Lloyd Rowling

Today we visited Manor Farm, near Southampton. They were having a Woolly Weekend special with sheep shearing, wool spinning and various things all to do with wool.

Manor Farm over 500 years old and today is still a working farm run in the manner of the Victorians. There is a large courtyard with stable and enclosures for various farm animals, many running around freely, and lots of old equipment whose purpose I couldn’t even guess at. Then there is also the farm house, school area, pond and many fields to explore.

The Shepherds Caravan

Inside the caravan

The pigs were wonderful. Snowflake, a huge pig to say the least, was hungry and when she knew food was coming we thought she was going to jump out of her sty!

Snowflake

Other pigs and piglets were in the fields which we also saw being fed.

We saw a sheep being sheared which is something I’ve never seen before. It was a ram and didn’t want to be sheared so struggled all the way through! No pictures I’m afraid.

There were ducks, turkeys, chickens, geese and piglets all running freely around the farm. Wonderful! Ffion got to feed the birds and cuddle a baby rabbit and chick which made her day.

I also enjoyed the farm garden which grew some lovely flowers as well as the expected vegetable patch.

On the way out, we spotted this carved into the end of a fallen tree. Great!

Inspired by the works of Slinkachu (take a look, they’re good!), we decided to add some little people to our house and see how long it took for the children to find them. We set the people up in what was an outside building when the house was built but which is now connected to the house via a conservatory.

Hard to spot…

There they are…

Working hard!

Matt and Fi had a lot of fun searching for them this morning. I’ve a few more models so will set them up somewhere soon and see how long it takes to be spotted.

I have used a home-made veggie filter for my Blagdon Terrace Pond since I’ve had it. It has been faultless with its function and I’d certainly recommend these over commercial units.

Sadly, a plant I added a few years ago turned out to be a huge shrub which would grow taller than the house if I let it. The shrub roots had become pot bound, completely filling the unit and also in strong winds it was unstable and likely to fall over.

In order to replace the filter, I bought a new pot and pond plant pot insert, this time in a dark brown colour. I already had plenty of spare pea shingle and a hose connector. With these, I put together the filter as before. Details Here

Contents of the old filter showing how the roots had filled the unit up completely

My new dark brown container

Drilling the hole for the water inlet

Attach pump hose and add to pond empty

Allow to fill with water and then add the pea shingle

Plants added, but pump not turned on yet

I chose to plant Iris Pseudacorus, a favourite due to its vigorous growth, Caltha Palustris which grows fast and produces lovely yellow flowers each spring. Lychnis Flos-cucli and Primula Beesiana are two plants I’ve also used today which I haven’t planted before. I look forward to seeing the results.

I have replanted the shrub in the garden and it will be watered well, but I’m not sure how well it will do being in soil.

All in all, I’m pleased with the results and look forward to many good years using this filter to get good, clear water in the terrace pond.