Went for a stroll with my loppers yesterday. Cutting the brambles that seem to be growing a foot a week at the moment. There always seems to be some weed problem on our smallholding. If its not rushes its the brambles. The cattle eat the blackberry leaves sometimes. They are supposed to be a fine tonic for them.
The Fuchsia grows wild in West Cork. It's said to originate from Chile. Some say travellers brought it and sold it. Others say the Ice Age brought it. A lot of smallholders have Fuchsia hedges for field boundaries. There are also quite a lot of Gorse ("Furze") hedges. I believe that they used to grow fields of "Furze" for firewood and sell it it the towns and cities.
Domino our resident smallholder ratter and mouser followed me round the boreen. He just watched though and rested now and again. Makes me think of that "Only Fools and Horses" theme song: "Only fools and horses work."
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Brambles are a problem as they grow up everywhere, lovingly e black berries but disliking the bushes.
ReplyDeleteThe brambles seem to be everywhere this year. If it wasn't for the cattle grazing, they would soon take over. I saw two rats eating blackberries in one of my fields last year.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
The brambles seem to be everywhere this year. If it wasn't for the cattle grazing, they would soon take over. I saw two rats eating blackberries in one of my fields last year.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Yes, there's a good crop of brambles here this year, an even better one of hawthorn berries, the hedgerows are red with them. And rose hips, just about right for picking but nobody bothers any more; we used to collect them and weigh them in at the village school, 4d per lb was the reward, handy pocket money in those days, a Milky Way was 3d and a packet of Smiths crisps with a little blue paper twist of salt in was 2d.
ReplyDeletePicked a few lbs of brambles, to make bramble gin and bramble vodka, might pick another lb to try bramble whisky. Only seen 2 other pickers, not many people seem to be bothered with them now, everybody used to be out collecting them to make tarts and bramble jelly. One young lady who needed a few to make up quantity for jam and my No 2 son collecting to make crumbles.
Biggest weed problem now seems to be Japanese knotweed, it's even taking over from the brambles in some places, terribly invasive stuff, almost impossible to eradicate, I've seen it completely choking small streams. seemingly it can be eaten stewed like rhubarb, but I've never fancied trying it.
Lovely summer day here, a touch of ground frost this morning, blue sky, light airs, sunny and hit 20 deg this afternoon. Sitting on the decking with a jug of Smugglers ale, it was that nice.
Domino looking well, he's grown into a very handsome chap.
Raggy cat spending more time outside, just pops in when it's hungry.
Hi Cumbrian, Think Smiths crisps relaunched their plain crisps with the blue bag in the eighties or nineties. I remember when we use to come to Ireland on holiday. My mum and dad would take us in in a pub for a bottle of coke (with a straw) and a packet of cheese and onion 'Tayto' crisps. Happy days.
ReplyDeleteWindberries or Bilberries used to be picked when I lived in Lancashire. They were great when they were made into a windberry and apple pie.
I have a recipe for Japanese(Fallopia Japonica) Knotweed wine. It's in a book called 'Booze for free'. Apparently it cost the British Olympics 70 million to get rid of the weed. Think it was brought over in the 19th century to be an ornamental plant. Rhododendrons were planted on big country estates to give pheasant cover. I adore the Rhodies in flower. But they are very invasive.
Back to the rain here. Hoping to bring cattle in this week to fatten on the Barley.
Doimno is a character. He's a great mouser and he killed a blackbird the other day. Wish he just caught the rodents.
Thanks!
Hi Cumbrian, Think Smiths crisps relaunched their plain crisps with the blue bag in the eighties or nineties. I remember when we use to come to Ireland on holiday. My mum and dad would take us in in a pub for a bottle of coke (with a straw) and a packet of cheese and onion 'Tayto' crisps. Happy days.
ReplyDeleteWindberries or Bilberries used to be picked when I lived in Lancashire. They were great when they were made into a windberry and apple pie.
I have a recipe for Japanese(Fallopia Japonica) Knotweed wine. It's in a book called 'Booze for free'. Apparently it cost the British Olympics 70 million to get rid of the weed. Think it was brought over in the 19th century to be an ornamental plant. Rhododendrons were planted on big country estates to give pheasant cover. I adore the Rhodies in flower. But they are very invasive.
Back to the rain here. Hoping to bring cattle in this week to fatten on the Barley.
Doimno is a character. He's a great mouser and he killed a blackbird the other day. Wish he just caught the rodents.
Thanks!
Hi Cumbrian, Think Smiths crisps relaunched their plain crisps with the blue bag in the eighties or nineties. I remember when we use to come to Ireland on holiday. My mum and dad would take us in in a pub for a bottle of coke (with a straw) and a packet of cheese and onion 'Tayto' crisps. Happy days.
ReplyDeleteWindberries or Bilberries used to be picked when I lived in Lancashire. They were great when they were made into a windberry and apple pie.
I have a recipe for Japanese(Fallopia Japonica) Knotweed wine. It's in a book called 'Booze for free'. Apparently it cost the British Olympics 70 million to get rid of the weed. Think it was brought over in the 19th century to be an ornamental plant. Rhododendrons were planted on big country estates to give pheasant cover. I adore the Rhodies in flower. But they are very invasive.
Back to the rain here. Hoping to bring cattle in this week to fatten on the Barley.
Doimno is a character. He's a great mouser and he killed a blackbird the other day. Wish he just caught the rodents.
Thanks!
Bramble-picking over for the year again, I'm told the devil spits on them on 1 October so they're no longer any good. Also means if people stop picking them there's plenty left for the birds, they don't understand about the devil.
ReplyDeleteWindberries or bilberries not common in West Cumbria, just plenty of brambles.
Didn't know they'd put the salt twist back in crisps, it was fun opening it and shaking the bag of crisps to get them all covered.
Never heard of Japanese knotweed wine, there's any Gods amount of the stuff appearing locally, it takes over really quickly, never saw it until about 3-4 years ago, now it seems to be everywhere there's water and spreading fast, I can't see it ever being eradicated.
I know it's a big problem, mortgages have been refused because of this weed, it can lift concrete and crack buildings.
Had a couple of nice days, still pleasant and dry today but rain been threatened later.
Yeah, I don't like to see the cats killing the birds either, but it's mature, usually Raggy cat fetches sparrows, there's plenty of them. Our resident robin put an appearance in yesterday, haven't seen him for a bit, though we'd lost him, and a lot of the little blue tits in evidence.
Raggy cat spending a bit more time outside now the weather's a bit milder, still waiting every morning for breakfast.
Hi Cumbrian, There are some good videos about Japanese Knotweed on You Tube. Watched a feature about on last Sunday's Country File show. Apparently it was introduced in the UK for ornamental purposes. Fly tipping also spreads the plant. Quite worrying really. Ragwort is another noxious weed. The councils seem to be the worst culprits for leeting it go to seed.
ReplyDeleteHad some very heavy down pours here over the last few days. Fine now though: "Rain before seven, fine by eleven."
Domino waits on the kitchen windowsill for breakfast.
Purchased a Grey Fergie 20 for restoration the other week. What Fergie did you drive?
Ragwort seems to be getting more prevalent as well, I've just about got rid of it from my garden, fortunately it isn't very deep-rooted. But there's a lot in the hedgerows.
ReplyDeleteBeen a lot colder today, North wind as well, rain came about 7:00 pm, luckily No 2 son came and got the back grass cut, it was a bit damp, but managed to get it done before the rain started.
Don't know the specific model, they all seemed to be the same, with the metal seat, starter on the gear stick forward from reverse, and brass button to push in with your right leg to start. Four-speed box with clutch on left foot and brakes on right. PTO at the back and lifting arms. Some had a front lifting fork as well, but not many.
Don't they look so small beside the modern monsters?
Domino seems to be the same as Raggy cat, they soon learn where the trough is.
I believe people used to get prosecuted for noxious weeds growing on their land. County councils seem to be the worst culprits for not pulling the Ragwort. Don't see much Rose Bay Willow Herb weeds in Ireland. They always seemed to grow besides railway lines. I believe these also used to be grown for ornamental purposes.
ReplyDeleteAnother night of heavy rain and wind. Cattle are coming in tonight for the winter. Will try to let them in the fields on nice days.
Harry Ferguson is another one of my farming heroes. He revolutionized farming with his grey Fergie and his 3 point system.
Our 20 is the same model that you describe. The engine number is 1954. They do look so tiny next to the modern monsters. Even my Ford's are uncomplicated and so easy to get parts. That's why so many of these old ladies are being exported to the the developing world. Micro-chip technology are not important and life seemed far less complicated when they made the old tractors. They are especially keen on the 4 cylinder models like the Ford 5000. They are also not plagued with rust like us.
Said it before. There should be a tractor, allotment and farming channel on the television. Every week they would go round and visit a smallholding and interview some one with their little tractor.
Terrier prefers cat food instead of dog food these days. Domino isn't happy about that.
Thanks!
I believe people used to get prosecuted for noxious weeds growing on their land. County councils seem to be the worst culprits for not pulling the Ragwort. Don't see much Rose Bay Willow Herb weeds in Ireland. They always seemed to grow besides railway lines. I believe these also used to be grown for ornamental purposes.
ReplyDeleteAnother night of heavy rain and wind. Cattle are coming in tonight for the winter. Will try to let them in the fields on nice days.
Harry Ferguson is another one of my farming heroes. He revolutionized farming with his grey Fergie and his 3 point system.
Our 20 is the same model that you describe. The engine number is 1954. They do look so tiny next to the modern monsters. Even my Ford's are uncomplicated and so easy to get parts. That's why so many of these old ladies are being exported to the the developing world. Micro-chip technology are not important and life seemed far less complicated when they made the old tractors. They are especially keen on the 4 cylinder models like the Ford 5000. They are also not plagued with rust like us.
Said it before. There should be a tractor, allotment and farming channel on the television. Every week they would go round and visit a smallholding and interview some one with their little tractor.
Terrier prefers cat food instead of dog food these days. Domino isn't happy about that.
Thanks!
๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ/ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ / ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ซ. Kham. ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฌ. ๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐จ๐ง-๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ. Kham ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐-๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ข ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ. Kham ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐ข ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฒ! ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ, ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ (UPS ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐)๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ! ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐! ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ! ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ข ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐! ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐จ๐ง dr.khamcaregiver@๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ฅ.๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ๐ฌ-๐๐ฉ๐ฉ +๐๐๐8159922297 ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก him on his website: drkhamherbalhealingcenter.wordpress.com/
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