Easter is a lovely time on the smallholding, especially if the weather is kind. As Easter falls early this year, I am preparing for the best but expecting the worst.

My grandchildren visit during the school holidays, and I love to make it really special for them, so the decorations will be up and the Easter egg hunt will take place, hopefully outdoors. However, if it rains, there are plenty of spots to hide eggs indoors—as long as the dogs don’t sniff them out! The hens have begun laying again just in time for some Easter baking with my granddaughters, and there is nothing better than a freshly laid egg for breakfast. The children enjoy collecting the eggs, and the wonder on their faces each time they spot one never wanes.

The smallholding starts to really come alive at Easter as signs of spring become obvious. My small flock of Valais blacknose sheep are scheduled to be sheared on 9 April, and they definitely look ready. Their fleeces are thick and heavy, and the sheep seem uncomfortable now that the sun has begun to appear after the long, dull, wet days we have recently experienced. While the sheep are being shorn, I like to give them their annual Heptavac vaccination. The vaccination protects sheep against major diseases and keeps them healthy. It makes sense to carry out routine procedures like this when the sheep are rounded up and easier to handle.

The wildlife pond is beginning to come alive again, with reeds and irises growing around it, providing a safe haven for ducks and moorhens. We have a plentiful supply of toad spawn once more, and it is truly wonderful to see nature at its best. Easter is a lovely time for the arrival of lambs, chicks, and kids, and while I won’t be welcoming any young animals to the smallholding this year, I have some very happy memories of my lambing experiences. It is, however, important to remember that, no matter how cute and adorable these tiny bundles of wool are, they are costly to keep and need plenty of space. I have now reached the point where I am happy to watch other people’s lambs in the fields, as enlarging my own flock isn’t feasible with the limited land available.

I am eager to get the garden ready for Easter, especially as we've seen more sunshine recently, which encourages me even more. However, I must remind myself of the costly mistakes I’ve made in the past when, wanting to plant in time for Easter, I planted vulnerable plants too early and watched them perish in late frosts. It’s quite common to see snow in April here in North Yorkshire, so, despite my desire for everything to look lovely for visiting family, the planters and pots will have to stay empty a little longer.

I continue to feed the birds a variety of seeds, nuts, and mealworms, and love watching the astonishing number of visitors, including finches, robins, sparrows, blue tits, great tits, and woodpeckers.

As the weather warms, I watch for hedgehogs emerging from their winter hibernation. Once I notice signs of these charming little mammals in the garden, I will begin leaving out food and water to support them, as they will wake up hungry and thirsty after losing up to a third of their body weight during the long months of hibernation. Newly emerged hedgehogs will be temporarily slow and vulnerable to predators, so it’s essential they have a safe place to retreat to, and I have several on my property.

So, Easter for me will be all about family, and our home will be full of laughter and Easter eggs! However you choose to spend Easter, I wish everyone a very happy, enjoyable weekend.

You can find Allison on Instagram countryliving_writer or visit her website here