Martin B Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) Hello. Remember me? Martin B? Well, anyway, I'm back! A lot has happened in the last few months, after the stress of exams they are now over and I now have a lot of time to myself. I find myself getting up each morning, doing my paper round, getting home and reading! I have never done so much reading in my life, I now read the Daily Mail, Farmers Weekly, Smallholder, Country Smallholding, Home Farmer, I am reading these magazines from cover to back and they don't seem to be bringing out new issues quick enough! I posted on the forum just before I went to Italy to support my friend who was entering a juggling convention in Sardinia, it was a nice experience. It was also nice to be on a campsite surrounded by farms with chickens and ducks ranging across the plains, roads and roosting in the trees. I have also been up to Lincoln a few times 'playing vet' by looking at some ill chickens, geese and peacocks, all because my aunty said I had chickens! I hope I gave the right advice! I hadn't seen anybody from the forums too recently, until I visited my half-a-pig at Lesley's on Saturday afternoon. I think he is called 'Snowy'? I might have dreamt that up though! I now have bees aswell! They arrived on Tuesday evening, a nucleus (queen, brood frames and bees) was provided by the Stratford Beekeeping Association and they now live on the hive at the orchard I am 'renting' from a farmer in a local village. There is one whole frame full of honey already, not all of it is capped but it looks very good and it tasted delicious! The orchard is full of fruit bushes and trees, and the fields near to the farm are covered in wild flowers and clover, the fields are normally oil seed rape earleir in the year. The photos are me 'pretending' to beekeep, they were taken before I got the bees because "Ooops, word censored!"ody was prepared to take the pictures once the bees were put into the hive! Oh, and we have also built a run for the chickens. It takes up a quater of the garden and is plenty of room for them, the run keeps them contained when needed and it is also saving the grass, they pop their heads through the fence to eat the grass close to them though! Finally, I would like to thank the many members of this forum who have contacted me whilst I have been away. It means a lot to know that I am a valued member of the forum. Martin P.S Give me chance to catch up, it might take me a while! P.P.S I also have a new blog URL http://www.martinblyth.vox.com Edited July 10, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hey Martin!! Great to see you back again! I've missed you . You sound as if you've been keeping so busy - no wonder you've not had time to post in such a long time. Smashing photos . Hope you're back for good now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoobie Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I am going on a bee keeping course on Saturday - I would love to keep a hive in my back garden but I think I am too residential/garden too small - I will have to see. I love your chicken run as well - dont they try to escape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin, glad to see you are keeping busy your bee hive looks great ...............Hope to see you on the forum more over the summer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Thanks for the welcome back! The chickens have escaped numerous times, but over the first few days as soon as they escaped we put them back into the run and they now don't bother, because they know they are going to go straight back into the run. We let them out for a couple of hours a day, but they are quite well trained! Beekeeping is very fun Stoobie, you will love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 nice to hear from you Martin, glad to see things are going well. More young chaps your age should be doing the same! You are so busy and enthusiastic about animals/farming/plants etc I can see you have a bright future ahead of you! keep us posted and we'd love more photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Great pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin What a busy BEE you've been, you've obviously been bee-having yourself - great photos and good to have you back. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin, welcome back! Hope the exams went well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin, good to see you back. I was thinking of you only yesterday and remembering all the rain and floods you had last year. I hope you haven't been affected by the monsoon that was forecast yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Welcome back Martin. If you are thinking of going to university **this course** might take your fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMO Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 **Waves** Welcome back Martin!! Funnily enough I was saying to OH that you were AWOL I missed getting to Lesley's on Saturday as my Hen party ran over . I think the black pig at the back is our George ( we are sharing him with my sister and my business partner) How fab to go to Sardinia (OH is 1/2 Sardinian on his father's side) Whereabouts did you go? Hopefully will see you at the next Farmer's Market in Stratford. Mind those bees now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Great pictures, I'm very jealous of the bees, my garden is just too small. . Hope all your exams went well. Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin Missed you at Jimmy's Sounds like you're busy Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Welcome back Martin. If you are thinking of going to university **this course** might take your fancy. What grades do you need to get on that course? Bs? I'll buzz off. (Welcome back Martin.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Looks like an interesting course Egluntine, nice to see you! It was Cagliari that I went to Amo, very nice indeed! Sorry to have missed you at Jimmy's Buffie, something unexpected came up. Thanks for the welcome back, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin! Yes, you are sharing a pig with Daniel.....he had it in mind that he was going to have a white pig and had named it Snowy! I'm glad to see your hive arrived in time - and that you have bees to go in it. Not so sure about you now having plenty of time to be on the forum again ........... the rest of us will never keep up with all the red arrows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Nice to see you back - love the photos . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Yes, you are sharing a pig with Daniel.....he had it in mind that he was going to have a white pig and had named it Snowy! I'm just glad I didn't imagine it! That would have been quite embarrassing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Welcome back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin Very nice to see you back You sound like you have been very busy Love the pics by the way. With regard to your 'half a pig', we have the other half, I think and our half is called Snowy, if you want to change the name of your bit you can do Dan named him by the way, he thought he would be white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Hi Martin, lovely having you back It feels like ages since I have seen you around Fab news about the hive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Welcome back, so where's the pictures of you juggling then? And how long has it taken you to read all the red arrows Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Welcome back Martin. If you are thinking of going to university **this course** might take your fancy. What grades do you need to get on that course? Bs? I'll buzz off. (Welcome back Martin.) *groan* Very funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 hi Martin, you do get yourself about don't you! I think it's brilliant you have so many interests. I hope your exam results are what you want them to be, good luck! Nice to see you back. xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
