May Bank Holiday - the first of the season' potatoes

The first handful of potatoes - Premiere, living up to their name.
The potatoes are doing their best in spite of a lack of rain. Enough for a meal for us - another week and there will some to sell. So far Vales Emerald and Premier are the clear winners, with Premier a good even size. Best for flavour though were the Red Duke of York babies, snatched from the plants and hardly big enough for a mouthful.

Bank Holiday butterflies - we walked through Painted Lady butterflies in the garden and farm. Usually we see a few, and later in the summer. Must ask the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society for comments on this! http://www.iwnhas.org/

Caterpillars, moths and butterflies

Actually, one butterfly - an orange tip, on the charlock in the vegetable garden, - and the caterpillars of 2 moths, the hairy one wandering in the greenhouse, the other sliding down the side of the plastic trug.
May is the month when some caterpillars emerge from hibernation, ready to eat their way to a suitable size for pupating. As neither has had time to hatch from eggs and grow to this size, both have presumably overwintered. A short spell with the Oxford Book of Insects should mean we can guess which moths they will turn into, assuming the voracious blackbird and blue tits in the garden, haven't already eaten them.

May Day Bank holiday weekend in Yarmouth

Low tide , Yarmouth Green, with the new Wightlink ferry heading for Lymington.
One of Wightlink's new ferries at Yarmouth. The red roof is Yarmouth Castle - surely the only one of Henry VIII's castles against which ferries moor.
Perfect weather for the weekend - and Wightlink's new ferries brought all our visitors on time.



Yarmouth harbour in the weekend sun - the water busier than the roads whilst the bridge is shut for repairs. Could we book this sort of weather for every spring holiday?

Lapwings and predators

There are lapwings in this shot, and in this field too! (Camera with better lens required)
We have 3 pairs of lapwings which return to nest each year in the same fields. This year they are back, and as usual, being harried by sea gulls. Two years ago Steve found a nest and when we went back for a second look, the eggs were just hatching - an amazing privilege to watch.
Exposed as they are on a crop of spring cereal, it's extraordinary that any survive. We see the parents engaged in aerial acrobatics to draw predators away from the nest. Can this be enough to ensure chicks survive?

Fortunately, the fields are away from footpaths but sadly, dog walkers rarely see any need to keep their dogs on leads. Our heifers have suffered from being chased and worried by dogs, resulting in premature labour and lost calves - and they would appear to be better equipped to deal with dogs.

There is an abundance of raptors too. It was great when the first buzzards arrived, but now, with 3 or 4 pairs regularly patrolling the farm, we cant help feeling that some links in the food chain must have altered. The sparrowhawks and kestrels, wonderful to watch and so much more elegant than the buzzards, are presumably keeping the small bird population well in hand, beak and claw. Did the small bird population increase when the small hawks declined after DDT affected their eggs?

Early potatoes

April ended with a couple of heavy showers of rain, enough to soak into the ground and do some good. The potatoes responded, and several varieties of earlies are through.

'Red Duke of York' - a family favourite for its flavour and versatility - showing its red leaves.
'Arran Pilot' showing strongly in rows.

The swallows are back!

Great to see swallows swooping in and out of the barn again. Last year one lonely bird sat on its own for several days but this year the gang has arrived together. With the sun shining and a blue sky, the swallows bring an added lift to lovely days.
Not to be outdone, one of the little owls which breed between 2 barns, appeared in one of the old pear trees, a favourite perch from last year.

Another pleasing sighting - a brimstone butterfly in the back garden. Not endangered, but still not seen every day - see link to butterfly conservation site http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=6

First radishes from the garden too.








http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=6

Primroses and an ant.

A holiday walk - the ant was much more interesting than the primroses.

The old pear trees between the house and Orchard Lee are a mass of bloom, with the younger trees following suit. Although we've chosen varieties grafted onto the largest root stock available commercially, it's doubtful that they'll grow to the size of the old orchard plantings here, which are well on their way to a century old.
Wherever possible, we've planted old and historic varieties of apple, grown for flavour rather than quantity. A Victorian variety, 'Golden Spire' has come into flower for the first time this year and is showing why it was recommended as an ornamental variety.

best potato field ever!

Much pride in the potato ridges - a dry spring allowed for a fine tilth and very splendid rows!
This year's total :25 varieties, including heritage ones such as Peach Bloom, Vitalotte, Burgundy Red, British Queen, Arran Victory.
We are still eating last year's crop - excellent roast Golden Wonder and Bintje for chips, Arran Victory mash and jackets, but some are sprouting so we'll look forward to new potatoes soon!

Now we need rain to save the wheat and barley, and help the vegetables we've planted.

April pleasures!

No sign of April showers as yet - just perfect bright spring days.

Spring barley is starting to germinate, winter wheat looks a bit pale, having struggled through a cold winter with heavy frosts.

The potato ground has been worked down 3 times ready for planting - what a help a dry spring is! Maybe the seed potatoes will go in before Good Friday, the traditional day.
As ever, our main supplier for seed potatoes and vegetables is Edwin Tuckers of Devon- www.edwintucker.com but for the first time we have bought from Carrolls www.heritage-potatoes.co.uk This year we'll be planting 20+ varieties of heritage potatoes, grown for their flavour. One new variety we're now growing for a fifth season, is 'Smile' - bred from Charlotte and as tasty. Puts a smile on children's faces too.

Winter view from Eastern Lee

Winter view towards Yarmouth and the Solent, from the window of the bedroom with the 6ft bed at 'Eastern Lee'.
The view changes as the crops grow and the hedgerows 'green up'. It's always good to see the sea - even though 'Eastern Lee' is the furthest from Yarmouth, it has this view. Visitors who want to eat out in one of the restaurants or pubs in Yarmouth, have either walked the 2 miles or caught a bus. There is a late bus back or taxis from the quay where the ferry arrives in Yarmouth.

As the Island has amongst the lowest levels of light pollution in Britain, our houses here in the West Wight are great for star watching, so arriving back late in the evening has an extra benefit.
Come and admire the sky at night without sodium lights spoiling the view!

Time to fill in any cracks and bring decorations up to scratch at 'Eastern Lee' before people arrive for half term in February. With all the rain we need to check the gutters and drain pipes - and find out where the overflow runs to from the waterbutts. Great for watering the plants in summer, not needed at the moment.

Winter birdlife seen from Orchard Lee and Tudor Lee in the West Wight.

Wet and windy, but a treat in the garden outside Tudor Lee - a goldcrest darting around in the holly. It's only the second time in a year we've seen this tiny bird. The holly bush must have insect life providing food in the depths of winter. The berries went long ago.
Although the cold weather has been harsh for wildlife, it's brought interesting birds -plenty of redwings and fieldfares which have been easily visible from 'Orchard Lee' and 'Tudor Lee'.
The verandah along the front of 'Orchard Lee' provides a fine vantage point from which to watch birds of prey. Kestrels and sparrow hawks regularly patrol the field around the house. Feathers in the grass probably mark where there was one successful kill. The buzzards which nest two fields away make their presence heard as they mew overhead. There do seem to be plenty of raptors - no wonder there are fewer small brown birds.

First snowdrops at 'Tudor Lee', and a rare visitor, a snipe.

January 16th - first snowdrops through outside 'Tudor Lee', joining the hellebores ( Christmas roses and green) , the winterflowering honeysuckle and mahonia ( Charity, I think).
Hard frosts knocked the Christmas roses to the ground each morning, but left them undeterred and blooming prolifically. They were out, unusually, for Christmas. The snowdrops are 3 days earlier than their usual date of January 19th.

From the vantage point of the office in the farmhouse, we were fascinated to see a snipe speed walking and probing the orchard between Lee and 'Orchard Lee'. What a length of beak!
The old orchard supports varied bird life, giving us much pleasure - and wasting lots of time - as we watch little owls, kestrels and sparrow hawks, all also watching the ground below.
Last week, visitors saw our much loved barn owl on 2 consecutive days. Hopefully, the hard weather hasn't killed off too many of the smaller birds and wildlife that are lower down in the raptors' foodchain.

The pheasants who walk past the windows of 'Tudor Lee' each day, have clearly evaded the guns during the shooting season. They haven't much longer to go. No doubt, this summer they will be back to dust bath in our vegetable patch, which is not popular....

For anyone with even a passing interest in birdlife, the Yar Estuary, visible from Jubilee Villa, provides a great spectacle as winter migrants feed there at this time of the year.
There are ravens to be seen off the Needles - www.nationaltrust.org.uk- and at Newtown Nature Reserve, flocks pf waders to delight even those without binoculars.

Excellent bus service with free bus passes for the over 60'

Enjoy the view - Freshwater Bay, served by buses, accessible from our houses.

All of our houses are on bus routes - the West Wight is well served by public transport - and the Isle of Wight Council supports free journeys for over 60s at all times.

You cannot find a service to equal this in many other holiday areas. Here, you can travel by bus anywhere on the Island, enjoy your day out, and then hop on a bus back to our self catering houses.

Let the bus take you where you want, whilst you enjoy the view.

This link will give you all the information about bus times that you need.
http://www.islandbuses.info/routelist.shtml

Footpaths near our houses - and eating out!

Eastern Lee at Wellow (PO41 0TA) is the ideal base from which to explore the Island.

For those exploring on foot, just about 100m away in one direction is an access point for the long distance Hamstead trail towards the north, whilst even nearer, the path leads south towards the Downs and eventually the sea.

Footpaths on the Island are recognised as being amongst the best in the British Isles; here in the West Wight, all our houses are within 250m of a footpath - you'll be spoiled for choice.

So too, with locally produced food - always an important part of the holiday experience. The Island has many places to buy local food, from the Farmers Market on a Friday, through small local shops and stalls at the end of the lane.

We are off to try out the food from the new chef/owner of the Hambrough Restaurant this weekend. His many awards give us high expectations.
The link below will give you an idea of what to expect
http://www.thehambrough.com/

We can always quote you for your ferry costs, but do not forget to check out Wightlink's own website first for any special offers.

http://www.wightlinkferries.com/

Winter sunshine

Old Freshwater and the River Yar - an easy walk along the old railway line, about a mile, from Jubilee Villa in Yarmouth. There's the Red Lion pub for lunch, just opposite the church, and if necessary a bus back from the bottom of Hooke Hill. - named after an earlier resident, Robert Hooke.

We can offer weekend breaks at bargain prices between now and Easter.
Come and enjoy one of our warm houses, perhaps experience geothermal heating or a woodburner, the milder climate and relaxed days in winter and spring.

Booking Now
We are rapidly filling up summer holiday weeks. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Remember that the Isle of Wight has the best maintained network of footpaths in the UK
Do not forget the Isle of Wight Walking Festival 9-24 May can be found at the following link
http://www.iwight.com/home/news/2008/may/walking_festival/default.asp

Eastern Lee is close to the Hampstead Trail and Jubilee villa in Yarmouth is close to the River Yar walks to Freshwater

geothermal heating copes with sub zero weather

Our geothermal heating systems rose magnificently to their first major challenges - providing toasty warm houses for holidays during the Christmas and New Year sub zero temperatures.

The underfloor heating in 'Orchard Lee' provides an easy, very pleasant heat with the added attraction of a warm floor for thawing frozen toes after a long walk. The bathrooms have double quantities of underfloor heating loops - everyone hates a cold bathroom, dont they?
Although it seems counterintuitive to drop damp towels on the floor, it's where they dry best!

The heating is so efficient that, although people taking a winter break ask for wood for the Jotul woodburning stove, it hasn't been used since early autumn as the living room gets too hot. We're finding that setting the system at 23 degrees allows people to operate happily in tee shirts even when it's frosty outside. Although it's not a system which responds instantly, like the hideously expensive gas, 8 hours allows it to come up to full warmth, giving enough hot water to cope with large parties of 10 in the house.

It's great for us to hear people who've stayed at 'Orchard Lee' for a winter weekend, say they've been warmer than at home, and nice to see coffee being drunk on the verandah in the winter. After all, the views over the fields are spectacular and the winter bird-watching varied and interesting, even if a long country walk isn't called for.