New Potatoes

This week's 'Food Programme' on Radio 4 discusses potatoes, with sound bites from our local Potato Fair. You can listen again on line if you've missed it.


Here is an update on the growth of my true potato seedlings sown January 18th. I've pricked out 50 - though there was no way of telling which ones might be of real interest - I had to limit the numbers as I haven't yet figured out where I'm going to grow them on.

Darwin Blogging

We had our own little Darwin 200th birthday celebration last night (it had nothing to do with my birthday being the same day - but I do support the movement to make it a national holiday). There are lots of programmes at BBC which can still be 'listened again' to, at least for a few more days. Also the folks at Agricultural Biodiversity have been busy on the subject.
Meanwhile, the sun shone today, temperatures soared to 8°, and the bees were out flying around. Which saved me the trouble of getting the stethoscope out to check for signs of life after this latest cold spell.
I won't keep a daily tally à la George Orwell, but - three eggs this morning! Two of the chicks we hatched are now laying regularly.

Candlemas Day

Gladys was the only one to venture into the snow today, the others stayed cowrin' and timrous indoors. At any rate, she didn't see her shadow so winter should be short. We took part in the 'mass skive', and spent the day wisely, having snowball fights and a walk in the woods. And the Met says there's more to come.


The RAF Arctic Survival guide can be studied here.