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Without meaning to look a bit silly... I am 90% sure I have elderflowers in part of my hedge, but I am sure I heard something a while back that they can be easily mistaken for a similar flower. Is there anyway of knowing for sure??? Apologies for a silly question but I would really like to give Eld...

Without meaning to look a bit silly... I am 90% sure I have elderflowers in part of my hedge, but I am sure I heard something a while back that they can be easily mistaken for a similar flower. Is there anyway of knowing for sure??? Apologies for a silly question but I would really like to give Elde...

If they don't leave my crops alone, I will be harvesting extremely fat organically fed pigeons......

Now off to google recipes!!

I was going to say that the veg never lets you down, but it does on occasion!! That being said It is all worth it when you uncover a surprise crop that you thought wasn't going anywhere. I'm also with you on the polytunnel idea!! albeit I would be careful about the *running around in an excited mann...

Having just scrolled through the reams of responses I can't believe I haven't seen home made scotched eggs. I often make a batch of six (requires 7 eggs) as you need one to make the coating "stick" ! - I have used duck eggs, tiny silky eggs and added all sorts to the meat covering to "...

Thanks all, for your guidance, as soon as the rain stops I will set to making a suitable enclosure and will probably go for covering it over with an old horse rug as per the rabbits hutch. I will worry about the dispatching in a years time! I have done a couple of chickens and as much as I dislike i...

Thanks Durgan,

Most useful, I will aim to give it a try this year!

Thanks, both for your replies, I am looking at building some form of hutch / run / housing. Due to where I live a 6' by 6' shed would probably not be allowed! - Interesting to hear that a converted rabbit hutch is doing the job. Do you cover the house / run at all in the winter. We usually place a l...

We currently keep 8 chickens and 3 runner ducks (Hamilton, Button and Senna), I would love to get some Quails (for eggs), but know very little about them, my biggest concern being what I have read so far about them needing to be kept inside during the winter (I live in Oxfordshire,UK). My shed (conv...

I live down the road from Hook Norton Brewery, they do a fantastic beer called "twelve days", More importantly I spotted Banana beer in Sainsburys the other day (can't remember the make / brewer), despite sounding both random and rank, it actually tasted rather good - Is there any other se...

What is the "recipe" for your "home made potting mix", I have mastered making home made compost in a decent sized "wooden pallet" construction consisting of three bays and have access to a large pile of well rotted (2 or 3 year old) horse muck pile that I have sitting a...

I am not convinced that it can be calculated with any degree of accuracy. I believe it has to be an organic process ( If you will excuse the pun ! ). Which will gradually work itself out, baring in mind you need to factor in gluts of crops, successional sowing, intercropping, reuse of the same space...

What was the name of the book "Green Pea" ? - I didn't think much to the indoor heirloom bit at Ryton - Although it was okay for kids? - The gardens were good though and they have a decent size shop and stock of veg seed - but poor selection of plants when we visited, was also good to see ...

The two things I was going to recommend have already been suggested - Gardenorganic (which is the HDRA website) I think they produce a newsletter but I can't find any book recommendations on their site - I can recommend going to their gardens in Ryton though, have been meaning to sign up for their m...

Don't worry you won't have lovely re-turfed grass for long !!

Chickens are highly addictive and worth it though :)