Chickens!

 I collected three hybrid layers a couple of weeks ago.  They have settled down really quickly and started laying beautiful eggs almost straight away.  They are calm and curious and they don't seem to mind Daisy poking her nose at them from time to time.

 This Eglu chicken coop is really easy to use and easy to clean too.

 Ta Dah!

 Early this Summer I hung a pheromone lure in my apple trees, but unfortunately it didn't work as well as I had hoped.  Many of the apples still have maggots inside them.  I'm certain I put the lure up at the right time, but maybe the Summer was just a really good year for the fruit moth, or these trees were already so badly infested it will take a bit more work. 
So I bought a sticky grease band to wrap around the trunk of the tree.

Winter moths climb up the trunk of the tree ready to lay their eggs next Spring in the developing apples.  So maybe this, plus another pheromone lure next year might do the trick!   The sticky band might even catch something bigger..... I hope not.... but you never know!

Exciting news!  I bought a Peach tree for my new house.   I have a lovely South facing dry wall at the front of my house, so this espalier pruned Redhaven Peach should do well here.  This variety has some resistance to peach leaf curl, but this wall is very dry anyway so fingers crossed.

Hot Stuff!

 I've been picking chillis nearly every day now.  Wait until they are fully red and then harvest them.  This will enable unripe chillis on the plant to develop. Don't leave them on the plant when they are ready to be picked, you will inhibit the ripening of the others.

 So these Transylvanian Targu Mures chillis are on a plate in my airing cupboard. 

 Same here with these Joe's Long Cayenne chillis. Drying slowly in a warm cupboard.

 Meanwhile back on the plot, these Physalis are beginning to ripen.  Hanging underneath the branches these plants look really lush and healthy.

 I planted two plants here next to each other, they need a partner for good pollination.

And here they are!  Really lovely, sweet fruit.  I can highly recommend giving them a go.