It's been a busy few weeks I actually meant to email you sooner!
The first plants I brought for our property was actually a plum and apple tree. I suspect it might be a few more years till I see much fruit but you never know maybe I will get one small apple this year.
I have one small memory of Grannies family visiting, I would love to know more about them. Are some still alive? Do you have any contact?
Our 6 acres is mainly left in its natural state, pine and cypress trees. Half our property has been cleared for the house and paddocks. I was trundling around reseeding one of the paddocks over the weekend. Our property is super sandy but I think if I get into a seeding schedule I will be able to increase the paddocks potential. When I go to buy hay it turely amazes me the quality. People in Texas have no idea how easy they have it when it comes to hay making!
It's really cool that you have bees, I wondered if you would so happy to hear you have. I remember you playing with the hives. I'm not sure what animals we will get if anymore. We of course have a horse and we have a minture donkey. Then last week we rescued a new dog, so as a 2 dog family I think we have enough for now. Over time we might consider other animals. Actually in Texas there is a project where children can raise animals, learn about the animal husbandry and if they complete the program they will get financial assistance for university. So when Jasmine is older she might want to take part in that.
I actually didn't have the opportunity to be a full time mum, America is still not that friendly. I was working for the Girl Scouts since Feb last year. Sadly the money is terrible and I don't want to be that close to poverty. I have just been hired to work for Texas State, first day today. I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I let you know more about it as I learn and experience more.
Was chatting to Jo the other day, they are still planning on visiting when the inheritance comes in. They thought it would be here already which means it must be close. Clark's mum passed 2 years ago and that probate case is still going on. So auntie Judy must be doing so good work!
I have attached a little video of Jasmine and her new puppy.
Hope you are feeling better,
Take care
Hil
Dear Hilary (alas I have not edged toward Hi or Yo Hils as yet)
Thank you for the email. You realise this is the first correspondence from you that does not contain a veiled threat, accusations of some evil deed or wishing me eternal damnation. I hope this is of your fair hand and mind, not some soothing compliance, instigated by some Orcadian puppet master.
I am pleased you have fruit trees. It takes 7 years or more to raise a tree to the first fruit. I collected some Papple seeds (cross between an apple and pear), on the last trip to Nagoya, Japan, (1974) and planted them in pots in Shrewsbury (Salters Lane). I took the pots to Southampton, Fifeness, Crail, and eventually planted them in the chicken run at Toll Road (Cellardyke) 1980. The year we sold the house, 1982, two trees produced a fruit. Such awaited fruit, and such a disappointment. They were never as sweet as the original fruit and left to the mercy of the new house owner. I often wondered if they were saved and cherished.
This year we had our first greengage from a mature tree we planted in 2008. The fruit was to die for. We had bought greengages (my favourite fruit) for comparison. Commercially grown, sprayed, and mechanically picked immature, can never compare to a ripe and mature fruit home grown. This year will be more difficult to harvest our precious crop, as they have been spotted by the birds. The birds are aware of the Victoria plum, have been marginally distracted by the cotoneaster between the greengage and the russet apple. They sit on the telephone wire en mass, like extras in the film “the Birds” by Hitchcock. They have all the cherries produced. every year, and most of the plums. This year as a treat we planted a damson, and look forward to eating a half peck fruit, or admiring the fruit stone clinging to the stalk, swaying in the breeze. All the low hanging fruit is voraciously devoured by the hens.
We do get some fruit, the loganberries seem unpopular with our flying dinosaurs, as do the red white and black currants.
Red and white currants are particularly prized, as I never saw any in Fife, when Joanne and yourself invited Amanda and her sister to feast on them. I thought we had voracious birds until I caught you with mouthfuls. The red gooseberry's were a particular favourite of yours, thus never reached the kitchen
I have no idea what sort of Apple tree you can get in the States, and what can tolerate the heat. Our Russet seems to fruit well as does the Laxton Superb ( a very sweet and juicy fruit, we planted in Pottingfield Road, Rye). The reverend Wilks and Lady Stutley do not flourish. Luckily a cooking apple tree similar to a Bramley was already here. As was the sweet yellow apple of unknown origin, that fruits well but has a short shelf life.
As for the extended family, I will attach some information about the family groups. I am in contact with Conny (Lena's daughter) and Peter (Arie's son) My main link to the family was via Margit unfortunately. Margit a bright inquisitive and gifted musician, was seduced by Scientology (another made up religion that demanded total obedience and destruction of the family, if they did not convert.) Margit, the only child, caused no end of suffering to her parents Rika and Bodo. When Rika and Bodo died they left instructions that under no circumstances should Margit inherit anything. Everything given to Margit went directly to the cult.
I will not give you any contact details for obvious reasons. The same reason you are blocked from my Facebook and g+ accounts. You can see why, Granny explicitly stated that under no circumstances should you or Joanne receive any money from her estate when she died. The dealings with Margit are an open wound, never had a child been so loved and cherished and yet so vindictive to her parents. You and Joanne appeared to put your new religion before family, just like Margit, and behaved appallingly towards her. My mother was not a loving person by nature, never showed any affection toward me, throughout her life, and yet loved you unreservedly. So sad.
I envy your ability to make hay. We use Straw. Good quality hay is 5% protein. Poor quality hay is 1 or 2 %. Good quality straw is 3% protein and poor quality 1%. However, when it comes to price a large bale of Straw is £7.00 and hay is £22,00. We have to feed concentrate at milking time so straw and concentrate is adequate.
Sandy soil obviously can not retain water and prone to blow away, It wasn't that long ago that the States suffered the dust bowl. Carrots love sandy soil, horses love carrots, Job done! I read about a newly discovered wheat crop that secures the soil. If you type in Superwheat Kernza Could Save Our Soil and Feed Us Well in to a search engine you should be able to find it. With a poor seed yield it is obviously not suitable for baking bread but seems idea to stabilise the soil and make hay or haylage
Pauline was the one with the bee diploma. And as yet, I haven't bothered to sit any exam. I prefer to have knowledge and experience not certificates. I am more interest in why things happen not how. Thus bee keeping is a fascination of the humble bee. Although my love of the honey bee does not exclude my fascination of bumble bees, wasps and hornets. Wasps and hornets are not welcome near the hives but still a source of wonderment. Two years ago we had a giant wood wasp in the wood, sadly I have not seen one since.
When we arrived at the croft, the first year we were swamped with butterflies, especially peacocks. We have not sprayed, or controlled the nettles, that they need, and yet over the years the numbers have declined dramatically. All butterflies are in decline from the nuisance cabbage white to the blues I frequently saw whilst walking the dogs. Something horrible is happening to the planet.
I have lost a number of hives, mainly due my own incompetence, but lately external threats. Luckily we are not in a GM area in Europe (that might change), but neonicotinoids have damaged the bee population. Three years ago I had 10 thriving colonies. Then my local farmer (non organic) planted oil seed rape in all fields around the property. Normally that would be a joyous event, but as the bees flew out to forage they did not return. At the end of the rape bloom some 21 days I managed to save 1 hive. I have been building up slowly since then. I no longer use any chemicals in the hive and am trying to breed hygienic bees. Last year I manage to split two colonies of hygienic bee and gave them away, (I will never get rich giving bees to fellow smallholders). I am now back up to 3 colonies and hope to get honey this year.
My campaign to stop using chemicals in the hive caused problems with the local beekeeping group but now I am being listen to, and demonstrating the holistic beekeeping methods. I have another lecture this month. I have been doing a session of talks to various interested groups on the subjects of smallholding, pollinating insects, beekeeping, cheese-making and the essential goat in agriculture. Needless to say your smallholding needs two goats as you have a horse.
After a few years your pasture will sour, you will be inundated with unwelcome weeds, and your horse may even suffer laminitis. This is where the goat comes in. Goats will take out the broad leafed weeds (nettles, doc, thistles) in preference to grass. Deep rooted and tap rooted weeds are sought out by goats. The tap roots bring minerals and nutrients to the surface to be absorbed by grasses. Deep rooted weeds tend to be flowering weeds, and beneficial to bees. In Australia they use 1 goat per 4 sheep to improve the pasture. This means you have to plough and reseed less, good for your pocket, and good for the environment.
Goats milk is the closest to human milk, causes less allergies, and should be fed to children in preference to cows milk for the first 3 years of life, when the bacteria in the gut is fully formed. You were fed on cows milk too early! It is easier to find goats milk cheese and yogurt than exclude cow whey products from the diet. Whey intolerance is on the increase. After 3 years, cow milk products can be used. The body becomes able to tolerate all foods after 3 years, Cow products are tolerable to the human body, just before gin and tonic.
Pity about missing out on full time mum, money is not every thing but seems to buy it! Is the job you are starting the managerial job?
Management is rewarding and difficult. The things you mock as stupid land, Honesty, integrity and hard work are essential. Management is the 3Ms Motivation, manipulation and method. Motivation is the most important and anyone that can motivate a workforce can earn their weight in gold. I have use the 3M method throughout my career. For example:
to tie a shoe lace
Motivation – obviously if you constantly trip over the lace you will be inclined to retie it, especially if you are about to carry a heavy pan of boiling oil.
Manipulation. How to make tying the shoe lace easier, pull a chair across to rest on or sit down.
Method (the one all management course deal with) what knot to tie, bow, double bow for safety etc
management in a nutshell and the real reason why shoes are slip on or Velcro fastening.
I hope the visit goes well with your mother, Jo, and the children. I have heard they are a bit (free spirit!) but not as bad as the Gowlands. There is the nub with child care. Parents that want their children to be free and responsible must first set boundaries when the children can learn in safety. Knowing the rules of mutual respect for oneself, parents and other humans is the most important lesson. It can not be achieved by allowing a child to do as they want, regardless of the environment.
We were ,(Shirley and I) able to take you and Jo to a cafe, without tantrums, at and early age, and you were able to eat and behave in public. A spoilt brat running and crawling over the floor of supermarkets or restaurants is not good for the child, parents or customers. Once a child can handle life on the ground only then can they fly. It is negligent to restrict a child's development by allowing them the freedom they are not equipped to cope with. Most free spirited brats, believe in some form of higher being, that they have exclusive access to, even more formidable than grandma.
I could not view the video you attached. Thus is the joy of the computer age! Considering I started with MS Dos and learnt windows etc as they progressed. I seem to have regressed back to pen and ink. I am not using more applications than I did with windows 3.1. Every year a new piece of rubbish arrives that stops me using what I was comfortable using for the opportunity to have something I will never use. Due to my scotopic sensitivity ( I use a yellow background with black letters) I find it taxing using a white screen with black letters. Window 7 allowed me to use a yellow background. I have not been able to find a way of setting up a yellow background on windows 10 so reverted and told Microsoft my displeasure in rhyme and irony. It obviously went over their heads. Apparently you don't do irony in the states! Yet Trump is the president and will uphold the constitution?
We are horrified in Europe at this election. You obviously see something the rest of the world are blind to. Still it is only 4 years. I hope war with China will be difficult to get through all three parts of government.
My generation born directly after the war in a bombed landscape with famine and shortages, still remember what it was like. Our parents( mine) suffered from PTSD, and totally unable to raise a family in a loving secure framework. We all asked how could it happen that a civilised country could plunge into an intolerant society, using a religion, and its people as scapegoats. Nothing happened in big steps everything flowed slowly, until all opposition was crushed and exterminated. Had Hitler not invaded Russia or Japan not Bombed Pearl Harbour they could have got away with it. Hitler and Mussolini were both elected by the people.
Must go, been at the confuser too long, I am waiting oh so patiently for Heather to kid she is as wide as she is long and content to keep what ever safely inside.
Love dad
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