22.4.39.

Cold & windy, with some sunny intervals & a few spots of rain.
Flag irises budding. Some apple blossom full out.
Planted early potatoes (Eclipse, about 10lb.)
Procured two broody hens, but not putting them on the eggs till tomorrow, to make certain.
Paid for hens 3/6 each.
Water hens on the pond evidently have a nest.
Twelve[1] eggs.

[NEWSPAPER CUTTING]

IN THE KITCHEN
NETTLES HAVE THEIR USES
NETTLE, unwanted in the orchard or yard, can with great benefit be transferred to the kitchen, where they provide nature’s remedy for removing winter spots and blemishes from the skin.
AS A VEGETABLE
Choose only young nettles; these should be thoroughly washed, then boiled, strained and chopped like spinach. They are a good vegetable and excellent blood purifier.
NETTLE BEER
Thoroughly wash a peck of nettle tops and boil them with one ounce of bruised ginger in a gallon of water for half an hour. Cut up a lemon in slices and put in a big bowl with 1lb. Of brown sugar, and strain over them the gallon of water from the nettles. Stir well, and when the sugar is dissolved and the mixture of lukewarm add a cupful of barm and let it work for eight hours. Then skim and bottle.
DANDELION AND NETTLE BEER
Boil fresh nettle tops, 1oz. crushed ginger, 1oz. dandelion root, 2 sliced lemons and 1lb. of sugar in 1 gallon of water for 20 minutes. Strain into an earthenware bowl and when it is lukewarm add 1oz. of yeast on a square of toast and let it work for a few hours. Skim and bottle. It is ready to drink next day.

[1] Orwell originally wrote ‘eleven’. Peter Davison