Cob Shed Floor

What a day it has been!

There seemed to be so many people at the garden and farm today, 

all with their own jobs.

The lambing continues and Gemma and James were there to help. They have one of the watches tonight. I hope it`s not too cold for them.

Earlier in the week Day was helping with the lambs and she has been there today.

In this picture she is painting tar on the necks of the new lambs before they go into the field. The tar discourages foxes from killing the young.

In the meantime Lyn and Gary were busy making a home for the newest additions to the zoo.....

William and Harry, the ferrets. Lyn keeps her horses at the farm and I can hardly believe this is the first time I have met her or Gary.

Anyway Gary was making a great job with the "palace" and it was good to see wood being recycled.

Later we were introduced to the ferrets.

They had a very distinct smell, almost sweet and they were VERY agile and muscular.

Such beautiful colours too.

An added attraction to the farm.

All the scarecrows are out now, after a few repairs to the posts.

The owl yurt was going up with a lot of Tim and Anne`s family to help.

It is looking smart with its new cover, blending well into the surrounding area.

The cycle of life continues in the polytunnel with mating beetles and a dead little woodmouse.

 

We emptied the cob shed of all its tools and paraphanelia in preparation for the new flooring.

It will be temporarily stored in the polytunnel.

 

Thanks to Alan Cooke, a local builder Roy, brought us three loads of clay to begin the cob shed floor. The ground was soft at the far entrance so we found ourselves alternately digging out, pushing and putting old carpet under the wheels.

But it was all OK in the end and we have a huge pile of a perfect mix of stones, clay and sand.

We immediately began wheel barrowing it to the cob shed in its dry form and tamping it down.

Gemma was a good sport and helped us.

And Paula cycled down to help as well.

It was great to feel earth under our feet instead of the unstable broken tiles

(the old bathroom and kitchen tiles from our house.)

I wonder if anyone will find them in 100 years and ask where they came from.

I didn`t mind getting the clay, but I did not enjoy tamping down.

It was jolly hard work and we were ready to come home by 2.30. It was a very cold day.

As Paula said, a week ago I was wondering where the clay was coming from and whether we would be getting on with the floor soon and now here we are with it all well under way.

A very satisfying day.