Digging in the dirt

Digging in the dirt

Two thirds of the way through Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Josephine’s visit, and we’ve made amazing progress. Paths laid, 450 trees planted, new water pipes installed to the stables and outhouse, all the old rubble from the house levelled, tonnes of firewood...

An (un)Well well

Something I have a particular aversion to is wells. There’s just something about looking down a narrow shaft into dark water, not knowing where the bottom might be. Hence I didn’t particularly relish the task of climbing down a ladder into the depths, to...

Winter Wwoofing

Our intrepid winter (technically spring but you wouldn’t know it) Wwoofers (worldwide worksers on organic farms) are here: Marie-Josephine and Jean-Baptiste, who have performed amazing path building feats on their first proper day here at Lackan Cottage Farm....

Big shoes to fill

Well, after nearly three weeks, our first proper experience as Wwoofing hosts is over, and our volunteer (and now extended family member) Bettina has left to begin her journey home to Austria. Hers will be hard boots to fill, as we have achieved much in her time here,...

A meeting of minds

The GIY (Grow It Yourself) movement has really taken off here in Northern Ireland, and it was great to visit Sally Taylor’s place in Saintfield – the venue for a meeting of the South Down GIY group. Sally has combined a formal garden, retreat, allotments...

Our intrepid visitor

Although it has been a quiet week on the blog, here on the farm it’s been all go. Our intrepid WWOOF volunteer Bettina has arrived from Austria, hitch hiking all the way – at one point on a tractor. A terrifyingly long list of things to do exists, and...