards at all the Swallows darting around catching flys and twisting around in all directions. It is impossible to count them as they just move to fast, but I would guess at around 40-50 it has been a good year for them and so far we have had hatchings in our coal shed, the old pig pens (our smallholding was a commercial pig farm years ago) also hatchings in our big agriculture shed, and our garage.
During the breeding season we leave the doors open for the swallows and you have to be careful when entering the buildings as a swallows swoop in and out just missing you.
I am really fond of the swallows they are great little characters, when not flying around they can be seen perched around our courtyard chattering away to themselves. The swallows are always here first and when they arrive we class it as the official start to summer and when they have gone we say summer is over.
At the Smallholding we also have 4-5 House Martin nests these birds arrive later than the swallows and the young ones are later in leaving the nest, house martins do tend to make a bit of a mess but we just accept it as part of life here and have a good clean up when they have gone.
Wow as Im sat here a Barn Owl has just flown over the field that backs onto our land it is a truly magnificant bird and is a frequent visitor because the grass is always long and a great place for mice and voles which are the owls staple diet.
So far this year on my Bird Table we have had sparrows,blackbirds,thrushes, chaffinches, bullfinches, goldfinches, the usual crows, jackdaws,starlings, also greenfinches, moorhens, pheasants, blue tits,great tits, long tailed tits,yellow hammers, pied wagtail and a few others I dont know the name of.
We have a resident Moorhen popuation on the Smallholding on our 2 ponds during the breeding season there can be up to 25 of them all raiding the chicken feeders the duck food and of course the bird table. To help the Moorhens this year I have let the ponds vegetation and reeds grow unchecked and Im sure this has helped. We use to have Water Voles on one of the ponds and I am trying to encourage the return of them.
Well I must go in now as I feel the need for another beer, Sharons at work till 10 oclock so while the cats away as they say.
To night is such a night and I am sat outside with my beer and gazing skywards at all the Swallows darting around catching flys and twisting around in all directions. It is impossible to count them as they just move to fast, but I would guess at around 40-50 it has been a good year for them and so far we have had hatchings in our coal shed, the old pig pens (our smallholding was a commercial pig farm years ago) also hatchings in our big agriculture shed, and our garage.
During the breeding season we leave the doors open for the swallows and you have to be careful when entering the buildings as a swallows swoop in and out just missing you.
I am really fond of the swallows they are great little characters, when not flying around they can be seen perched around our courtyard chattering away to themselves. The swallows are always here first and when they arrive we class it as the official start to summer and when they have gone we say summer is over.
At the Smallholding we also have 4-5 House Martin nests these birds arrive later than the swallows and the young ones are later in leaving the nest, house martins do tend to make a bit of a mess but we just accept it as part of life here and have a good clean up when they have gone.
Wow as Im sat here a Barn Owl has just flown over the field that backs onto our land it is a truly magnificant bird and is a frequent visitor because the grass is always long and a great place for mice and voles which are the owls staple diet.
So far this year on my Bird Table we have had sparrows,blackbirds,thrushes, chaffinches, bullfinches, goldfinches, the usual crows, jackdaws,starlings, also greenfinches, moorhens, pheasants, blue tits,great tits, long tailed tits,yellow hammers, pied wagtail and a few others I dont know the name of.
We have a resident Moorhen popuation on the Smallholding on our 2 ponds during the breeding season there can be up to 25 of them all raiding the chicken feeders the duck food and of course the bird table. To help the Moorhens this year I have let the ponds vegetation and reeds grow unchecked and Im sure this has helped. We use to have Water Voles on one of the ponds and I am trying to encourage the return of them.
Well I must go in now as I feel the need for another beer, Sharons at work till 10 oclock so while the cats away as they say.
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