Summer is here

I love this time of year, it may have been nearly a month since my last blog, but I haven’t been sitting around doing nothing! Quite a lot has happened.

Patrick has grown so much and he learnt how to laugh this week whilst Dad was blowing raspberries on his belly, a wonderful moment! He is currently asleep on the decking whilst I am typing this post!

Both groups lots of pigs are out in the wood and enjoying gardening, we have had quite a warm spell this week so we have been encouraging them to dig a hole that we have been filling with water for a wallow.

The sheep are all well as fat as butter and enjoying the sun. I introduced Patrick to the Oxford Down Ladies whilst I was sheep sitting as Mum and Dad have been away. The Picture says it all!

This week we have been busy making preserves, Red Onion Chutney, Summer Fruit Jam and two types of Mustard, Apple and Mint and Chilli and Garlic a few new additions to our range. The shop in Bishops Stortford has taken 40 jars and we have several events lined up over the next few weeks.

Yesterday we went to our local Pick Your Own and managed to collect 6.5kg of raspberries for an amazing £24.00. Also I acquired an amazing 10kg of strawberries last weekend. Both lots are now in the freezer ready for jam making.

The vegetable garden is alive, especially the fruit, we have a huge amount of raspberries and strawberries at present and everything else is coming along nicely.

Two weekends ago we attended the Heavy Horse Show at the Museum of Power with East Essex Smallholders Group. What a wonderful day, we had sheep and goats there, a bread and sausage making competition, not to mention everyone’s wares for sale, including our preserves, eggs and herbs. Not forgetting much to Mum’s sadness, two of her sheepskins. I did say to her as lovely as they are she can’t keep ten sheep skins! Low and behold two of them now have a wonderful new home.

The hay has been cut and is home, the haylage is all baled and is just waiting for a break in the weather for it to be delivered home.

Gareth’s beer has turned out well and he is gradually drinking his way through it, I hear he is going to put another brew on this evening.

Well I’m off to plant the rest of the squashes and pumpkins on the muck heap.

Enjoy the sunshine!