April showers? Alas not!
It has been a long cold spring in the garden and it's now desperate for rain! We've just finished our first SS course of the year (and...
top of page
The John Seymour School
for Self-Sufficiency
Search
wllmsutherland
Mar 31, 20223 min read
March Days
We have passed the spring equinox now and the pace in the garden is slowly picking up. There is still tidying to be done and, while the...
wllmsutherland
Mar 4, 20221 min read
Early sowings
Suddenly we seem to have reached March! The artichokes are doing what artichokes do but, more exciting, we have new blossom on the...
wllmsutherland
Feb 9, 20222 min read
OUR RESIDENTIAL COURSES IN 2022
**UPDATE 31st Mar 2022** - The April course has been slow to fill up, so we are now offering the remaining spaces at a discount of 20%...
wllmsutherland
Feb 9, 20221 min read
The Great Christmas Carbon Fest
It's a big warm job for cold Christmas weather – emptying and spreading the year's supply of lovely compost. The first step is to peel...
wllmsutherland
Jan 10, 20221 min read
Year-end Garden - December 2021
Yes, it's winter in the garden and the rain is still lashing down outside my window. Dry cold weather will come – I know – and then it...
wllmsutherland
Dec 15, 20211 min read
In the garden - winter
Huge waves are crashing onto the rocks as the freezing sleet whips past in the winter gale. Yes, it is indeed “winter”. The garden is...
wllmsutherland
Nov 7, 20212 min read
Winter is almost here! November
The winter is coming and things are quiet in the garden but there is still lots of good food to be harvested. It's November and the...
wllmsutherland
Oct 15, 20211 min read
Winter approaches - September
Our harvesting continues as winter approaches. There is a profusion of plums, apples and raspberries whilst the carrots were...
wllmsutherland
Sep 6, 20212 min read
Summer's end - late August
In the garden, the twin activities of harvesting and tidying up continue. After several rounds of harvesting, the peas and French beans...
wllmsutherland
Aug 1, 20212 min read
Self-Sufficiency Community News
Composting Our plan to provide 2 new “proper” composting bins to take food waste from the village school is progress well. We have...
wllmsutherland
Aug 1, 20212 min read
Our Summer Garden 'Jungle' - late July
It's almost impossible to believe how the rush of summer growth turns bare soil into something more like very productive “jungle”! We are...
wllmsutherland
Jul 2, 20213 min read
A Garden in Full Bloom
What's to say about a garden in full bloom? Yes, we had a hard spell of very dry cool weather but deep soil and good shelter gave our...
Will Sutherland
May 30, 20212 min read
It's growing in the garden!
Yes, the garden is growing and the sun is shining. The harvesting of wonderful salad has taken over from the cutting of succulent...
Will Sutherland
May 1, 20213 min read
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SPRING?
It seems that the mysteries of global warming have brought us the driest and coldest April for 50 years – and the plants have hated it....
Will Sutherland
Apr 3, 20213 min read
April in the garden
This month my dear old little workhorse rotavator has been busy again, preparing beds for spring planting and knocking the emerging “City...
Will Sutherland
Feb 28, 20212 min read
It's March already in the garden
It is March already; dry weather at last and cultivating has begun. It took me just a couple of pleasant hours to weed and rotavate 3 of...
Will Sutherland
Feb 8, 20212 min read
While the garden sleeps, the workshop comes alive!
The Garden Very quiet in the winter garden. The curly kale is a healthy and very tasty winter green and the sprouting broccoli is waiting...
Will Sutherland
Jan 16, 20211 min read
The Garden Sleeps and one way to break down the blues: Music Outdoor!
In the garden the soil is resting now as we potter about when the weather is dry. I was able to spread the compost on a lovely bright...
Will Sutherland
Dec 12, 20202 min read
The Glorious Compost Heap!
Each time I open up the mature compost heap (12 months of green material) the excitement is like receiving a rather special Christmas...
bottom of page