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!