Albert and Arthur

Introducing Arthur and Albert - two Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs that we're keeping in the grass field next to the pond.

Michaelmas Day

Today is Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, a day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the start of the new farming year as harvest is finished and new crops sown. It is one of the traditional “quarter days” - Lady Day on 25th March, Midsummer on 24th June and Christmas on 25th December when servants were hired, rents paid and leases began and we still pay our farm rents to our landlords on Lady Day and Michaelmas Day.

art on the footpath

An apple tree on the footpath.

Not quite Andy Goldsworthy.

hedgerow fruit in The Ley

The hedgerows around the farm are full of ripe fruit; these blackberries, wild apples, sloes, hawthorn berries and rosehips are growing in the hedge alongside the footpath in The Ley. A delicious combination to make Hedgerow Jam or Cordial.

pests on the oilseed rape

5th September oilseed rape in Gt Forest

12th September oilseed rape in Gt Forest

The oilseed rape that was planted last month is growing well. The pigeons have started to feed on it so a couple of gas guns have been put out to deter them. Our other main pest is horse riders who have decided that it would be good fun to ride across the oilseed rape crops. Why can't they ride along the public bridleway? Arrogance? Ignorance? Who knows.

after ditch clearing in the ley

The Ley, a set on Flickr.

After ditch clearing the digger driver heaped up the branches and roots in the field and the stubble was cultivated around them to make a fire break. The heaps have now been burnt and any remaining rubbish picked up and added to the fires.

trimming Christmas trees

Bill has been shearing the Christmas trees into shape with the hedgecutter. This seems a bit extreme but the end result looks good.

power harrowing the ley

The Ley has been power harrowed today to break down the clods. The field will be left for a few weeks for the weather to further break down the soil to make a good seedbed for drilling wheat.

all is safely gathered in

The wheat harvest finished at the beginning of August and most of the beans were combined during August. However, it wasn't until 2nd September that the last field of spring beans were harvested. As expected, the yield wasn't very good and it was a difficult crop to combine because the plants were so short.
So, at last harvest 2011 is finished and all is safely gathered in.