This Farming Life - May

This month I have been very busy planting up the Castlefarm garden and polytunnel. My onions sown last month are now clearly visible in organised green lines. Now that I can see them I can hoe the onion bed before the weeds take hold. As an organic farm we cannot use weed killer or chemicals. I find the best method of keeping down weeds is literally spending 5-10 minutes each day hoeing.

I have planted half my tomato, pepper, cucumber and courgette plants in the polytunnel. Even at this late stage there is still a risk of frost, so as soon as these plants are thriving I will plant the remainder. We are enjoying salad leaves, herbs, rhubarb and spinach from the garden. I use nettle fertilizer as an organic nutrient to feed the plants.

We have been welcoming lots of school tours on the farm. Castlefarm caters for all types of group tours from national schools to transition year students. The children really enjoy the day out learning, walking and meeting the animals. With so many baby animals around at this time of year its a particularly interesting time.

Our pigs have literally doubled in size and are getting stronger and more boisterous by the day. I have to feed them over the fence for fear of being knocked down, or nibbled on.

I am very proud that 177 of my 180 chicks have survived to date. There will be more casualties but they are healthy and strong. They have wings now and are starting to perch. Now they need less heat from the infra red lamps and more room to scratch about. I am feeding them ad lib and they are eating nearly 10kg of organic chick crumb per day.

For the past month we have had a major fox problem. Foxes have taken about 15 hens to date. They are getting more brazen and have even taken come into our back garden to take some of our more unusual, pretty black and white leghorns. It may sound cruel to some, but the only way of keeping our hens safe is to ask members of our local gun club to spend a few nights patrolling the farm.


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Castlefarm Shop is located outside Narraghmore, Athy, Co Kildare and this May will open 10am-6pm on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th.

Castlefarm Shop opens the last Friday and Saturday of each month from 10am until 6pm. To receive our newsletter, news of new products & cooking tips by email please contact Castlefarm Shop, Narraghmore, Athy, Co Kildare, Telephone 087 678 5269, Email jenny@castlefarmshop.ie, log onto www.castlefarmshop.ie or telephone +353 (0)59 863 6948

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