On the Smallholding | April
April arrived with ambition and, briefly, a storm.
Storm Dave rattled through one night. No real damage, but enough howling to keep us wide awake and wondering. By morning, the smallholding was unscathed and we were reaching for the caffeine.
Building things
It's been a month of making. A pig hut, a hay and straw storage hut, a new shelter for Dodger and Bluebell (ready for moving later in the spring), pumpkin nurseries, a seedling cold frame, a Christmas tree nursery, and three-tier strawberry beds along the south-facing wall at the front of the house. Those started with just one plant; there are now six. A herb box holder now lives on top of the recycling area, a practical solution to our constant herb habit, and rather better than Gwilym's milk-bottle plan. (I say sadly that didn't work out. I'm secretly delighted.)
Our wicker reindeer has finally got a permanent home too, he's been built a pen at the end of the stone barn, where he'll greet everyone who arrives at the smallholding. Just the planting up of his boxes to finish that area off.
We also removed the ramp from the front of the Christmas shop, which has really opened up the space between the house and the stone barns. And we moved the garden table and BBQ area down to the shadier side of the house. Gwilym's pallet-everywhere era may be drawing to a close.
Growing things
467 pumpkin seeds planted, partly for our family experience event at the end of May, and the rest to grow on for the pumpkin picking experience returning to Pontybat Farm this autumn. Ten potted trees have been planted up for next year's Grow With Me, and we ran another session of Christmas tree planting this month. Another five trees in the ground.
The pots at the entrance to the Christmas shop and fudge kitchen are now planted up with mini Christmas trees (piceas) and climbing plants. It'll be lovely to watch those establish over the summer. We also planted native pond iris just beneath the hide, and are looking forward to that flowering later in the year.
We took the wisteria firmly in hand this month. It had been pulling slates off the roof and damaging the fascias, so it had to go. Or most of it, anyway. There's still a little life left in it, with around twenty flowers getting ready to burst into blossom. We're rooting for them to bloom heartily.
The daffodils have gone over now, but the sloe blossom has been tremendous. We'll need to start stockpiling the gin ready for harvesting later in the year.
On the pond
We added liquid barley straw to tackle the blanket weed, and planted the native iris at the water's edge. More excitingly, a pair of wild ducks nested on the pond, and Mummy Duck hatched two ducklings. Sadly, by the end of the month there was only one. The moorhens, who've been resident for six years now, are sitting again. And we had a brief visit from Canada geese overnighting on the pond - sadly, they haven't been seen since.
Wildlife notes
The swallows returned on 7th April - always a key Spring moment. The birds are busy nesting everywhere: the garage roof, the stone barns, the hay loft, the willow, and the big tree row between the veg garden and the orchard. I cut Gwilym's hair, and within a week every last clipping had vanished. Some chicks are going to have a very cosy bed. Bumble bees have been out in good numbers too.
And finally
The Easter Bunny visited. Holly, at fourteen, decided she wasn't too old for an egg hunt. Quite right too.
We also have a lovely new stockist. The Welsh Venison Centre are now selling our fudge if you're popping by.
The weather this month deserves a mention of its own: two and a half to three glorious weeks of sunshine and warmth. The cool snap at the end came as quite a shock. April giveth, and April taketh away.
May is shaping up to be a busy one: pumpkins to tend; animals to move; and the smallholding settling in to its late spring rhythm.
We'll see you then.
Annabelle x