Hen CORNER

As I am writing, our 27 chickens are still on ‘Flockdown’, the legal requirement to keep them housed to protect them from Avian Flu and probably the reason that eggs have sometimes been a bit sparse in the supermarket.

Last year they were allowed their free-range freedoms at the beginning of May and they are certainly looking forward to feeling the sun on their backs again.

It is lovely to see them pottering around the garden, pecking at the grass and scratching in the borders for worms, and it is especially good fun when we have young course guests here to feed them corn and collect their eggs - Who can resist the opportunity to hug a hen?

We have many events for families over the next couple of months; between Easter, Half Term and the multiple May Bank Holidays, families can squeeze spaghetti, bake buns, handle honeybees and cuddle chickens.

Our weekly micro bakery continues to bake bread, buns, bagels and babkas every Friday and to mark the Coronation, we will be offering our ever popular Apricot Couronne as a top treat for the weekend celebrations.

With the bee-keeping season fully underway, I shall be inspecting each colony on a weekly basis to check that all is well, they are healthy and thriving, and to ensure that each hive has enough space to store this year’s honey harvest.

No doubt I will also be called out to collect rogue swarms of honey bees throughout the local area, safely removing them from public spaces and rehoming them where I can care for them.

As we approach summer, we will be celebrating the launch of my book Living the Good Life in the City: A Journey to Self-Sufficiency and plan to be out and about at as many events as possible - if you see me near you, do say hello!

4th April

Easter at Hen Corner

8th April

Full Day Bee Keeping

12th April & 13th May

Urban Hens - Keeping Chickens in London

24th May

Bees for Children31st May

All courses, virtual & face to face, can be found at HenCorner.com