Cockerell trying to look smart!

Here he is - a very smart looking chap - a Rhode Island Red - he fluffs up his plummage every morning to show off to the girls and tries to pounce on one or two as they come out of the hen house. Don't think he's had a lot of success yet!

Cattle in the snow

Our Dexters are mostly back at the farm staying in the barn at night and then going out during the day to soak up some rays. Some even seem to prefer to stay outside at night and you can see frost on their backs in the morning - showing just how effective their coats are at keeping them warm.

We have plenty of feed for them but keeping the water flowing is quite a challenge - I usually manage to get it going by about 3pm in the afternoon.

Uncllys in the snow

Taken 7th January 2010 - that night it got down to -9.5C!!

Inside the studio

Here you can get an idea of what it's like inside - decorated for James' 21st birthday party on 19th December. The owl was kindly lent by the Forestry Commission's Discovery Centre (thanks Liz!)

The new Ruskin Studio - less scaffolding

Looking good once we had taken down the scaffolding and got the PV panels (they generate our electricity) back in place.

With the roof being steeper (50 degrees) and higher we should be able to capture more sunlight.

On the left side of the roof you can see the two manifolds for the solar hot water system - the evacuated tubes will be fitted once all the plumbing is done.

HLF visit

All the many different Heritage Lottery Funded projects from around the UK came together in Wyre to see what the Grow With Wyre landscape partnership is achieving.

On their field visit they passed by the pigs to see the work they are doing clearing the bracken.

The rafters are up!

This is a view on the first floor looking to the south east with all the rafters in place. During this project I've had to learn a whole new vocabulary - so these are rafters and the horizontal beams they sit on are purlins. The one at the apex is known as the ridge purlin.

Next on will be sheets of birch plywood.