Looking around today it is clear that a lot of flowers feel their time is over as they get a bit ragged at the edges
Some living things can’t wait to get on with the process of decay
The raspberries just want to keep on giving for as long as possible
as do the tomatoes
We harvest the fennel seeds
and Lottie
admires the half of the field that has been scythed of two year’s growth
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
As we teeter on the cusp
we look around
and collect the goodness
feeling if only somehow we could distil it (not literally please note HMRC)
and bottle it
we will keep the essence of sunlight
after the shadows have lengthened
As the hours of light totter in the equilibrium before succumbing to the hours of darkness we assess our source of winter warmth
we also work on converting the September bounty
into
winter warmth
(although that will be winter 2017)
As to the September bounty – on one side of the lane it is stripped away
while opposite, our hedge
has…
additional September bounty
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
We have to cross the border (many times on this convoluted line: “Welcome to Wales”… “Welcome to England” seems less stressed.) As we journey to collect Spot.
We are told to arrive later so we have to dally by the Dee
where there are strange flowering plants – toadflax
and Sand Martin holes
Currently we are eyeing up most things for their wine making potential
We try not to be seduced by frolicking bullocks (No, we can’t have one)
Although a Crow in need of care would be wonderful
We see exciting properties, but leaning slightly
and collect Balsam seed – we will have damp places soon… and bees
and then on to collect Spot
vet certified
we had been told we would get back every part but that seems not the case as we receive an out of scale head
Not put out we take her on to deepest Shropshire where she will be processed with craftsmanship
plus we have a chance to see Brutus’ siblings – including runt Victoria – growing happily on bread and cabbage
We have a pond
We have a water catchment system in place:
Off the workshop roof
into the IBCs
down the neighbour’s field for a couple of hundred metres to the junction box
some for the neighbour’s sheep, some for the compost toilet, and then through the hedge
to join the run off from the farrow house roof
from where Brutus keeps an eye on the pipe down through the field
for a hundred metres or so
into the pond
Problem is
nothing is due to land on the workshop roof this week.
Meanwhile we have been consoling ourselves by harvesting the damsons
ready for fermentation
Bert
has been declared too big for young brides and is seeking an older lady
In the neighbour’s field boys are at play
and we are on the lookout for the next fermentation opportunity
Went on an expedition today looking for ideas for new stock:
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
A rare visit out of station to Gregynog
drawn by a free open day and not knowing what we would find we received unexpected inspiration. From the Davies Sisters, who “were very aware they owed their wealth to the labours of ordinary Welsh people, and at an early stage came to feel that they had a duty to ‘give something back’.”; the books of the Gregynog Press; and the wonderful mature deciduous woodland.
On the site plan the walled garden
was labelled “awaiting renovation”, on the ground it was labelled “no right of way” and beyond that sign it was full of young pheasants
Some seemed interested in coming home with us
a Golden Boy replacement?
Their wood margins were full of the bee-attracting wild scabius
of which we have a little which we are trying to encourage
and the beech leaf litter had a wide variety of fungus
We do have some, including this
and the old scented roses reminded us there is more to life than vegetables
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
Meanwhile Spot makes her last journey
Match the noses to the pigs. Use comments to make a response. Prizes await.
Pigs (in alphabetical order)
(1) Bert
(2) Bina
(3) Brutus
(4) Lottie
(5) Spot
Noses
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
The hole in the bottom field
is being made waterproof
for a sense of scale
We all know of the threats to the bee population
We have wild scabious outside the gate (“yes, we used to have that in the fields” said our neighbouring farmer.)
Bees want to be there
in fact the flower has to accommodate two
or even three
Meanwhile Bert enjoys the windfall apples
but Brutus takes time to realise they are food
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
We have decided the time has come to brew our own
and are looking at things with a new eye:
Yes, obviously
Yes, equally obviously
Probably not
Maybe
More research needed
Damsons yes, tits unlikely
Definitely not
Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:
Gribin Isaf 