Saturday 18 December 2010

More snow

It's been a cold day in the barn today selling Christmas trees and though there are still lots to choose from, we've taken down some of the racks and the barn is beginning to look a little emptier. I haven't chosen my tree yet and the one I had half an eye on was sold this morning so I expect that, as usual, we'll have the Christmas tree that nobody else wanted. The snow started to fall this afternoon and the buildings look very pretty at the moment  with a white dusting.

Friday 10 December 2010

Mistletoe & Christmas in a Box


Despite many attempts to get mistletoe to grow on our trees, we've never been successful and we have none growing anywhere on the farm. Luckily we know someone who has masses and today a big box arrived, which has now been bunched up ready for sale.


We are also selling Christmas in a Box containing a snowflake banner, sweetie, bell, balloon and paper star with room to slip in a Gift Card. For details look at www.daisyleyboxes.co.uk.

It looks set to be a busy weekend for Christmas tree buying so the barn is jam packed with Nordman and Fraser firs, Norway and Blue spruce, wreaths and garlands.

Monday 6 December 2010

Little brown hen

 We had a few problems on Friday when two lorries got stuck in Blackley Lane as they couldn't get up the hill, but the snow was cleared from the road  and though it was still a little slippery, the lorries moved off and the traffic jam disappeared.


There is still snow lying on the fields and along the bridleway, but in the yard it has melted away and the hens have decided it's okay to leave the shelter of the hen house. My little brown hen came out on Friday and rather than walk through the snow she flew onto the roof of the barn, where she perched all day and night looking like a weather vane. The next day she crash landed onto the roof of the greenhouse, then perched in an apple tree until she was frightened off by Morris the dog and spent the rest of the day in a hedge. I have no idea where she spent the next night and day, but when I shut the hens up yesterday evening she was snuggled next to the cockerel on the perch looking none the worse for her adventure. Earlier this year I found a fox in the garden with this same hen in its mouth; faced with a woman shouting and waving her arms as she ran towards it, the fox dropped the hen and ran off and the little brown hen picked herself up and went to sit very quietly in the nesting box for two days. Quite an exciting life for a hen.

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Christmas Trees


Outside, the trees are covered in snow but luckily the trees already lined up in the barn are clean and dry, filling the air with a wonderful smell. This year we have some tiny Picea Conica trees in pots that are ideal for tabletop displays, a wide range of Nordman firs, traditional Norway spruce and some Frazer firs and of course plenty of stands for the trees. Blackley Lane was a little snowy under the bridge this morning, but lots of vehicles have negotiated it without mishap so it's not proving a problem. We open from 9 in the morning until 6 in the evenings Monday to Saturday and on Sunday from 10 until 4.