Climbing out of the valley

Although there is still a lot of winter ahead, the turn of the new year does feel as if the bottom of the valley has been reached and the climb up out of its shadow is underway. Daylight has noticeably begun to lengthen. The main way for me to determine this is noting what time the hens need to be shut up for the night. They take themselves in on their own, of course, prompted by the descent of darkness. A couple of weeks ago they were all in by 4pm but today it was nearer 4:20pm. This part of the daily routine moves gradually later and later and by mid-summer I won't need to shut them in until nearly 10pm.

At this time thoughts and energies increasingly turn to preparations for spring both in respect of livestock and for vegetable and fruit growing. And indeed the more ornamental flourishes within the smallholding.

The feeling of ascent has been helped by the current cessation of the seemingly constant rain (except the relapse last Saturday overnight) as well as a few days when the sun also came out. In addition, by our back gate there is the reliably delicious scent of the evergreen Christmas box (sarcococca) shrubs planted adjacent to it. Their tiny yellow-tinged flowers provide a powerful aroma for anyone coming or going.

Sarcococca or Christmas Box. I'm not sure the variety.

Today the focus was on the asparagus bed. This had already been cut down, weeded and the soil ridges tidied up. The task now was to cover the lot in a generous layer of compost and manure. I have five 20' rows of asparagus which required two barrow loads of compost per row. Its a winter job I rather enjoy. The pay-off comes in May and June with a new crop of fresh asparagus.

I'm able to generate a good supply of compost. I have five large main composting bays and I know I will use four of these for the winter manuring of the vegetable plots over the next couple of weeks. The fifth bay is currently being filled and will be ready for use this time next year. I also have a separate supply of my 'special reserve' of extra quality compost that I save for the greenhouse beds, the perennial borders and for reinvigorating a bed or row once a crop has been lifted and a new one is to replace it in the same space. The special reserve is made in a number of the green plastic composting bins with lids, and in which I fuss a bit more about what goes in to produce a well rotted, weed seed free, crumbly mixture within a year.

Because I poo-pick the hen houses each morning to keep the bedding fresh for longer I visit the compost bins at least once daily so I also keep a check on how they are doing. Yes, things definitely feel on the up as we commence 2020.