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Cutting Silver Birch Display Logs
The dreadful weather this morning put paid to any outside jobs which was bad news for the pumpkins but good news for one of our local florists. She has been patiently waiting for a selection of premium Silver Birch ‘display’ logs to use in wedding features and flower arrangements. I’ve cut many more than she…
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Beech Logs and Chunks back in stock
It has been a while but beech is back in stock. Some will end up being sold amongst the mixed hardwood firewood but the bulk of this tree will be used for serving boards & platters, logs and heartwood wood chunks for smoking food and walking stick handles. The bulk of the branches have been…
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Polytunnel Update – End July
A quick update from the polytunnels: Giant Pumpkins Over the last few weeks the main vines have achieved the most desirable length for the production of a giant pumpkin and the selected female flowers cross pollinated with it’s carefully chosen suitor. A couple of pumpkins have now set and are definitely on their way to…
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Green Beans and BBQ Greens
The haul from the polytunnel this morning…. The green beans and chuckie eggs will be lovely with a nice piece of gammon this evening and the Lemongrass, Rosemary, Parsley, Rocket, Jalapeno peppers, Garlic and Cucumbers will go towards a big BBQ tomorrow. We do like fresh produce and it can’t get any fresher than this!…
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Oklahoma Joe’s Offset Smoker
Like many other things I have been meaning to build an offset smoker for so long, have collected many bits and bobs in readiness but never got around to it. When I saw ASDA selling of the highly reccomended Oklahoma Joe for the price of a cheap tin replica I jumped at the chance. It…
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Event Props: Achtung Minen Sign
A request for a wooden Achtung Minen sign for use as a prop at an event is not an every day request but I have learnt it never to be wise to be asking too many questions. Whilst waiting for it to be collected it has been pressed into active service sending a not so…
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Preparing Oak and Rosemary
Not a chore I particularly like as I am not a big fan of having my fingers so close to a bandsaw blade but it has to be done; preparing heartwood wood chunks. The oak is first cut into rings on the bandsaw and then chopped into pieces using an axe. The pieces are then…
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Wood smoking revelations
We have a new Customer. Stuart from Southport is a new customer. Stuart has specific requirements for his 10 hour smoked brisket and he came to see if we could meet his needs. The answer is of course ‘yes’ but that isn’t what prompts this post. Talking to Stuart made me realise that I don’t…
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6m x 3m ebay Polytunnel
We needed some temporary storage for keeping the elements off some small farm implements and thought a domestic polytunnel would fit the bill and, if it lasts long enough, could be reused for ‘kiln’ drying wood when the storage problems get resolved. I also had wondered if such a thing would be any good for…
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Hydroponic Trials Update
Celeriac Celeriac being a moisture loving plant that needs fertile, moisture retentive soil I thought it might perform well hydroponically. Our celeriac was grown from seed (rather than the recommended plugs) in 8cm pots. When roots were showing, the pots were then placed in a small NFT system. These have overwintered in a small greenhouse without…