Failed foraging attempt on the smallholding | life on 8 acres

[@rizenarts33]

Good luck next time in bunting for Sloes 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@Littlesheddiaries]

It’s been a bad year for sloes. I forage every year in early October and haven’t seen more than a handful this year. Tradition says to collect them after the first frost. Last year I collected a kilo and now have 2 litres of sloe gin 😋 The year before was really poor. Maybe they have a biennial cycle?

[@YolandeWarden]

Thank you for taking us with you! Armchair exploring! Nice and dry.

[@mymessyplot]

@@YolandeWarden hahaha! I’m a great lover of armchair exploring

[@lorrainerichardson3280]

What fun exploring your land. Don't despair about the sloes, next year when you are more familiar with what trees you have and also having planted out your own trees, you can watch the trees progress through the seasons. You are doing what I would have loved to have done when I was younger, I have 1/2 an acre and that is quite enough for someone at 66 years old. The pole chainsaw has been a life changer for me, and also my Fiskars Powergear X Telescopic Tree Pruner UPX86. So much easier to trim where needed. Take care, see you next week.

[@mymessyplot]

@@lorrainerichardson3280 I bought that RYOBI pole saw you recommended , it arrived yesterday - it looks like a serious bit of kit! I have yet to try it because I’m waiting for the wind to subside - we’re still having unexpected little gusts of it. I will look up that tree pruner too - thank you. How long have you been tending to your 1/2 acre?

[@YolandeWarden]

The leaf looks like one from a sweet chestnut tree. My horse used to crush the prickly seed cases and eat the nuts from inside!

[@mymessyplot]

@@YolandeWarden clever horse!

[@YolandeWarden]

Oh😂 you found what sort of leaf that was later in your day! I’m glad we agreed!

[@mymessyplot]

@@YolandeWarden I’m glad you confirmed it because I wasn’t sure, it was just a guess based on a tiny leaf picture in a book 😃

[@YolandeWarden]

@@mymessyplotyou say the nicest things!

[@bryansloesshillshomestead4523]

You have a beautiful place.

[@mymessyplot]

@@bryansloesshillshomestead4523 thank you, I do love it 😊

[@drivealonguk7793]

Mmmmmm sloe gin 😋🤪 A shame you couldn’t find any. I’d love to see more of your woodlands in a future video if you’re able to do a proper walk through.

[@mymessyplot]

@@drivealonguk7793 yes I do hope to do a walk along the entire length of the woodlands soon - I just need to clear a path through first because there are lots of brambles. It’s on my to do list 😀

[@myrustygarden]

😂 I don’t put anything in my gin except tonic. Is that ground cover a dichondra repens? It’s hard because so many look alike. The river could have moved the boundary lines over time the one at the bottom of our street moved lots over the years. Love the hat, I hope you are safe , Ali 🥶🇨🇦

[@mymessyplot]

@@myrustygarden dichondra rapens - I’ll look it up, thanks Ali. The river may well have moved but the neighbour has put up a barb wire fence. Apparently the old owner of my place kept going into the river so the neighbour put up the fence to keep him off his land 🙄 I love my new hat too, glad you like it! I’ve had to buy a whole new wardrobe since moving here. I’m wearing layers for the first time in my life and even wear cardigans now - and often have to keep my hat on in the house! This old detached stone house just doesn’t warm up and hold the heat. All safe here - we had no major storm damage other than some trees coming down in the fields.

[@mywildwelshgarden-es3fr]

Oh Dear!! I haven`t seen any sloes this year either. I think you get good and bad years for sloes. There haven`t been many hawthorn berries either. It may have something to do with the cold wet spring we had, so I don`t think there were many flowers and the lack of insects to pollinate what flowers there were. Maybe next year will be better. The little plant you found is very common. It`s found in the woods around here and I can`t think what it is called.

[@mymessyplot]

@@mywildwelshgarden-es3fr I was wondering if perhaps the rubbish spring might have made an impact. Didn’t occur to me about the insects but of course you’re right - scarily few pollinators. I know there are good years and bad years in terms of weather and that does affect the wildlife - but I do despair at what humans are doing to this planet and its non human inhabitants. I wish more people cared and paid attention.

[@mywildwelshgarden-es3fr]

@@mymessyplot Me too!!

[@juliaforsyth8332]

Plantain is now recommended for sowing in paddocks now for stock here in New Zealand. I laugh a bit about the "discovery" of it's benefits. How many years has it's value been known? Same with chicory.

[@mymessyplot]

@@juliaforsyth8332 ha yes! Astounding how ancient wisdom of healing plants is dubbed as newly discovered!

[@haunce]

? That leaf looks like American Chestnut.

[@mymessyplot]

@@haunce oh thanks - I’ll look that up!