Hunters Lodge Living

Beetroot, cabbage, kohl rabi and spinach - just some of the seeds sown here today at Hunters Lodge.  With gorgeous sunshine for most of the day conditions were ideal for getting some work done in the Vegetable Garden.  And a bit later than usual,  the second crop of garlic also made it's way into the ground today.  This should be ready to harvest in the Autumn and will keep us going throughout the Winter. 

Meanwhile in the Tomato House, we have a plentiful supply of salad leaves and herbs with the spring onions just making an appearance now.

It was also time to pot on the tomato seedlings..

Even though the sun was shining today, it was actually really windy so we didn't open the beehives - but we did see huge activity around the hives.  The wind didn't bother these chicks who ventured out into the garden with their Mama for the first time this weekend..

On my slot on KCLR96fm last Wednesday, I mentioned that the broilers were nearly ready for the table and when I came off air, I had a call from a lady who has been rearing her own chickens for the table for the past forty years.  Well, one thing led to another, and she is planning to visit Hunters Lodge in the next week or so to show me the quickest, most efficient method to dispatch the birds.  Never a pleasant task, but I'm very much looking forward to getting tips from someone with so much experience.  A supply of free-range chickens in the freezer will make it all worth while.

You may recall that last week Ellie gave me a Pastry-Making lesson.  Well, I shall sign off with a photo of the end result..

Have a great week and don't forget to grow some food in your garden this week.

Isn't a bank holiday weekend such a treat?  At this time of the year, there's nothing nicer than that extra day to get some jobs done in the garden - sadly, the weather doesn't always fall into line with this plan... In a ten minute drive into Carlow yesterday we had sunshine, lightning, hailstones and torrential rain.  And the suprise -3.5 degrees the other night didn't do my potatoes any good but apart from a few withered leaves I don't think it caused too much damage (here's hoping!).

We had enough sunshine over the weekend to allow us check on the bees.  It was thrilling to see frames and frames filling with honey, so all going well, we should have a Spring Harvest in a couple of weeks.

I also used the extra time over the weekend to learn the art of Pastry Making.  My teacher was Ellie, who at fourteen years of age, makes amazing pastry.  She really has such a light delicate touch and it's reflected in the quality of her pastry.  And of course I was the perfect student!

On the baking front, I was determined to make Sticky Gingerbread - a recipe posted by Colette (a member on the site here) as it's been on my mind for weeks, but I couldn't find the time.  This would make the perfect gift for family and friends.

In the Grow Your Own section I have posted posted updates on the Veg Garden.  It's looking like the next Garlic harvest is imminent, which is perfect timing because I'm running out in the kitchen.  It's been years since I had to buy garlic in a supermarket and I certainly don't want to start buying it again now!  My parsley is also thriving but I've had a bit of a disaster this year with the basil seeds to I'm off to sow another packet now..

I'm just back from a little wander around the Vegetable Garden - it's nice to take a little time out to reflect on what was a varied and busy week.  Let me share..

With such bad weather recently, I still can't believe that the sun appeared on Tuesday morning and stayed for the duration of our photoshoot with Carol Dunne from Irish Country Magazine (even more disbelief ensued when I discovered later in the week that my Blog had been shortlisted for a Social Media Award!).  

On the Sue Nunn Show on Wednesday morning we played excerpts from a piece recorded here at Hunters Lodge last week.  People actually stop and ask me how Willow Goose is.  Isn't that just fantastic!  I'm finding it really interesting getting feedback from people who listen to me on KCLR.  What struck me this week was the reaction to my comment that I have reduced my grocery bill by at least 50% - it's made a lot of people sit up and think about what they can do/grow to reduce their shopping bill.

At my first Women & Agriculture Conference on Thursday evening, a lot of women wanted to speak to me, not only about keeping chickens, but again, about the fact that I have managed to reduce my grocery bill so much.  It seems to have struck a chord with so many people and I think I'll go into more detail on Wednesday week when I will be back on with Sue on KCLR.  Of course not everybody is going to move two pigs into their garden next week - but there's no reason why people can't have say, a year round supply of garlic.  

A friend of mine remarked recently  on the amount of cleaning products she sees in shopping trolleys - here at Hunters Lodge, most of those products have been replaced with things like washing soda crystals, vinegar, bread soda and salt. Chemical free and a lot less expensive.  Anwyay, I'll have lots to talk about so be sure to tune in.

In the meantime, my deadline is fast approaching for the next edition of Irish Country Magazine and once again, it's looking like another fab edition.  My radio documentary on food blogging is in pre-production and it's full steam ahead with some great interviews lined up over the next couple of weeks (all will be revealed!).  Speaking of food, friends and family were delighted to receive some of my Chocolate Biscuit Cake this week - wickedly indulgent but I cut it into small pieces so that makes it okay

Sunday will be my garden day with more seed sowing and hopefully I'll get those maincrop potatoes down; the first earlies are coming along really well.  I think it's time to consider dispatching some broilers and I'll post updates in the Poultry Forum.

With lots of class bookings for early Summer looks like I'm going to be as busy as those bees at the end of the garden.  

Let me tell you I'm a newbie to the world of Social Media Awards and what a lovely surprise to wake up to the news that my blog has been shortlisted in the Best Blog Of A Business category.  I should be boxing up dozens of eggs at the moment, but I just had to stop and tell you.  If you haven't already guessed - I'm thrilled!  So I'm off to feed the chucks with a little bounce in my step today.  I wonder what these little guys will have to say about it..

I am a lucky girl.  No matter what the weather is like, I manage to get clear skies for radio recordings, classes and photoshoots here at Hunters Lodge.  I know, I know, my luck can't last forever but in spite of lots of rain this week, the sun was once again shining here at Hunters Lodge this morning when Carol Dunne visited  to take some shots for the next edition of Irish Country Magazine.  

Chicks of course were in abundance and two of our Silkies were also in the spotlight this time.  Even Willow Goose posed gracefully and allowed us to see her eggs.

Kate took herself away from her studies for an hour to help photograph the event, move props and most importantly, make sure her Mother looked half decent!  And once again, Ruth jumped in to pose with her favourite Black Silkie.

It really is a fun way to spend a morning - especially when the sun is shining

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter you will know that I have started working on a 20 minute radio documentary (a project for KCLR96fm in conjunction with IT Carlow) and I'm delighted to announce that I have decided to focus my documentary on the world of Irish Food Bloggers.  There's so much to fit in to twenty minutes but I have some really great interviews lined up; I'm in the pre-production stage at the moment and the next few weeks will be very exciting.

Today was the first morning this week that I wasn't rushing so we indulged in some Babaduck Pancakes, topped with greek yoghurt, our own rhubarb and of course, our own bacon.  Once again, our Food From The Garden came in very handy as I certainly had no time for supermarket shopping this week.

Next week will be particularly busy, starting with a photoshoot for Irish Country magazine. The next issue will be out in June and if you missed the first edition, be sure to pick it up - it's a great read.  

On Wednesday at 11.20am,  you can hear me on KCLR96fm with Sue Nunn.  Be sure to tune in (or find us online) to hear a lovely piece that we recorded here at Hunters Lodge last week.

I really don't know what to say about the weather - wet, dry, sunny, hailstones, stormy - all in one day?  I am continuing to top up the potato sacks and hopefully I'll get a chance to do some weeding tomorrow (the veg garden needs some serious attention).  

Meanwhile the bees are still busy and Willow Goose is  happily sitting on her eggs. And it's great to see the Apple Blosson appearing..

Hope you're having a good weekend (and if you have any spare time, why not sow some seeds?!)

I have four children.  Because of my career, they probably don't have much choice but to understand just a little about food - where it comes from, how to grow and rear it and of course how to cook it.  Along with a knowledge of their food, I throw in lessons like "how to use the washing machine" and as they get older "how to drive a car" - my plan being that they head off to college as independent, self-sufficient young adults.  And so far so good...

After a very busy week, I arranged to spend yesterday afternoon with Ruth in the kitchen where she would make her first Lasagne, followed by her first Pavlova.  While she would have watched me in the past, this was her first time to take the lead and boy, did she do well..

She took my basic Pavlova recipe and was quite adamant about a topping of cream, bananas, toffee sauce and sprinkled of course with chocolate shavings.  And so her first Banoffi Pavlova was created...

While her Pavlova was cooling, Miss Ruth got to work on putting together her first Lasagne (building the layers proved to be her favourite job)  And in no time, she was taking her first Lasagne out of the oven.

We also talked about the importance of preparation before you start to cook and I did attempt to discuss the importance of washing up afterwards but alas, that fell on deaf ears.  Well, she is only nine.....

I have had a very busy week - children, broody hens, ducks, lunatic geese, college, radio interviews and the great excitement of Irish Country Magazine hitting the shelves.  The response to  my article has completely blown me away and I want to thank everyone who took the time to get in touch.  

Speaking of time..  I had no time this week to get to the supermarket so today I took myself out to the garden and found enough goodies to feed us for the weekend ( some of the goodies came from the freezer, but originated in the garden - if that makes sense!)

Shoulder of pork, back rashers, duck eggs, parsley, broccoli, peas, garlic, onions, hen eggs and shallots - all from the garden.  With the addition of potatoes and some soda bread, I think most meals for the weekend are sorted.  

And for something sweet, we'll go back to the freezer for some homemade icecream or maybe defrost some blackberries, raspberries or apples and concoct a tart.  One thing we won't be defrosting is rhubarb as it's now flourishing the garden.  Visitors who have called to buy hatching eggs this week have been delighted to receive a bunch of organic rhubarb.

The exception this weekend will be some fabulous Ribeye steaks from Farm to Fork in Carlow.  If you can't rear it in the garden in Carlow, this is the place to go.

Don't forget the Competition is still running, so if you would like to learn a little more about growing and rearing your own food, be sure to enter.  

Have a good weekend folks 

Congratulations to M Walsh, winner of the competition.  Looking forward to welcoming you and your family to Hunters Lodge.             Apr 11th 2012.

Everywhere you look there are signs of Spring - the grass is starting to grow, the evenings are getting longer, the hens are laying like there's no tomorrow and best of all, chicks are hatching.

The Irish Farmer's Journal have just launched their new glossy magazine "Irish Country" and you'll find four pages of poultry-keeping written by yours truly in it, so be sure to pick up a copy.

It's at this time of the year that we launch our Classes here at Hunters Lodge and what better way to do it than with a Competition.  And the prize? A Family (2 adults & 2 children) Self-Sufficiency Class at Hunters Lodge. Come along with the children (don't worry if you have more than two!) and enjoy an afternoon learning about 

Keeping Chickens, Growing Vegetables, Composting, Beekeeping, Foraging, Rearing Pigs and more..

We'll finish up with coffee and goodies in the garden and you won't leave without some fresh eggs.

So to enter, all you have to do is comment on this post by answering the following question (if you are not a site member, your email address will be required but won't be visible).

Hunters Lodge is in what County?

And now for the smallprint..

1. The competition closes on Tuesday April 10th 2012 at 6pm
2. The winner will be chosen at random
3. The winner will be notified by email.
4. There is no cash alternative to this prize
5. The class must be taken before October 1st 2012 at a mutually agreed time
6. Advance booking is necessary
7. One entry per person please

St Patrick's Day, Mother's Day and a bank holiday Monday...what a weekend.  

We spent most of St Patrick's Day working in the garden before downing tools to go to our local parade.  With great gusto we filled recycled potato bags and coal sacks with lots of well rotted compost, moved chicken coops and started work on our Welly Wall (the perfect way to grow herbs and re-use your old wellies:))

Mother's Day started with chirping which signalled the arrival of our quail.  It's our first time to hatch quail here and what a lovely surprise on Mother's Day.  You'll see from Ruth's nails below that she was still in St Patrick's Day mode..

Aren't they just tiny?  It's hard to believe that they will be laying in six or seven weeks (unless they are all males of course!)

There was great activity in the Vegetable Garden today and the bees were coming back to the hives with great big "yellow" legs which is great to see.   I picked the last of the sprouts and some little turnips for tomorrow's dinner.  

The garlic and onions that were planted last Autumn are also doing very well and the rhubarb is jumping out of the ground.  

So with the freezer almost full with garden-reared pork, it's shaping up to be a bountiful year here at Hunters Lodge.  And speaking of pork,  a big thanks to Peter in Farm To Fork Butchers in Carlow for all his help with butchering our pig recently.  The pig we sent off a couple of weeks ago had way too much fat on him, but we are learning as we go so hopefully Pig No.2 who is going off tomorrow will be leaner.  But while there may be too much fat, the flavour is fantastic.  

You'll find more details on how we got started on our butchery journey in the Forums section. During the week I'll also be writing about the journey from garden to freezer in the Pig-Rearing Forum.

So that was my weekend - lots of fresh air and family time.  Until next weekend my hours will be filled with writing my "Keeping Chickens" E-booklet - it's proving difficult to find big chunks of time to write so bit by bit I'll get there.

And I think it's time I had another competition and why not this week?  Details to follow...