I started the New year the right way – went to the allotment to empty my kitchen scraps and also to check that everything is in order. It was great to be back, the morning was lovely, blue skies and sunshine. It felt almost spring-like but I’m being realistic, the frost will return and I’m not looking forward to it.

All the same, I managed to do a bit of work, gathered the leaves on my path and put them in one of the composter bins and pulled out some parsnips, carrots and leeks, we’ll have lovely chunky vegetable soup. The ground is beginning to dry out so if we don’t have any rain in the next few days I’ll be able to continue weeding the fruit cage. Bad weather before Christmas stopped play.

This honeysuckle plant was in my Mum’s garden and after she died I moved it to the farm. It seems to like the new position, it is starting to climb around the post on the shed veranda.

Everything else seems fine so from now on it’ll be a bit of work every day. I’m sure I’ll get there.

It’ll be the turn of the raspberries, they need thinning and also cutting out the old fruited canes.