the_good

Monday, September 11, 2006

More Jam

Well the extra elderberries have now all been washed, boiled and some are soaking in Sugar ready to make some more Jam, Elderberry this time.

Having purchased a wine making kit, aswell as yeast etc from Wilkinsons, we then discovered a bumper crop of Elderberries, and so it was all hands on deck to pick Elderberries.

We didn't have a clue as to how many we needed so we guessed at 2 carrier bags full, and picked 3 bags full for good measure, we actually only needed about half a bag full. Never mind i can freeze the rest, and the ducks have had some.

Wine Making

We decided sometime ago that Wine making was a must, so we decided to visit our local Home Brew shop in Wakefield, M & D Homebrew Supplies http://www.test.gowyld.com/, to buy some supplies.

We got our Demi-Johns, syphon, bungs and all sorts, but still ended up in Wilkinsons across the road. Sometimes local busisness are really hard to support.

Pennine group vintage tractor rally

Sunday was the annual tractor rally and ploughing match, at Elmsall Lodge farm, Badsworth.

Loads of Tractors, lots of ploughing with vintage and classic tractors.

Oh and of course MG's for Jamie to drawl over.

BBQ

So with Susans Sausages fresh from Penistone show, a bbq was called for.

Did I mention that her Sausages were Ostrich and Apple, an acquired taste I feel.

During the bbq, the bantams were allowed to roam the back garden, much to the cats disgust.

Penistone Show

Saturday 9th September was the Penistone Show, and what a show. As we came over the hill from Barnsley at Hoylandswaine, we could see the show in all its glory on the other side of the valley.

We eventually got there after a slow crawl through Penistone, parked in the special 4x4 car park (rather sloppy field) and entered the show.

The kids loved the Pigs, and the goats, Henry found one that kept kissing him. Rosie loved the Alpacas, but have to admit I thought they were rather boring, no real personality, you see.

The cattle and sheep great. And the poultry show amazingly noisey. And the Pigeons, well they don't do much for me. The kids were fascinated by the eggs in the show.

Have to say I loved one of the exhibits in the Tractors section, not sure how much it could pull though.

The sheep show, that we have all heard so much about from Rosie was great, that man really

knows how to work an audience. Dancing sheep, they have to be seen to be believed, and it was educational too. http://www.thesheepshow.co.uk/index.html

The whole day was great, slightly odd was tha Jamie and Susan were given money and can you believe they actually brought Sausages for Tea.

Rosie also fell in love with the chicks in the NFU tent, had to frisk her before she left, just in case one had sneaked into her clothing.

First Apoligies

Again sorry for not posting for a week, had a really hectic one, mainly due to the older ones all being back at school now.

Also the house is now on the market so spent alot of time getting ready for viewers, our first came Friday evening. Time wasters I fear.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Jemima is now Donald

You may rememeber the first ducks we adopted where a trio of Runner Ducks, named Jemima, Dive Bomber and Molly.

Well having watched Jemima recently with one of the new Runner ducks Blondie (the other being Brandy), it has become apparent that the breeder may have got their sexes wrong. So now we have Dive Bomber, Donald, Molly and of course Blondie and Brandy.

Selby Livestock Auction

Well Saturday we took the kids for their first Livestock Auction experience, and I think I can safely say they were slightly overwelmed.

They really loved the Fur and Feather section, but were a little upset that we didn't buy anything. We forgot to take the animal carrier with us.

They were slightly benused by the Misc section of the auction, especially the slight odd lots like old feed sacks, buckets of bottles old half used paintstripper & tins of paints, and then the really odd broken go kart.