Another step forward

finally today we bought 3 litres of milk direct from our nearest farmer. We bought some glass bottles to transport it in which can be washed and reused. We are paying €1 per litre and it all goes to our farmer. This is raw milk fresh from the cows so it may take a while for our insides to get used to it. I will soon begin making butter and cheese. I already make yogurt so will use this milk in future. It is a very informal arrangement...we just turn up at 6pm with our bottles and money and they are filled. This fits very well with my green ethos!
On the duckling front we have five out on the pond doing well. I have one foster duck who hatched after the others and mum had left the nest to look after the ones already hatched. I found the egg with a small crack and it was cold. So I brought it in under the broody lamp. The duckling was very weak so I slowly broke away the shell so that it could breath. I left it in the broody box overnight. In the morning it was still attached to the remaining bit of shell by the umbilical cord. This usually dries up as the yolk sac is absorbed. The yolk had gone and the shell was hampering the duckling. It's head was down and it was not moving much. At this point I was sure it would die. So, I cut the cord! It bled a little but from that moment the duckling got going. We are now on day 3 and it is feeding well and running around the broody box. It has grown too so hopefully it will now survive. I will keep it with me until big enough to fend for itself with the other ducks. I have lost two ducklings and do not want to lose any more.
I have invested in a book about building backyard farmer things. I am waiting for it to arrive. I want to make a new duck house. I am not sure whether I am capable of doing it but will give it a go. I am hoping to get more ideas from the book.
We have a system here called amap. A farmer sets up a shop on the farm and invites other local farmers to join. There is a day each week when the public can visit the designated farm to buy produce direct from the farmers. At the moment we do not have one near us but it is a growing scheme. I will ask our farmer we buy milk from if he would consider doing it. He is working towards organic status so may well be interested. At some point I will produce more myself but it will take a while to build up to enough for all of us. I want to keep my food as local as possible. Next month we will receive the lamb we ordered that comes from a farm within our village. That will be the meat for the carnivores for several months.
I have recently converted P to eating my home made marmalade and he has realized he loves it. So no more Nutella or peanut butter. I sorted out my freezer today ready for the lamb and discovered loads more fruit. So another big jam making session is on the horizon.
In the future, once the bread oven is renovated we plan to create a bar. I will put out the things I make for our guests to buy to give a bit of money towards my projects! We have asked guests about this and many have said they would buy stuff. I put my jam, soap and bath bombs in the welcome pack, along with other things.
Today Gertie goose was in the tractor tyre pond. I hope this means it will be used now.
We had some old friends here recently and he is an architect. He suggested we use some of the hot water created by the solar tubes to run under floor heating in our lounge. Like the idea. When we get around to it that is what we will do. The dogs will love it!
Daughter has still not exchanged which is very frustrating. She cannot get a van on the ferry before 5th September anyway which makes the wait a bit easier.