A Story and a Thank you!

[veggiechicken]

Clearing the middle bit - 10th April

Had a good day in the middle part of the garden - imagine a roundabout full of brambles and a solitary old apple tree.
As it was:
And now
Note the pile of brambles to the right of the tree (last photo). Its been one of those days when the soil has been just right for digging out brambles - dry and soft. So satisfying when the roots run and run in all directions, but pull out cleanly. Even the nettles were coming out easily. Lots more to do there. Its raining now so the soil may not be as kind to me tomorrow.

[Scarlet]

Well done, that's hard going. I turned my back on the weeds this afternoon and pottered around with some seeds instead.

[Mikey]

I didnt think you had to keep a cob oven dry.....anyway, try cow poo mixed with mud, it'll bake to a nice consistency....

Remind me never to have a pizza with you taff, they'd probably taste a bit she-eight.

It has to remain dry, because to create a fully hard cast earth oven you need to bake it at around 1000 degree celcius, at the very best you won't get a pizza oven over 600-700 degrees so it never quite fully hardens. Hence when it rains it becomes brittle if left uncovered. So I'm looking to overcome this by covering the outer layer with unglazed mosaic tiles. These allow the cob to breathe, and aslong as I keep them sealed with an impregnator they'll keep the rain off too.

[Mikey]

I'm off to a river cottage course on building clay ovens mikey, so you never know I might actually learn something and be able to relay some info on..

I reckon Mikey and myself could make a dent in those brambles - I'm very close to getting downstairs sorted in my house, so see if you can book us both in at the same time

I found a guy doing a cob oven course just outside of Monmouth which is half the price of the river cottage course. There isn't much he doesn't know about them.

Clay oven building courses

If you've got chocolate hobnobs I work much harder....

[julesapple]

Well done, VC, you can see the bones of the garden coming through now. Ne careful if it gets slippery tomorrow - we've gone from mizzle to pouring down now.

I'd love an outdoor over - pizza in the summer and Kleftico or Afelia in the Winter. Mmmmmmm........

[Tripmeup]

Looking good VC... that drink in the GR is getting closer..

[veggiechicken]

Looking good VC... that drink in the GR is getting closer..

So's Chr***mas

[lettucegrow!]

Wow, quite a project but good to hear you're ready to re claim your space. Will be reading with interest. Good luck!

[Potstubsdustbins]

KNOCK KNOCK.

Seeing as its the weekend.

Potty

[veggiechicken]

Rain stopped play - Potty! In fact I'm supposed to be at a party 75 miles away - but the weather is so atrocious I "chickened" out
I have been sowing lots of seeds though to plant in the space-to-be
Thanks for "nagging"

[Mikey]

Hallo, hows it going VC, are you in the warm on this seasonally cold and windy morn?

[veggiechicken]

Still breezy here in the west, rain's stopped and a little bit of blue sky - heading back to the jungle later! I'll wave to you as I drive past

[veggiechicken]

Had a few hours clearing the jungle today, digging up brambles and pulling up ivy. Two small but clear patches of soil are now home to 56 white onion sets. They'll hate the shade but its there or nowhere
The sun was shining on Cardiff as I finished so here is the view from the almost cleared "patio" With the eye of faith you can see the Millenium Stadium in the centre

[WendyC]

Wow what a view.

[Feral007]

Awesome job, VC. Lovely view as well.

I should probably go outside and start on some of mine