Hello from Whitestone - ivy 'n' bramble capital of the world

[Chants Cottage]

Hello everyone. My name is Sarah and me and my family have recently moved into a crumbly cottage half way up a hill a few miles from Exeter. We have some land and some outbuildings and lots of the aforementioned pernicious plantage. We have a 'pond' which is full of nothing but mud at the moment and we would like to use some of the land to grow a forest garden. I am a novice veg gardener, and we are also trying our hand at home made booze. As well as growing stuff, I love cooking and eating. I also knit and crochet now and then. The ultimate aim is self sufficiency. At the moment this extends to eggs thanks to our four lady chickens. And ivy and brambles. We'll never have to buy any ivy or brambles ever again.

We've moved from Lancaster where we had a teeny tiny garden where for one year only I grew stuff in pots and a bijou raised bed built from a disused outdoor privy (the walls, not the actual pan, you understand. Though actually...). I found it totally addictive even though I wasn't very good at it (my pumpkin plants looked fit to take over the world. Number of pumpkins yielded? Zero.) I am hoping our enthusiasm will keep up with the task at hand here, and when I say task I mean gargantuan Herculean trial... Yikes. In a good way.

Bye for now... back soon no doubt.

Sarah

[baldybloke]

Hi and welcome to the site. It looks as if you have your work cut out down there in Devon.

[merlin]

Hi, keep us informed, sounds like you are in your element!

[bill1953]

Hi Sarah your place sounds nice

[Chants Cottage]

Hello all and thanks for your lovely welcome! Yep, we've certainly got enough to be getting on with... so I thought I'd hit it all square on and clear a few piffling flower beds of, you've guessed it, ivy and brambles... But from small acorns mighty oak trees grow. And don't I know it. We've got about 6 million tiny oak trees and every trowelful dug seems to produce a sprouting acorn. All good though, especially when the sun shines - T shirt sleeves for the first time this year today - hurrah!

[JuzaMum]

Hi Sarah

Bramble jams and jellies are good:).
I have grown flowers in an old toilet once when my rented 'garden' consisted of concrete. Looked quite nice once they were all trailing and you could no longer make out the pan!
welcome to Ish

JuzaMum

[Dr.Syn]

Hi Sarah
Welcome to the forum. Don't be afraid to ask anything, someone here will help.

[Green Aura]

Hi Sarah, welcome to Ish

[Milims]

Hi there and welcome

[Millymollymandy]

Hi and welcome from someone else who is self sufficient in ivy and brambles.....

[MuddyWitch]

Welcome to ISH

I'm only EVER-SO jealous of your t-shirt weather; our day-time 'high' was zero today!

You place looks beautiful too....come to think of it I'm just jealous of you generally!

MW

[Chants Cottage]

Thank you for your kind covetous words, MuddyWitch!! I think I was being a bit over optimistic with the t-shirt. My jumper was back on after 10 mins. It is a great place but on the other hand it will take us approximately 423 years to get it in order. Just as well I'm used to general disorder...

[bonniethomas06]

Hi Sarah, saw this and realised I hadn't said hello, although we have already said hello in blogland. But hello anyway - I am looking forward to seeing how things progress and to persuading you to get yourself some hogs!!

[Chants Cottage]

Well, I really think it is a case of not if but when re: piggywigs. I wanted some as soon as we moved in but I was dissuaded. May have been for the best as it really would have been a mudbath around here if we had. Bad enough with me other half joyriding his newly acquired battered old pickup through the fields given the least excuse. Got to get me fencing sorted first though... As you said on your lovely blog Bonnie, FENCING FENCING FENCING!!!