As 2007 draws to a close, what are our plans for 2008?1. I've signed up for a 9-week beekeeping course run by my local beekeeping association. I'm hoping to supplement what I learned on the 2-day intensive course I attended last spring. Maybe I'll even get a honey harvest from my bees, unlike 2007.
2. We now have a full allotment plot. With any luck the weather in 2008 will be warmer and drier than in 2007, and we can raise a fabulous harvest. Ed wants to grow giant pumpkins on our new section of plot.
3. We've discussed going on holiday to Cornwall this summer. We went down there in 1999 to see the solar eclipse and had a wonderful time. We'd like to take Ed's telescope and view the stars without the light pollution we have here. I want to visit the Eden Centre. Can any Bean Sprouts readers recommend other places to visit and things to do in Cornwall?
4. I'd like to learn a new craft. I have books about hand-made paper and hand-made books. That sounds like a lot of fun.
5. I want to add a regular podcast to this blog. It would be a 20ish minute-long MP3 you could download and listen to at your computer or on your iPod. It would be about the same topics I write about - fruit and vegetable growing, beekeeping, poultry, sustainable living etc. And I'd include interviews with interesting and knowledgeable people. I hope to produce one a month, and see if it is popular.
That's it for plans. I have shedloads of vague ideas (I'd like to mill my own wheat and make a loaf of bread absolutely from scratch) and grand ambitions (I'd like to buy or rent a plot of land and keep some livestock. Goats perhaps, or pigs). And I'm sure lots of interesting things will happen in 2008 that aren't planned or foreseen. But for fixed plans, that's my lot.
What are your plans for 2008?
12 comments:
Hi Mel,
I am a big fan of podcasts and would really look forward to yours. Have you considered doing a video podcast like http://gardenfork.tv/ ? Somehow having the visuals makes everything so much more obvious to the novice like me.
~Tess
Try the St Austell Brewery while you're in Cornwall. Their tours are excellent, although Ozzle itself didn't set my trousers on fire. It's not far from the Eden Project.
It's also easy (and fast & exciting if you fly) to get to the Scillies.
A podcast would be good. I'd subscribe to that. No pressure there then!
(I just took on an allotment a couple of months ago - with a few friends - so 2008 is going to be an exciting time learning new things for me!)
Making paper is a lot of fun. You can do it very simply or make it more complex for amazing results. Planning ahead, handmade paper makes great gifts as stationary, artist paper, or your own collages. I never tried making books but have seen some beautiful ones.
Have fun!
If you are in the St. Austell area and the brewery trip is not your idea of fun, try the Lost Gardens of Heligan..
funny enough I blogged about men-an-tol in Cornwall, today before visiting here. worth a visit
also Mousehole is nice.
The Barbara Hepworth gallery in St Ives is excellent. And while you're at it, try the Tate, too. Both well worth a visit. Just don't drive into town, use the park and ride.
The bird of prey place is fun, the kids loved it - we turned up at the right time to let them have hawks perch on their hands etc...
http://www.cornishbirdsofprey.co.uk/
There's a couple of bee places, one near Wadebridge the other's in Devon http://www.quincehoney.co.uk/
The ferry across the Camel from Padstow is nice - start the other side, go to Padstow and have a nice walk round and a picnic on the headland, let the kids run about on the low-tide landing beach picking crabs then ferry back.
The kids (and we) have had two or three wonderful evenings at
http://www.sterts.co.uk/, but take cushions. Very low key place, not at all posh and very friendly.
There's a tapas bar in Wadebridge called La Mesa - very welcoming to kids and if you avoid eating a meal but just stick to several rounds of tapas it's cheap and offers a lovely varied selection. Good wine, too.
On the way home we've always stopped at The Big Sheep
http://www.thebigsheep.co.uk/
I guess Squid and I will think of some more in a bit. If you'd asked us today we might have remembered some more.
Inky left his wallet - probably in Tom's room - when you get a moment can you shove it in the post?
Ah - just remembered, Daymer Bay - lovely private beach. Being private tends to keep the worst of the riff-raff off because it's £3 a day to park.
Wow. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions, but Skipweasel's contribution was absolutely amazing - with URLs and everything. I'll hunt for Inky's wallet in the morning and post it toot sweet. Don't forget to put your ginger beer plant in the fridge until you're ready to start it.
I would recommend the Lost Gardens of Heligan -- not far from the Eden Project -- and, in a way Eden's ancestor. Tim Smits drove the Heligan restoration which inspired the idea for him getting the Eden Project going.
We also enjoyed the Witch Museum at Boscastle hugely! I wonder if it is still there after all the flooding they've had, since the museum was right in the estuary.
I've been wanting to make my own paper, too. Maybe I'll put it in writing as a goal for 2008. Also, I would love to listen to your podcasts.
My plans for 2008 are growing lots of lovely veggies on my newly dug plot (exchanged for two sheep!)and finally getting some bees in our hives. Yes please to the podcast! Have you listened to the Wiggly Wigglers podcast? (http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/podcasts/index). Having lived in Cornwall for many years I can highly recommend the Helford River valley area for spectaculor scenery.
Happy New Year.
Karen
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