The issue of wood

Wood is an important issue for Featherdown Farms.  We supply it to campers to burn in their stove... lovely warm hot stove = happy campers!

Featherdown has changed the wood system this year to give campers a quota of wood per night, so we have been tasked with finding a new system which doesn't involve us chaining up the wood shed... not very friendly!

So at the moment we're testing a new type of hard wood chip which is easily to light, negates the need for kindling and, best of all for all our backs, comes in nets which are the perfect apple box size for each of the tents.

The importance of fencing

Sunday evening saw a stampede of 60 sheep hurtle across the veg plot and lawn as I watched helpless from my bathtub.  Luckily sheep are, well sheepish, and Dave soon rounded them up and got them safely back in the front field.

The sheep had trampled my newly sown seed beds so peas and beans all need to be resown, and they'd nibbled the ends of the garlic, though I don't know if that will check their growth.

Last night I was cooking the children's supper when a was alerted to the fact that Barclay, the naughtiest goat in Berridon, was in the pond.  Or 'the lagoon' as Eddie calls it, he really has delusions of grandeur that boy.

Barclay's problem is that he really does just love to be with people.  When Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer were here filming their new holiday programme Barclay, apparently, went into their tent and stole their biscuits.

I guess that makes good television... but some campers may not find it so charming...

Anyway, livestock running wild is too farcical which is why anyone embarking on this style of country life really must understand the importance of fencing at the right height (our goats can leap over their paddock fence in one great boing) and of children knowing how to close gates properly.  Hands up who left the sheep gate open on Sunday night...

Today's pic shows my delphiniums which I usually cosset with all manner of slug repellents, but this past week they've just appeared and without even a copper ring forcefield are shooting up.  I do love spring in the garden.

Sunny daze

These spring days are the perfect weather to get the tents ready for our first visitors at Easter.  The tents are up and a weekend of frenzied mopping and scrubbing, opening up the sides to let the breeze and sunshine dry the wooden floors, has left them looking very inviting.

This year to make sure that children, and parents, can relax as much as possible around the tents we've built a new pig paddock so children can get up close and personal to the pigs without having to traipse up to the farmyard and clamour over hurdles and cattle crushes to get to our 'top field' pig paddock.  The goats Barclay and Bertie are right next door.

Last year the dreaded fox killed all our chickens which live in the camping field, so this year we've created a hen camp for them to be kept nice and safe.  Plus we offer a personal hen hutch for hire right by the tent for anyone who feels they'd like to be a hen keeper for a few days.

So back to the sunshine.  The pic shows the view from tent three, not a bad view I'd say, especially when the sun is out!

Jobs to do when it's windy

Am sitting on the sofa looking out at the garden being battered by the wind.  Am sat here wondering what jobs I could do that won't a) make me cold, b) make my hands freeze, c) make my hair whip around and slap me in the face.  I do hate that.

But, sitting here wondering will not get the jobs done, so am going to just do it.  Taking my new digital radio to the greenhouse with me, and I'll sit and think about it from there.  Well at least I'll be 'in' the garden.  Am sure that counts.

Job no.21 - turning compost

Yesterday saw ONE job ticked off the list.  I better get a move on as although one job was ticked off, somehow three more got added!  How did that happen?

1. Find some slate for new signs
2. Paint new sign for parking
3. Paint new sign for bridge
4. Lay down gravel for drainage outside tents
5. Speak to the pigman about booking a couple of new weaners for April
6. Call NFU about campsite insurance policy
7. Rewrite welcome pack
8. Get new welcome pack printed
9. Stock take in pantry
10. Chase order of new items for tents
11. Find out when new duvets and pillows arriving
12. Hot tub order!
13. Buy stew pot
14. Design new postcards
15. Weed!
16. Print new postcards
17. Fix FTP problem and update website
18. Book Jonny for maintenance
19. Speak to Holly re gardening!
20. order seeds
21. Turn compost
22. Clean out greenhouses
23. Oil stoves
24. Stock take of candles
25. Count linen and clean linen shelves
26. Scrub tent floors
27. Weed!
28. Book Elspeth for tent deep cleaning session
29. Paint new blackboards
30. Order sugar mice for children's welcome packs
31. Order new DVD player
32. Draw up treehouse design
33. Order in wood for treehouse
34. buy new henhouse for private chicken coop hire
35. Speak to chicken lady about POL hens for April
36. Steam clean chicken house
37. Look into solar fairy lights for big oak trees
38. Check ropes on tyre swings in camping field
39. look into Caravan of Love mini shop for field
40. Order mini ice-creams ffrom local farm for farm shop
41. Clean out pond
42. Ducks!
43. Create new paddock in camping field
44. Mend Bertie and Barclay's goathouse
45. Stock take of kids art supplies in shop
46. Sow early seeds
47. Weed!
48. Order gravel for veg plot paths
49. Send email out to last year's guests
50. Restock shop
51. Check surf school for prices for new season
52. Buy chalk
53. Check bookings
54. Fix Derek my mini quad
55. Sow sweetpeas for tent flowers
56. Fix latch on gate
57. New sign on farm gate
58. New flouro tape on tent fire exits
59. Bleach recycling boxes
60. Order green cones for food composting for tents
61. Move climbing frame
62. New fencing at top back field
63. Make tent five 'the special one'!
64. Fix hammock hooks on trees behind tent five
65. look into plumbing in copper cold water shower for tent five
66. Bleach all mugs and tea pots
67. Order in eco washing up liquid, floor cleaner and bleach
68. Replace all mop and broom heads
69. Replace all kitchen sponges
70. Order in toilet and kitchen roll
71. Look into solar lights for tent loos - do people want these?
72. Paint new nature walk signs
73. Order lollies for nature walk prizes
74. New farm boundary illustration
75. Ask re coppicing land across the river
76. Check re wood situation - still not sure what's happening!
77. Buy new cold water bottles for cool boxes
78. Clean bird hotel and wash out all feeders
79. Would campers like bird feeders outside their tent?  See what Dave thinks and if so order some
80. Check doormats and mud mats and replace if necessary
81. Check sewage treatment plant
82. Speak to office re glass candle holders
83. 
    

The first items on the 'to do' list

The camp site opening will be here before I know it so have started to draw up the list of death, I mean the very important list of very important things that really must be done.

It's a beautiful sunny day so I must complete this list and then get back out there.  I'll try and update once a week crossing off those things completed...

1. Find some slate for new signs
2. Paint new sign for parking
3. Paint new sign for bridge
4. Lay down gravel for drainage outside tents
5. Speak to the pigman about booking a couple of new weaners for April
6. Call NFU about campsite insurance policy
7. Rewrite welcome pack
8. Get new welcome pack printed
9. Stock take in pantry
10. Chase order of new items for tents
11. Find out when new duvets and pillows arriving
12. Hot tub order!
13. Buy stew pot
14. Design new postcards
15. Weed!
16. Print new postcards
17. Fix FTP problem and update website
18. Book Jonny for maintenance
19. Speak to Holly re gardening!
20. order seeds
21. Turn compost
22. Clean out greenhouses
23. Oil stoves
24. Stock take of candles
25. Count linen and clean linen shelves
26. Scrub tent floors
27. Weed!
28. Book Elspeth for tent deep cleaning session
29. Paint new blackboards
30. Order sugar mice for children's welcome packs
31. Order new DVD player
32. Draw up treehouse design
33. Order in wood for treehouse
34. buy new henhouse for private chicken coop hire
35. Speak to chicken lady about POL hens for April
36. Steam clean chicken house
37. Look into solar fairy lights for big oak trees
38. Check ropes on tyre swings in camping field
39. look into Caravan of Love mini shop for field
40. Order mini ice-creams ffrom local farm for farm shop
41. Clean out pond
42. Ducks!
43. Create new paddock in camping field
44. Mend Bertie and Barclay's goathouse
45. Stock take of kids art supplies in shop
46. Sow early seeds
47. Weed!
48. Order gravel for veg plot paths
49. Send email out to last year's guests
50. Restock shop
51. Check surf school for prices for new season
52. Buy chalk
53. Check bookings
54. Fix Derek my mini quad
55. Sow sweetpeas for tent flowers
56. Fix latch on gate
57. New sign on farm gate
58. New flouro tape on tent fire exits
59. Bleach recycling boxes
60. Order green cones for food composting for tents
61. Move climbing frame
62. New fencing at top back field
63. Make tent five 'the special one'!
64. Fix hammock hooks on trees behind tent five
65. look into plumbing in copper cold water shower for tent five
66. Bleach all mugs and tea pots
67. Order in eco washing up liquid, floor cleaner and bleach
68. Replace all mop and broom heads
69. Replace all kitchen sponges
70. Order in toilet and kitchen roll
71. Look into solar lights for tent loos - do people want these?
72. Paint new nature walk signs
73. Order lollies for nature walk prizes
74. New farm boundary illustration
75. Ask re coppicing land across the river
76. Check re wood situation - still not sure what's happening!
77. Buy new cold water bottles for cool boxes
78. Clean bird hotel and wash out all feeders
79. Would campers like bird feeders outside their tent?  See what Dave thinks and if so order some
80. Check doormats and mud mats and replace if necessary
81. finish this list!

111 days to go

Only 111 days until we open the campsite for summer.  One of my resolutions this new year, there have been many, is to keep this blog up to date with an image for everyday as we progress to the opening.

Ok today's image wasn't taken today but was snapped from my bathroom window during the great housebound days of December.  Usually I would have been throwing soap from the window shouting at them for nibbling my shrubs but I felt kind and let them have a small frosty meal.

Tonight my plan is to draw up the list of everything that needs doing in the next 111 days.  One job a day should be do'able to make this the best camping season yet?  Let's see...