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Whew! Marathon effort this week! Polytunnel is up and planted and three raised beds have been thoroughly weeded and planted. It is major effort to do the daily watering as I have  to get from the kitchen and carry it to the veg garden. The watering is very important in the early days whilst everything is growing roots and shoots. I have a big greenhouse frame that we found free in England years ago. Some of the glass was broken brining it over and is nigh on impossible to find here. We put down a concrete slab for it to stand on and there is where it has say for years! The plan now is to turn it into a large shed. I will put a potting bench in and store the tools in it needed to care for the veg patch. We need to decide what we will use for the roof and walls. I favor a tin roof but not sure what to use for the walls. I need to do some research. It would be good if we could upcycle something but it needs to be inexpensive if we buy something. It need to be strong enough to take guttering as I want to put a water butt on each corner. This will mean I have access to water on site added to which it is good to collect free rain water! Talking of which we have had nothing for weeks. Just when I most need help with watering the veg
I am keeping a close eye on the bees expecting them to swarm any day. The second hive is ready and waiting. I think this next week one sunny day I will check the current hive again as I think they may need another super putting on. It is possible we could take an early crop of honey.
All the roses I have planted are growing fast! My rambler round the front door already needs tying up! The wisteria across the front of our house is in flower and looks beautiful. The Virginia creeper across the front of the Gites is growing well and the grape vine has lots of tiny grapes!
We put the flea and tick collars on the dogs yesterday. They stay on until autumn. Little Frank had yet another tick which I know hurt when I removed it. Hopefully now with the collars no more will survive. He is small and long haired so picks them up easily and they are difficult to find. I regularly check the outdoor cats too. There are so many different aspects to being self sufficient!
I am working on getting to a cheese making course. It will mean going back to England for it but that is fine. I really want to add this to our make it yourself list but feel I would benefit from a course.  We can source a ready supply of raw cows milk and I still plan to one day have goats. The less I have to buy from the supermarket the better!
As ever lots of plans and ideas.