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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…
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Log Trailer Arrives
Our long awaited low ground pressure log trailer has finally arrived! For use behind a compact tractor or ATV it should be just the job for extracting logs and brash without making a mess.
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Log rings for table displays
Just a few log rings now cut and drying out in advance of the wedding season so that we have a few in stock and ready. Sizes range from 6″ to 14″ in a variety of species. Stock is very limited so please do not leave it until the last minute if you have specific…
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Hazel wood chunks for smoking food
Any Hazel wood we remove from our coppice that cannot be used for walking stick shanks or other woodland crafts gets cut up into ‘Wood Chunks‘ which get used in smokers and BBQ’s for flavouring meats, fish and cheeses. All our hazel is coppiced with a hand saw so has not been contaminated with chainsaw oil. It…
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Clearing the brash from the pond
In between dodging the heavy showers, we have had a few hours armed with a billhook and some loppers to begin clearing the felled overhanging branches and brash from the pond. It is slow work and hard graft plodding through the mud to get at the fallen willow branches and even harder work dragging them…