QUIET CORNER FARM APPLE JUICE Patricia Thompson moved with her husband, Brian, to the secluded little Henstridge holding of Quiet Corner Farm 40 years ago. It included an orchard of about eighty apple trees. She has worked hard over the seasons to be a good caretaker of the land she tends. The orchards now comprise [...]
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DIRTY NAILS BLOG by Joe Hashman QUIET CORNER FARM APPLE JUICE
Monday, June 21st, 2010DIRTY NAILS BLOG by Joe Hashman RAISING APPLE SEEDLINGS
Friday, May 28th, 2010RAISING APPLE SEEDLINGS Orchards accompanied every farmstead and small holding in the Olden Days. The seasonal pressing of apples for cider and juice was part and parcel of normal life. Back then, leftover ‘mash’ (pulped apples) was fed to pigs or spread in odd field corners to over-winter and, the next spring, see what came [...]
Read More »DIRTY NAILS BLOG by Joe Hashman PEAR BLOSSOM
Sunday, May 16th, 2010PEAR BLOSSOM The fruit garden is a collection of apples, pears, plums and nuts which are cultivated in a carefree way at the back of my plot. They were planted as one year-old ‘maiden whips’ seven years ago. This means that they were literally single twigs only about knee or thigh-high. During that time they’ve grown, been appropriately pruned and [...]
Read More »4 February 2010 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman MY SPECIAL SELECTION
Thursday, February 4th, 2010MY SPECIAL SELECTION Many thanks to DJ Robyn Bryan who invited me to be her guest on Odstock (Salisbury) Hospital Radio. We enjoyed was a fun hour talking about gardening and playing my choice of songs. Here, in no particular order, is My Special Selection, and why: I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff; Just a wonderfully uplifting [...]
Read More »18 January 2010 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman MILLERS SEEDLING
Monday, January 18th, 2010MILLERS SEEDLING Planted an apple tree down the Donkey Field Community Orchard this afternoon, a variety from Berkshire called Millers Seedling. It came from now-defunct Scotts of Merriott stock. We’ve received it as a goodwill gesture, a generous gift. The Millers Seedling now stands two rows in and three rows up on the lefthand side, replacing [...]
Read More »11 January 2010 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman CATS & REDWINGS
Monday, January 11th, 2010CATS & REDWINGS Life is tough outside for the birds. They’re pretty stupid now with hunger, dopey enough for an approach to be made dangerously close before they lift off to nearby branches. It’s this combination of cold and lack of food which brings them into such easy reach, and who can blame the neighbourhood [...]
Read More »24 December 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman LITTLE BROWN JOB
Thursday, December 24th, 2009LITTLE BROWN JOB There’s a little brown bird that sings and flits down on the plot with such modesty and freedom on Xmas Eve, whilst getting in the veg, you’d be forgiven for not noticing. While robins skip amongst the places you’ve turned over and disturbed whilst scratching, this little brown job is just a [...]
Read More »17 December 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman PREPARING FOR SHALLOTS
Thursday, December 17th, 2009PREPARING FOR SHALLOTS 8.26am. I love how sunshine illuminates The Hangings behind St James Street an hour or so after this deep-winter day awakes. As the silver ball tentatively rises above our houses so wooded and scrubby slopes glow golden-brown. Mums and kids en route to school on top, gurgle of free-range chooks over the [...]
Read More »15 November 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman AN APPLE TREE ON THE CORNER OF MARKET STREET BRACKNELL
Sunday, November 15th, 2009On a grassy verge at Market Street there stands an stands an old apple tree on the wonk. By a zebra crossing, beneath a red-bricked box-like factory with blinded windows and opposite, across the road, advertising billboards for computer games. The trunk must be at least nine inches across at the fork which forms a [...]
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