The Poles Are Too Short!

Had a bit of a disaster day... We started to put up the reciprocal roof. I stood on some scaffolding (real, not straw bales) and put the posts in place as R passed them up to me. I was really nervous at first as I wasn't sure if the 'Charlie' Stick was strong enough....
Anyway, the stick was fine, but the poles are too short! Oh no... HUGE disappointment for me. The Charlie stick was too high, also, so the 'eye' of the roof was getting out of kilter. Still we now know a bit more. I am manically looking for new poles, possibly chestnut. They need to be at least four meters long.

It's quite high up here, and what if all the poles suddenly decide to fall? That was what kept going through my head. But after a while it felt ok. I guess the more times you do it, the better you get at it.

But al least all the wall is done, structurally, and now just the plastering, which I really enjoy. The plaster made with liquid cow manure and sieved earth goes on a treat and has a great finish. The smell soon dissipates and having been brought up on a farm I don't find it unpleasant.

This is a photo of the last 'burito' of the cob mix - a barrow load of earth mixed with straw and water on a sheet of plastic with my wellies.

We had our first sweetcorn this evening. Yum! The garden is doing fine with lots of mulch and lots of water. The fruit trees are really perking up with the bucket drip system in place.  So, pray for poles!