Another lovely sunny day, once the frost melted. Headed down to the plot intending to catch up on the digging but there had been a delivery of wood chippings.

When I was first on the site we had that many wood chippings being delivered that I was composting them to clear them. Now they seem to be delivered less often and there are more people using them as they’re great for making paths and raised beds are more popular. So, first come first served is the rule and I missed out on the last lot. Not this time - back and forth with the barrow all afternoon. I’ve now got the path down plot 5 re-covered and between the new raised beds. Andy and Gianni were on the site as well, between us the mountain became a molehill by dusk.

What I really like about them as a path material is that they do rot down so if you change things about, unlike a fixed path, these have improved the soil. I must admit that by the time I got home I’d aged about 50 years. The shoulders seemed to have been replaced with iron bars. Oh well, job done for a year.

Val has some bargain double cream, 600ml reduced to 29p so I’ll be converting that into butter (see making butter for how). Frugal living and it’s better than most of the shop bought stuff. I think it would be a bit of a job without a food processor, we do get our money’s worth from that gadget.

Talking, vaguely, of food. I’ve just finished reading Greg Wallace’s A Cooks Year. It’s rather good if a little too many pretty pictures for me. I’ve popped a review onto it in cooking and preserving books.

While I’m on the subject of books, Katie Thear, who has written more books on poultry keeping and self sufficiency than you’d believe has just written her first novel. I usually stick with science fiction or non fiction but I’m making an exception here. You can find out more on her web site - Hearing the Grass Grow

National Vegetable Society meeting tonight (Tuesday) at the Hop Pole in Crewe at 7.30pm. Dave Hampsey is coming to give us a talk, it’s free and fun if you’re around you’ll be welcome.