The Compost Bin

Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically, which we share with Chickens, Cats, Guinea Pigs and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I work as an environmental educator, writer and Forest School leader at Moors Wood . I am a Master Composter and spent 10 years as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council. I offer talks and run workshops and events where we talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. We also make crafts and have fun.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun. To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!

Monday, 1 August 2016

Catchup!

Hello!

After a very long time where I have been very busy with all sorts of exciting stuff, then was unable to get into this blog to post the posts I had written about any of it - finally I am back!

But a very quick visit just to let you all know all is well.

So, what have I been up to?

The family are all well.

The cats are all well.

I am good and very busy with work :)

The chickens - I now only have 3 big hens ( Snowflake, Aggie and Ginger) but the four Serama chicklets are doing very well and are now 8 weeks old today :)

The veg garden is not doing very well, a combination of too wet/too dry/too cold/too warm at the wrong times has seen it all looking a bit sad this year. Apart from the polytunnel which is very productive, if a few weeks later than usual.

I have been working a lot which is great, doing Repair Cafes, writing funding bids for an exciting project, giving talks, going to shows and festivals with my craft workshops and chickens and running workshops on all sorts of things. Lots of chickens, growing and compost involved!

I can't update more at the moment as I am about to go off (literally, I am posting this just before leaving with a loaded car) for a week camping and working at Green Gathering. I will be doing workshops on composting and chicken keeping in the Permaculture area, so come and say hello if you are going :)

I will post some of the backlog of posts when I get back :)

Sunday, 29 May 2016

Back to Archery

After a very long lay off due to injury I re started Archery again recently, with lighter poundage limbs and less stiff arrows. Tonight I finally tried my previous set up with my previous poundage limbs and my lovely arrows :)

And this was the result :)

No pain, either, which is good

Monday, 23 May 2016

Serama Chicks :)

Pearl has hatched four chicks :) One embryo died in the shell and another egg was infertile, but 4/6 is not bad :)

I think the black two are cockerels and the blonder ones are pullets.

Sunday, 15 May 2016

2 days training as an Orchard Champion

I have just finished a fantastic weekend of 2 days training as an Orchard Champion at Worcester Woods Country park venue, training provided by TCTOP's Karen Humphries and Garden Organic's Alexandra Heelis. Really really great weekend. So good to connect up with some lovely people and I can't wait to start promoting the value of traditional orchards to the public and to landowners in particular :)