Remaining flexible......

[Thurston Garden]

Following from my post on 3M's onion question, I need to vent my spleen on the damned weather!

Our field is heavy heavy clay which has been water logged for about 5 weeks now. I think in that period there has only been 2 days where water has not been lying on the surface in pools My early tatties should have been ready to dig 2 weeks ago, but they have not even started to flower... in fact all the tattie shaws are only about 12-18 inches high. I doubt if they will need to be drilled up at this rate.

I have had to resign myself to the fact that there will be few veggies to sell. In fact I re-jigged my planting plan for inside the tunnel and am now planting outdoor stuff inside (leeks, turnips & cabbages!).

The intention was always to be self sufficient in veg and meat, buying only flour, milk, sugar etc. Veg would also be grown to bring in money required so Stephen could pack in his job too.

Fortunately, I have been asked to do more surveying consultancy by my old boss (who now has her own practice) and a few days here and there for another small firm. This will actually bring in more money than the veg was ever designed to do.

When I announced to people at my old work, contractors etc asked if I could not do veg and surveying part time. I discounted the possibility as I was frequently dealing with calls at home at 7:00 in the morning, late at night and at weekends . It's funny how things turn out though - part time is exactly what's happened although I am self employed as a consultant so there's no early/late calls. In June I did 2 days a week, and it's to be the same next month - I just need to be careful that I don't get greedy with the money and end up having to buy a suit to replace the one I burned 18 months ago!

It's very easy to make a business plan work out on paper. The key as I have found is to stay flexible and definitely not to burn any bridges!

[ina]

You are perfectly right. I've always said, flexibility is my middle name... Which in my case means I've worked in loads of places and at a multitude of jobs! Unfortunately none yet that would allow me to go part time and still earn enough to pay the rent.

Well, that's on the agenda for my next life.

And I don't envy you your clay soil... Not what you'd want to have in this weather! It's bad enough here, and it mostly drains quite well.

[mybarnconversion]

I can sympathise with the clay soil same problem here ... nothing like that sinking, clinging, pulling feeling to sap the legs and make going away and waiting for the ground to dry out.

Funnily, your current situation is close to my ideal ... working a few days a week as a consultant and spending the rest of the time on SS -- I enjoy my consultancy work as well as other things. What stops me is geography, my best paying work (I could go it alone, but that's more risky) is 60 miles away from the land I want to be on ... and regular long-distance commutes along the M4 are the route to hell!

[Thurston Garden]

I think more and more people are realising that you don't need to hold down a full time job, battle for promotion at all costs, buy the latest phone, suit etc. When we moved here first, someone, who is now a good friend after telling her what we both did for a living, replied in a slightly derogatory tone "oh, you work for the machine" and in her words, I have now "jumped off the wheel!"

I do have an obliging OH who works full time - without him doing so, we would not eat as we do, nor have a slower pace of life. I regularly take my hat (amongst other things ) off to him for allowing me to be the one to work like I do.

We manage one night a month in the pub, no holidays to speak off (away anyway!), second hand clothes (although we had amassed plenty before), books and CD's come from the library - treats as such generally come off Bay, paid for by stuff sold on eBay.

It does take some explaining mind when you are introduced to someone new and they ask "So what to you do?"

[Millie]

I would love to "jump off the wheel"! I work PT for a large, alledgedly family friendly, company. Im currently signed off sick with stress, having been the target of bullying for the last 2 years. My GP wants me to leave before I become (more of) a nutcase, but part of me thinks I shouldnt have to, grrrrrr.

Anything I can do to nudge the chance to leave and become more SSF my way?

[Thomzo]

Hi Millie
I'm really sorry to hear about your problems at work. I went through a lot when I worked for a certain company a few years ago. I have a friend who runs this business http://www.bullyingbusiness.com/. Christine is a real expert in the area of workplace bullying having been a victim herself. If you need some advice, I would recommend getting in touch with them.

If your life is being affected by bullying, then you shouldn't have to put up with it. Take action and sue them for constructive dimissal.

Zoe

[Stonehead]

Following from my post on 3M's onion question, I need to vent my spleen on the damned weather!

Our field is heavy heavy clay which has been water logged for about 5 weeks now. I think in that period there has only been 2 days where water has not been lying on the surface in pools My early tatties should have been ready to dig 2 weeks ago, but they have not even started to flower... in fact all the tattie shaws are only about 12-18 inches high. I doubt if they will need to be drilled up at this rate.

I have had to resign myself to the fact that there will be few veggies to sell. In fact I re-jigged my planting plan for inside the tunnel and am now planting outdoor stuff inside (leeks, turnips & cabbages!).

The intention was always to be self sufficient in veg and meat, buying only flour, milk, sugar etc.

Tell me about it. I grow 20% more than we need to cover poor germination, pests, bad weather and the like, but the way things are going I should have planted 200% more than we need.

Our first earlies are only just coming into flower now and the few tubers (three or four per plant instead of the 10-12 last year) are the size of quail's eggs. They're very tasty (we sampled a few for one meal) but there are nowhere near enough.

The second earlies and maincrop potatoes are so undeveloped that I can easily walk between the rows to earth up (do I really need to given the growth rate) or spray with Bordeaux mixture. And that's the other problem with the weather, we've finally had a warm spell (16-18C) but it's very damp and humid. That means very good conditions for blight. So I spray most days, only to have the rain wash it off again. Argh!

We've lost all our planted out French beans and the ones drilled direct have failed to germinate as the soil is too cold. Our first peas are still less than 12 inches high, while about half of each planting are failing to germinate due to cold soil.

The outdoor squash, cucumbers, pumpkins and marrows are all severely checked (or gone completely); the broadbean crop is about 30% the size of last year; the onions are miniscule, and the salad veg are struggling.

The only things doing marginally well are cabbage, kale, carrots, beetroot and mangels - and even they're well behind last year and the year before.

Our apple trees are well behind, while the soft fruit look like they'll yield about 50% of what they should. The plum trees have about six fruit each - despite being properly pruned, top dressed and now in their fourth year.

Normally, we'd take the hay off the field in the first two weeks of July (the traditional time) but there's no chance of that happening this year. It's all too wet.

But, on the positive side, every time we water the pigs and poultry from the water butts we get a torrential downpour that refills them in about 30 minutes. And that also means we should be right for water from the borehole over Christmas and well into the New Year.

Oh, and the indoor tomatoes are doing much, much better than last year - and that's truly a good thing as no one else in the family eats fresh tomatoes!!!! They're mine, all mine...

[Stonehead]

I would love to "jump off the wheel"! I work PT for a large, alledgedly family friendly, company. Im currently signed off sick with stress, having been the target of bullying for the last 2 years. My GP wants me to leave before I become (more of) a nutcase, but part of me thinks I shouldnt have to, grrrrrr.

Anything I can do to nudge the chance to leave and become more SSF my way?

Leave and make it clear, in writing, to people up the chain why you are leaving.

I've been there and got the T-shirt - although in my case I wasn't the one being bullied. I was the deputy to the bully and had to run constant interference to protect his many targets. After I left (signed off ill etc) I discovered he'd been the subject of numerous formal complaints over the years but as he got the results the company wanted the board kept brushing it under the carpet.

[Stonehead]

It does take some explaining mind when you are introduced to someone new and they ask "So what to you do?"

I usually say I'm a swineherd. It raises eyebrows for some reason...

[Millie]

Leave and make it clear, in writing, to people up the chain why you are leaving.

Over the last 2 years its been brought to the attention of the "people" manager and at least 3 other managers, 2 of whom were my dept managers. Sadly the people who do the bullying are great friends with the managers, and the people manager is the original choc teapot. Hes now been replaced and when I can finally face the place, I will be bringing it to the attn of the new people manager and raising a grievance via the proper channels and procedures Ive left places before for much less, I think this time Im so cross that I want someone to recognise it and deal with it, and once thats dealt with I will hand my notice in. Their most recent tactic has been to withold my contracted hours from me - for the last year or so, and now I am signed off they have decided to announce that I didnt earn enough and am not entitled to sick pay

Right, better get out of rant mode, sorry!

[Millie]

Hi Millie
I'm really sorry to hear about your problems at work. I went through a lot when I worked for a certain company a few years ago. I have a friend who runs this business http://www.bullyingbusiness.com/. Christine is a real expert in the area of workplace bullying having been a victim herself. If you need some advice, I would recommend getting in touch with them.

If your life is being affected by bullying, then you shouldn't have to put up with it. Take action and sue them for constructive dimissal.

Zoe

Thanks Zoe, I shall investigate that site shortly